A woman who was allegedly kidnapped says she managed to escape by beating open the door of the makeshift cell she was being kept in with her bare hands “until they were bloody”.
The FBI has said that “her quick thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare”. A 29-year-old Oregon man has now been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and sexual assault.
Negasi Zuberi, 29, was arrested in Reno, Nevada, after a 45-minute stand-off with police, officials said. Zuberi is also a suspect in four sexual assault cases in other states – and there are fears there may be more, said officials.
The FBI has now appealed for additional potential victims to come forward.
Zuberi is accused of kidnapping the woman in Seattle on July 15 – and then driving her 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls. It is alleged that he sexually assaulted her multiple times along the way, before locking her in a makeshift cell made from cinder blocks.
The woman, a sex worker, told police her kidnapper posed as an undercover officer. The kidnapper allegedly pointed a Taser at her before handcuffing her and forcing her into the back of his car, said the woman.
In a statement, the FBI said: “According to the victim, once he arrived at his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon, Zuberi moved her into a makeshift cell that he had constructed in his garage.
“The cell was made of cinder blocks and a metal door installed in reverse so it could not be opened from the inside. Once Zuberi left, the victim says she repeatedly banged on the door and was able to break the door open and escape the room. She was able to flag down a passing motorist who called 911.”
The FBI’s assistant special agent in charge, Stephanie Shark, said: “According to the complaint, this woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell. Her quick thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare.”
After the woman escaped, it is alleged that Zuberi fled to Reno, Nevada. Police arrest documents say Zuberi was in Reno with his wife and had attempted to destroy his phone and cut himself during a stand-off with police.
The Portland FBI noted that since 2016, Zuberi has lived in New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Nevada and Alabama. He is also known to have used the names Sakima, Justin Hyche and Justin Kouassi.
In a statement, the FBI said: “Zuberi has lived in ten states over the last 10 years, and FBI investigators have reason to believe there could be additional sexual assault victims.
The FBI said that women “may know Zuberi by the name ‘Sakima’, and it is believed he may have used several different methods to gain control of his victims, including by drugging their drinks and impersonating a police officer. The victims are often threatened with retaliation if they notify the police.”
“If you believe you have been a victim or have any information concerning Zuberi (aka Sakima) visit fbi.gov/ZuberiVictims or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You can also contact the FBI Portland Field Office at (503) 224-4181, your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.”
Zuberi was taken to the Washoe County Jail, in Reno. He faces life in prison if he is convicted on interstate kidnapping charges.
The FBI say: “A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
