FBI: Oregon man who locked woman in cell may have more victims

(NewsNation) — Authorities say a suspect accused of keeping a woman locked up in a makeshift cell he built in the garage of his Oregon home may have more victims.

Negasi Zuberi, 29, was arrested in Reno, Nevada, after the woman fled his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Authorities said they are asking victims in any of the 10 states Zuberi lived in to come forward. FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Shark described the case as the kind that shocks even seasoned law enforcement professionals.

Zuberi’s neighbor, who wished to only be identified as Mark, said he’s not exactly surprised by the arrest.

“When I found out about even like the whole pretending to be a cop thing, I thought, ‘That’s not surprising from him,’ you know. Because that’s probably what he is: a con artist,” said Mark.

According to court documents, Zuberi kidnapped a woman in Seattle by soliciting her as a prostitute and then claiming to be an undercover cop. The woman said she was chained, handcuffed, sexually assaulted and kept in a makeshift cinderblock cell. She beat her fists bloody on the walls of the cell in her effort to escape, then flagged down a passing motorist for help.

Police found the cell at Zuberi’s home, and he fled police before being arrested in Reno, Nevada. He is currently being detained pending extradition to Oregon. Zuberi is being charged with interstate kidnapping.

Authorities said Zuberi is connected to at least four other sexual assaults in other states, and has lived in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado New York, New Jersey, Alabama and Florida. He is also known by the names Sakima, Justin Hyche and Justin Kouassi.

NewsNation writer Steph Whiteside and The Associated Press contributed to this report.