Hunter
12/27/23
An Iowa City man was charged with violating a no-contact order dozens of times within hours of being served with a no-contact order.
According to the arrest record, 20-year-old Ghasan Saad of East Washingotn Street was taken into custody Sunday for Domestic Assault causing injury-first offense, False imprisonment, and Extortion after allegedly holding a woman in his apartment for two days and telling her he would only let her leave if she signed over the title to her vehicle to him. She eventually did under the alleged threat of physical harm.
On Christmas Day, Saad was served with an order commanding him to have no-contact with the protected party. Later that day, he reportedly violated the order by attempting to call the protected party numerous times.
On Tuesday, police learned that Saad had called the woman’s new number 55 times from Christmas morning to Tuesday night. 32 of the calls were allegedly made after Saad had his initial appearance and was served the no-contact order by Judge Brandon Schrock. He reportedly spoke to the woman successfully 36 times.
The new number returned to a TextNow number, which the protected party admitted was hers. Police reportedly spoke to the woman over the phone on her TextNow number and she confirmed she had been speaking to Saad earlier.
Saad was taken into custody and charged with contempt; he faces up to seven years in prison on the original charges.