Sutherland, Iowa — A Sutherland couple serving time in prison have been released on parole after serving only about twenty percent of their sentences.
Authorities allege that then-19-year-old Ali Younes was on house arrest with his family in O’Brien County pending trial for charges of attempted murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree theft for an incident that took place on April 25, 2022. Officials said that Younes allegedly robbed and strangled a person outside of Art Building West on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City and was arrested less than 24 hours later.
A judge granted Younes conditional pre-trial release, which required him to wear a GPS monitoring device, as well as surrender his passport and stay with his family. Officials in the Johnson County Attorney’s Office were notified that Younes had removed his monitoring device, with law enforcement officials unable to locate him. According to O’Brien County property records, the Younes family owns a home in Sutherland.
Authorities say that Younes’ parents, Alfred and Lima Younes, helped him cut off the monitoring device and get to a plane headed for Jordan. Jordan does not have an extradition agreement with the United States, so if Younes stays there, US officials cannot take custody of him.
The couple were both sentenced to five-year prison terms after Lima Younes was found guilty and Alfred Younes pleaded guilty last year.
According to the Iowa Department of Corrections, the couple were paroled in May, after serving only about seven months, each.
