Oregon Man Accused of Holding Woman Captive in Makeshift Cinder Block Cell
An Oregon man has been accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman, whom he held captive in a makeshift cinder block cell in his garage. Federal authorities suspect there may be additional victims of the suspect’s sexual assault crimes.
29-year-old Negasi Zuberi is currently in federal custody on charges of interstate kidnapping, as confirmed by the FBI’s Portland Field Office. Zuberi was arrested last month after a woman managed to escape from his home in Klamath Falls. In a press briefing on Wednesday, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Shark stated that the victim claimed to have been “kidnapped, shackled, sexually assaulted, and locked in this makeshift cell.”
Agent Shark expressed the shocking nature of the case, stating that even seasoned investigators are alarmed by such details and the possibility of unknown victims. She referred to it as “that kind of case.”
According to the federal complaint, Zuberi met the victim in Seattle after midnight on July 15. He allegedly posed as an undercover police officer and solicited the services of a sex worker. The complaint states that Zuberi showed the woman a badge and she noticed a handgun in his vehicle.
Zuberi then reportedly pointed a Taser at the woman, handcuffed and leg-ironed her in the back seat of his car, and drove approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls. The sexual assault allegedly occurred during the journey.
Upon arriving at his residence, Zuberi allegedly locked the victim in a cinder block cell located in his garage. The cell was made of cinder blocks and had a metal door installed in reverse, making it impossible to open from the inside.
After Zuberi claimed he had to leave to do paperwork, the woman took the opportunity to escape. She broke the metal screen door by repeatedly punching it and managed to crawl out after being held captive for a few hours. Klamath Falls Police Captain Rob Reynolds stated that she sustained knuckle lacerations during the escape.
The woman fled the garage, climbed over a wooden fence, and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911. Klamath Falls police subsequently executed a search warrant and discovered the makeshift cell in the garage, along with the woman’s purse.
Zuberi was later located in a Walmart parking lot in Reno, Nevada, with his wife and child. Nevada state police took him into custody after a 45-minute standoff. He was ordered to be detained in Reno during a court appearance on July 26 and is now in the process of being extradited to Oregon.
Zuberi has been charged with interstate kidnapping and sexual assault as per the indictment returned by a federal grand jury. The offense of interstate kidnapping carries a maximum sentence of life in federal prison if convicted, while transporting an individual across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI revealed that investigators have linked Zuberi to at least four sexual assaults in four different states. Agent Shark expressed concerns of escalation of violence and intent, suggesting that there may be numerous victims.
Zuberi, who is also known by the names Sakima, Justin Hyche, and Justin Kouassi, has resided in Oregon and nine other states since August 2016. Authorities suspect that he may have used various methods, such as drugging victims’ drinks and impersonating a law enforcement officer, to gain control over his victims.
Anyone with information regarding Zuberi is urged to visit tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Zuberi is expected to appear in an Oregon federal court in the near future.