Kidnapped lady escapes cell in Oregon; FBI on the lookout 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 a whole lot of miles away final month in Seattle, and now authorities are on the lookout for 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 girl within the early morning hours July 15, then shackled, sexually assaulted her and locked her up, in response to court docket information.
He was arrested and federally charged with interstate kidnapping, which carries a most sentence of life in jail if convicted, Assistant U.S. Lawyer 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 looking for 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.
Preventing for her life, she escaped bloodied
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 response to a felony criticism.
The “makeshift” cell was manufactured from cinderblocks and a metallic door that had been put in backwards so it could not be opened from the within, the criticism mentioned. There was additionally an exterior door, and the cell had been constructed to be soundproof, Klamath Falls police mentioned in a press launch.
She banged towards the door, bloodying and bruising her fingers, 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 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 girl fought for her life, beating the doorways and the partitions of this cell with bloodied fingers,” Stephanie Shark, the assistant particular agent in control of the FBI’s Portland area workplace, mentioned Wednesday. “The sufferer’s focus, actions and her will to outlive triggered a regulation enforcement response that will have really saved many different ladies from an identical nightmare.”
“The sufferer is robust and brave and proper now she is bodily OK,” Shark mentioned, including that she was being supplied assets.
‘There are extra victims’
Zuberi 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.
The FBI mentioned investigators consider Zuberi has used completely different strategies to “achieve management” of victims, together with drugging their drinks, impersonating regulation enforcement officers and soliciting intercourse employees earlier than “violently sexually assaulting them. Klamath Falls police mentioned the sufferer reported that Zuberi had “police patches, a taser, and different regulation enforcement gear.”
“Among the encounters could have been filmed to make it seem as if the assault was consensual,” the FBI in Portland mentioned in a press launch. “The victims are threatened with retaliation in the event that they notify the police.”
He was arrested in Reno, Nevada, in a Walmart parking zone the place he was along with his spouse and considered one of his kids.
Writings mirror calculated planning earlier than assaults
In his home, authorities seized notes that have been handwritten and included a sketch of an underground construction with “foam insulation” and “waterproof concrete,” in response to the felony complaints. One of many notes featured the title “Operation Take Over” and a to-do listing:
- “Go away telephone at house”
- “Be certain that they dont have a bunch of ppl of their life. You dont need any sort of investigation.”
The house the place Zuberi held the girl within the storage is owned by Klamath Falls Mayor Carol Westfall and her husband, Kevin Westfall, in response to court docket information. They evicted him after his arrest.
The Westfalls did not reply to messages from USA TODAY on Wednesday however advised The Related Press they’re “shocked and dismayed.”
“We applaud the actions of the girl who helped seize this individual and forestall him from committing additional atrocities,” they mentioned.
An lawyer listed as representing Zuberi in court docket information did not instantly reply to a request for remark from USA TODAY on Wednesday. Zuberi can also be recognized by the names Justin Joshua Hyche, Sakima Zuberi, and Justin Kouassi, court docket information present.
He is anticipated to look in court docket within the coming weeks after being returned to Oregon, Lichvarcik mentioned.
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