MEDFORD, Ore. — An Oregon man has been convicted by a federal jury of kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women, confining one in a makeshift cell inside his garage. Negasi Zuberi, 30, who also used the alias Justin Joshua Hyche, faced charges including kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
The abduction that led to Zuberi’s arrest occurred on July 15, 2023, in Seattle. Authorities state that Zuberi impersonated a police officer to subdue his victim using a taser and handcuffs, securing her in the backseat of his vehicle. Over a harrowing journey spanning approximately 450 miles to his Klamath Falls residence, he assaulted the victim several times before locking her in a cell he had engineered in his garage.
This escape was dramatic, as the woman eventually broke out of the cell, seized a handgun from Zuberi’s vehicle, and sought help from a passing motorist who contacted the police.
Zuberi was apprehended the following day, July 16, in Reno, Nevada. Local police and Nevada state patrol officers ended a brief standoff in a parking lot, leading to his surrender and subsequent arrest.
Further investigation unveiled a disturbing pattern. Roughly six weeks before the Seattle incident, on May 6, Zuberi had confined and sexually assaulted another woman. This victim noted the construction materials in his garage, which were later used to build the cell for the second victim.
On August 2, Zuberi was indicted on multiple charges by a federal grand jury in Medford, including kidnapping and transporting with the intent to engage in criminal activity. By February 15, 2024, more charges were added, including a second kidnapping count, illegal firearms and ammunition possession, and attempted escape.
The penalties for these crimes are severe. Kidnapping carries a potential sentence of life in federal prison, while transporting a victim across state lines for criminal sexual activity can result in up to 10 years in prison. The charges for illegal arms possession and attempted escape can impose up to 15 years each.
These unfolding events underscore a chilling violation of safety and justice in the community, demonstrating the severe consequences of such felonious actions.
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