The FBI says a man named Negasi Zuberi, age 29, is currently in federal custody, facing accusations of kidnapping a woman from Washington state and imprisoning her in a cinderblock cell at his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Zuberi is a known violent sexual assault offender who has lived in various states, leading investigators to suspect the existence of other victims in connection with this case.
The investigation came to light when the kidnapped woman managed to escape from Zuberi’s home in Klamath Falls. She disclosed that she had been abducted, sexually assaulted, and confined in a cinderblock cell. Authorities have identified Zuberi under multiple aliases, including Sakima, Justin Hyche, and Justin Kouassi. Over the past decade, he has resided in ten different states.
Presently, Zuberi is being held on charges of interstate kidnapping. According to investigators, he traveled to Seattle, where he solicited the services of a prostitute. He then impersonated an undercover police officer, using handcuffs, leg irons, and a Taser to control and restrain the woman.
Subsequently, Zuberi drove around 450 miles back to Klamath Falls with the victim still in the back seat, committing sexual assaults during the journey. Once they reached his home, Zuberi allegedly constructed a makeshift cinderblock cell in his garage, equipped with a metal door that could not be opened from the inside. He confined the woman there while he left the premises.
The woman managed to escape by repeatedly striking the door and was able to flag down a passing driver who called 9-1-1 for help.
“According to the complaint, this woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell. Police say, she beat the door with her hands until they were bloody in order to break free. Her quick thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare,” says Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Stephanie Shark with the FBI Portland Field Office.
After a brief standoff with the police, Zuberi was apprehended in Reno, Nevada. A search warrant for his residence in Klamath Falls led the authorities to discover the cinderblock cell in his garage.
Investigative reports reveal that Zuberi employed various methods to control his victims, including impersonating a law enforcement officer and using drugs in their drinks.
The FBI also highlighted that victims were often threatened with retaliation if they dared to report the incidents to law enforcement.
