Man Accused of Stealing Yacht in Alameda, Kidnapping Gets Bad News in Court

It appears there will be no legal breaks for Christopher Maffei, the man accused of kidnapping his children and taking them on a multi-day excursion on a yacht stolen from Alameda's Ballena Isle Marina in September of 2012.

At the time of the kidnapping, it was reported that the children's mother, Jennifer Hipon,worked as a nurse at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

In San Mateo Superior Court this week, Maffaei faced a preliminary hearing.

The defense had previously requested that all charges be reduced from felonies to misdemeanors. Maffei is charged with eight felony counts, including two each for kidnapping, child stealing and child endangerment and one for possession of the stolen boat.

Corporal Fahmida Murphy and Detective Matthew Nichol testified in court at the hearing, while the defense did not present any evidence, according to San Mateo County District Attorney's Office notes.

The court also decided not to lift orders keeping Maffei from contacting his kids either through phone or letters. 

Maffei, 43 at the time he was taken ito custody, was arrested Sept. 7 after a four-day pursuit by authorities, when the stolen yacht ran out of gas off of the Monterey Peninsula, according to the district attorney's office. His children, a boy and girl ages 2 and 3, were found on board and recovered safely.

Maffei allegedly abducted the children at about 3 p.m. on Sept. 4 from the home of their grandmother, who lives in the 100 block of James Court in South San Francisco. He then drove in a rental car to Alameda where he sailed away with them, police said.

Authorities at the time speculated he might be trying to reach Mexico. The yacht, "Unleashed," was spotted about 50 miles off the San Mateo County coast by the operator of a commercial fishing ship who notified the U.S. Coast Guard. Coast Guard officials sent crews by air and by sea to find the yacht and eventually found Maffei and the two children on board the vessel.

Court records show that Maffei's wife had obtained a temporary restraining order against him shortly before the alleged kidnapping.

Maffei remains in custody on $500,000 bail.