Serial Kidnapper and Rapist Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

A man who committed five sexual assaults in five years, two of which occurred during federal kidnappings, was sentenced October 24, 2023, to 40 years in federal prison.

Arjune Ahmed, age 27, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and formerly of Ethiopia, received the prison term after a March 3, 2023, jury verdict finding him guilty of two counts of kidnapping.

Evidence at trial showed on August 21, 2019, Ahmed followed a woman from the Hard Rock Casino on Fourth Street, where he tricked her into getting close to his car.  Once she was close, he grabbed her and pulled her into his car.  He then sped into Nebraska from Iowa, where he sexually assaulted her.  His August 21, 2019, victim testified that when he was done with her, he cursed her and pushed her out of his car at a rural location.

Trial evidence also showed that 13 months later, on October 16, 2020, Ahmed used social media to trick a woman into meeting him for breakfast.  Instead of driving her to breakfast, Ahmed took her from midtown Sioux City to Bacon Creek Park where he sexually assaulted her.  His October 16, 2020, victim testified that when he was done with her, he discarded her in the woods.   

The jury also heard evidence that in 2015 a woman was the victim of a home-invasion and sexual assault.  That crime went unsolved for nearly five years until DNA evidence discovered in the investigations of the 2019 and 2020 kidnappings was linked to Ahmed.

Additionally, at sentencing, the United States proved defendant kidnapped and sexually assaulted two additional victims.  One of whom was attacked on October 31, 2017, and another on July 25, 2018.  Both incidents occurred in downtown Sioux City where Ahmed lured the women into his car with promises of a ride home, but instead, took them to an isolated location where he sexually assaulted or attempted to sexually assault them.  In both cases the victims were able to fight off and escape Ahmed.

Ahmed has previously been convicted of several assaults, criminal trespassing, public indecency, disturbing the peace, and obstructing a peace officer.           

Ahmed was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand to 480 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated that, “Due the fine work of multiple local, state and federal law enforcement, a dangerous individual who preyed upon the women of our community has been brought to justice. For roughly the next forty years, the victims of Mr. Ahmed can sleep soundly knowing he can’t hurt them.”

Ahmed is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Dakota County, Nebraska Sherriff’s Office, the South Sioux City, Nebraska Police Department, the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 21-04087.

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