Iowa parents who helped son flee country must forfeit $11,000

IOWA CITY — A judge this week ordered Iowa parents, who were convicted of helping their son flee to Jordan to escape prosecution for attempted murder and other charges last year, to forfeit more than $11,000 in their bank account because it was used in the crime.

  Buy Photo

Sixth Judicial District Judge Liz Dupuich, in her ruling Wednesday, said the evidence presented by the prosecution during a hearing showed the $11, 474 in seized funds from Alfred Ali Mohammad Younes, 49, and Lima Khairi Mohammad Younes, 45, both of Sutherland in northwest Iowa, was used in the escape.

The money derived from the sale of their SUV on May 2, 2023, to help their son, Ali Younes, 21, escape pretrial release and flee to Jordan, the ruling stated.

Dupuich said the parents sold their vehicle, rented a van and drove Ali Younes to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago so he could get a flight to Jordan on May 6, 2023. They also accumulated cash in preparation to “further their conspiracy” to move their son to Jordan.

“This is not a close call,” Dupuich said in the ruling. “The evidence demonstrates the intent was to assist their son in continuing his ongoing flight to evade prosecution.”

Alfred and Lima Younes were given proper notice of the forfeiture action, they were convicted of aiding their son in his escape and both were sentenced to up to five years in prison, Dupuich stated.

The forfeiture is “subject to disposal” by the U.S. Department of Justice, according tot the ruling.

Ali Younes was extradited from Chicago over the weekend after surrendering last week in Chicago after his flight from Jordan landed at O’Hare. He was formally charged Tuesday with escape from custody from custody by a felony, a Class D felony.

Younes’ trial in the attempted murder will be reset. If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison.

Hearing testimony

During the Wednesday hearing in Johnson County District Court, University of Iowa Police Detective Brett Cooper testified and revealed a few new details on how Alfred and Lima Younes helped their son flee.

Cooper said a woman reported being attacked by a man on the University of Iowa campus in April 2022. She was strangled to the point of unconsciousness. Her earrings, valued at $28,000, were stolen, and later Ali Younes was charged for attempted murder, first-degree robbery and first-degree theft.

  Buy Photo

Ali Younes paid his bail after it had been lowered by a judge and was placed on pretrial supervision with an ankle monitor when released pending his May 16, 2022, trial, Cooper said. Ali lived with his parents and sister in Sutherland, and his grandmother came back to Iowa in December 2022.

On May 2, 2023, the Youneses sold their 2021 GMC vehicle to a dealership in Omaha, Neb., for about $35,000, Cooper testified. A portion of that money was used to pay off the vehicle loan and about $20,000 was left.

On May 6, Ali’s ankle monitor was cut off. Flight records from O’Hare showed two tickets were purchased the same day as the vehicle sale for a flight to Jordan for Ali and his grandmother.

Alfred and Lima Younes then rented a minivan and drove Ali and the grandmother from Sutherland to Chicago, Cooper said. The van dropped off Ali at a parking area near the airport, instead of the airport entrance.

Both Alfred and Lima misled law enforcement about traveling to Chicago, stating they had been to Davenport, not Chicago.

Father’s arrest

On May 9, 2023, Alfred Younes purchased a one-way plane ticket to Jordan, Cooper said. He had a carry-on bag and three checked bags, which included winter clothing and Ali’s X-box. He later told investigators he was going to Jordan for a funeral and didn’t buy a round-trip ticket because he didn’t know his return date.

  Buy Photo

Cooper said it appeared to him that Alfred Younes was moving to Jordan permanently. He had his wife’s cellphone, which contained his SIM card, and also had more than one passport. He also was carrying $16,400 in cash when he was arrested at the Omaha airport.

Alfred Younes’ plan was for his wife and Ali’s sister to leave Iowa two days later on May 11, Cooper testified.

Search warrants were obtained for the family’s bank accounts and $60,000 was recovered, Cooper said. The money came from two loans for the purpose of “home improvement” but were used in this escape plan.

According to court documents, the state asked the court to return $25,969 to one loan company and $40,238 of the seized money to another loan company. The $11,474 left was set for this forfeiture hearing.

Lima Younes was convicted by a jury, and Alfred Younes pleaded guilty to the escape from custody and were each sentenced to up to five years in prison. Both received early parole from the Iowa Board of parole earlier this year — Alfred serving more than five months and Lima serving over seven months.

Ruling

Dupuich, in her Wednesday ruling, said the majority of testimony from Alfred Younes rehashed “what he believes were illegal searches conducted by law enforcement to his property, and outrage that he was sentenced to prison without any prior criminal history.”

According to the ruling, any costs in this matter will be assessed jointly to Alfred and Lima Younes. It also stated that law enforcement and the Johnson County Attorney’s Office are not liable for a lawsuit, the forfeiture decision or prosecution, according to Iowa law.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com