A woman from Seattle managed to escape a cinderblock cell in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where she had been held captive after being abducted last month. The man behind this crime, 29-year-old Negasi Zuberi, posed as an undercover police officer to lure his victim before shackling, sexually assaulting, and locking her up. And it is believed he has committed similar crimes in 10 other states.

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The abduction took place in the early morning hours of July 15, and the victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was transported hundreds of miles away to Klamath Falls.

There, she found herself imprisoned in a makeshift cinderblock cell located in the garage of Zuberi's residence. The cell had been carefully constructed with a metal door, installed backward to prevent escape from the inside, and designed to be soundproof, making it all the more nightmarish.

The woman's will to survive led to her courageous actions. She broke out of a concrete cell bruising and bloodying her hands in the process. She managed to dismantle the door, before seizing a firearm belonging to Zuberi and making her escape. Climbing over a fence, she flagged down a driver who promptly called 911.

Kidnapper active in 10 other states

Zuberi was arrested in a Walmart parking lot in Reno, Nevada, where he was found with his wife and one of his children.

Upon searching his home, authorities discovered handwritten notes containing a sketch of an underground structure with "foam insulation" and "waterproof concrete."

Zuberi employed a variety of tactics to gain control over his victims, such as drugging their drinks, impersonating law enforcement officers, and soliciting sex workers before violently assaulting them.

He also had handwritten notes titled "Operation Take Over" that featured a disturbing to-do list.

It was a “How to” commit a crime and avoid detection.
Number one on his list was "Leave phone at home." And Number two was "Make sure they dont have a bunch of ppl in their life. You dont want any type of investigation."

https://youtu.be/3Ca0irlhfMQ

The FBI has been investigating the case since the victim came forward.

They announced that Zuberi may have operated in 10 other states, including California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada. In those states, he is suspected of committing similar crimes, and authorities are actively searching for more potential victims.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Lichvarcik confirmed that Zuberi has been charged with interstate kidnapping, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if convicted.

Investigators have linked him to sexual assaults in at least four other states. And are concerned about the scope and scale of his criminal activities.

According to court records, Zuberi is also known by various aliases, including Justin Joshua Hyche, Sakima Zuberi, and Justin Kouassi.

The FBI believes there may be more victims who have not yet come forward.

The property where Zuberi held his victim captive belonged to Klamath Falls Mayor Carol Westfall and her husband, Kevin Westfall. The couple had no knowledge of Zuberi's activities and promptly evicted him after his arrest.

The Westfalls expressed their shock over the situation while commending the bravery of the woman who played a key role in capturing the perpetrator and potentially saving other victims from a similar fate.

As the investigation unfolds, law enforcement officials are urging anyone with information about Zuberi's actions or potential victims to come forward and assist in bringing this criminal to justice.