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HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The Brazilian couple convicted with kidnapping their grandson from Houston have been sentenced in that case.
Carlos Guimaraes has been sentenced to three months in prison while Jemima Guimaraes has been sentenced to one month in prison. Both of them will serve one year of supervised probation upon their release. Both of them were found guilty on one count and not guilty on another.
The judge is allowing the couple to turn themselves in after the holidays in mid-January.
"We're delighted the judge did everything possible to be fair to both sides," says the Guimaraes' Attorney Rusty Hardin.
The grandparents could have spent two years in prison, but the judge says he took their age and clean legal history into consideration.
"The way they've treated me and my entire family is nothing short of horrific," says Nico's dad Dr. Chris Brann.
This all started in 2012 when Dr. Brann and his wife Marcelle were divorcing. A Harris County court granted joint custody. However, in 2013, Brann's ex took their 3-year-old son Nico to Brazil and never returned.
She lived with her parents and a Brazilian court granted Marcelle sole custody based on allegations of abuse.
A spokesperson for Marcelle, Wayne Dolcefino, says she's devastated her parents are going to prison.
"It's an outrage, because think about what we've just done. We've just sent grandparents to prison for protecting their daughter who was a victim of domestic violence," says Dolcefino.
"Regardless of whatever kind of excuses you're going to come up with to try to justify the abduction of a child, you will still be held to account, arrested, tried and convicted and you will go to jail," says Brann's attorney Jared Genser, who says this sentencing sends a message.
Brann denies he abused his wife and says the relationship with his son is now destroyed. He points to the last conversation he had with Nico last week.
"He said 'daddy release my grandparents'. Then he called back and he said 'daddy I don't want to speak to you. I hate you.'"
The judge is also considering if the grandparents will have to pay restitution to Dr. Brann and reimburse him for the 20 visits he took to Brazil to see his son.
The United States Department of Justice U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas released the following statement regarding the sentencing: