Iowa City, Iowa — A man whose parents helped him cut off his ankle monitor at their Sutherland home and then helped him flee the country after he was accused of attempted murder — has been sentenced to a 50-year prison term.
Court documents say that in 2022, Ali Younes, who was a 19-year-old college student at the time, followed a woman on foot on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City and tackled her near the UI Art Building West, strangled her until she lost consciousness, and stole her earrings valued at $20,000.
After his arrest in connection with the crime, he was allowed to live in Sutherland with an ankle monitor while on house arrest. However, in May 2023, court documents say his parents helped him remove his ankle monitor, sold the family car, and helped Younes board a flight to Jordan. The country of Jordan does not have an extradition agreement with the United States, so it is difficult to return suspects to the US for trial.
After he voluntarily returned to the United States in 2024, he stood trial and was found guilty of robbery, theft, attempted murder, and escape from custody late last year. On Monday, Younes was sentenced to two consecutive 25-year prison terms.
His parents were sentenced to five-year prison terms for helping him flee the country, but were released after serving only about seven months each in 2024.
KIWA Staff Photo
