Kidnapped girl escapes cell in Oregon; FBI appears to be like for extra victims
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A lady who escaped a cinderblock cell in a person’s storage in Klamath Falls, Oregon, was kidnapped lots of of miles away final month in Seattle, and now authorities are in search of extra potential victims throughout a number of states.
The person, 29-year-old Negasi Zuberi of Klamath Falls, posed as an undercover police officer and kidnapped the lady within the early morning hours July 15, then shackled, sexually assaulted her and locked her up, in accordance with courtroom data.
He was arrested and federally charged with interstate kidnapping, which carries a most sentence of life in jail if convicted, Assistant U.S. Legal professional Nathan Lichvarcik mentioned at a information convention Wednesday.Authorities mentioned Zuberi has been linked to sexual assaults in at the very least 4 extra states, and they’re trying to find extra potential victims. He is lived in a number of states since 2016, probably together with California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada, the FBI mentioned.
The sufferer in Klamath Falls, who wasn’t recognized, “briefly slept and awoke to the conclusion that she would possible die if she didn’t try to flee,” in accordance with a felony criticism. The “makeshift” cell was made from cinderblocks and a metallic door that had been put in backwards so it could not be opened from the within, the criticism mentioned.
She banged in opposition to the door, bloodying and bruising her palms, till she managed to open it, the FBI in Portland mentioned Wednesday. In response to Klamath Falls Police Captain Rob Reynolds, the sufferer was capable of break the welds on the door, rip the metallic display screen off of it, and crawl out. She had lacerations on her knuckles from punching the door and partitions, Reynolds mentioned.
She then retrieved a gun that belonged to Zuberi and escaped. She climbing over a fence and flagged down a driver who referred to as 911.
“The lady fought for her life, beating the doorways and the partitions of this cell with bloodied palms,” Stephanie Shark, the assistant particular agent in command of the FBI’s Portland discipline workplace, mentioned Wednesday. “The sufferer’s focus, actions and her will to outlive triggered a legislation enforcement response which will have truly saved many different ladies from an analogous nightmare.”
“The sufferer is robust and brave and proper now she is bodily OK,” Shark mentioned, including that she was being supplied assets.
He had solicited the sufferer to have interaction in prostitution earlier than telling her he was an undercover officer, the felony criticism mentioned. He drove her about seven hours and 450 miles away, officers mentioned Wednesday.
“Sadly, we consider there are extra victims,” Shark mentioned.
Shark mentioned investigators consider Zuberi has used completely different strategies to “acquire management” of victims, together with drugging their drinks and impersonating legislation enforcement officers.
He was arrested in Reno, Nevada, in a Walmart parking zone the place he was together with his spouse and one in every of his youngsters.
An legal professional listed as representing Zuberi in courtroom data did not instantly reply to a request for remark from USA TODAY on Wednesday. Zuberi can be recognized by the names Justin Joshua Hyche, Sakima Zuberi, and Justin Kouassi, courtroom data present.
He is anticipated to seem in courtroom within the coming weeks after being returned to Oregon, Lichvarcik mentioned.
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