According to a Thursday press release from the Johnson County Attorney’s Office, the Iowa Court of Appeals confirmed the five-year sentence of Alfred Younes for aiding in the escape of his son Ali Younes.
Ali Younes, a former University of Iowa student, was charged with attempted murder, first-degree robbery, and first-degree theft for allegedly strangling a woman and stealing her earrings outside UI’s Art Building West on April 25, 2022.
He was additionally charged with escape of a felon after fleeing to Jordan in May 2023 to evade prosecution 10 days before his initial trial.
Before his 2022 arrest, Ali Younes was the subject of several investigations by the UI Police Department, facing accusations of stalking, sexual assault, and sexual harassment on four occasions at Slater Residence Hall.
Ali Younes’ parents, Alfred and Lima Younes were later convicted of aiding and abetting in their son’s escape. The couple reportedly sold a vehicle for $20,000, rented a Chrysler Pacifica, and left for Chicago’s O’Hare Airport on May 6 with Ali Younes, his grandmother, and their 17-year-old daughter so Younes could fly to Jordan.
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After a self-surrender process coordinated by the UI Campus Safety and the U.S. Embassy in Jordan, Ali Younes voluntarily returned to the U.S. in August 2024 to face trial. He made his first court appearance in Johnson County in September.
Lima Younes was found guilty in August 2023, and Alfred Younes pled guilty in September 2023. Both were sentenced to five years in prison.
The Thursday press release states that Alfred Younes appealed his sentence, arguing that the district court abused its discretion by focusing solely on community deterrence as a sentencing factor. The Court of Appeals determined that the district court acted within its discretion by considering multiple permissible sentencing factors.
The release states that Alfred Younes was released on parole after serving just over five months of his five-year sentence.