FBI reported that Oregon resident Negasi Zuberi, 29, has been associated with violent sexual assaults in at least four states. If he might be responsible for further crimes, the authorities are looking into it.
FBI said on Wednesday that an Oregon man who was acting as an undercover police officer last month kidnapped a woman in Seattle, abused her, took her to his home, and then confined her in a makeshift cell from which she managed to escape.
The suspect, 29-year-old Negasi Zuberi, was detained in Nevada on July 16 after being linked to violent sexual assaults in at least four other states, according to the authorities, who also claimed they were looking into the possibility that he was involved in other assaults.
Stephanie Shark, the deputy special agent in charge of the F.B.I.’s Portland office, said at a news conference on Wednesday, “Sadly, we believe there are more victims.”
According to a criminal complaint submitted in federal court in Medford, Oregon, Mr. Zuberi was apprehended after being seen by two Nevada FBI police officers in a Walmart parking lot in Reno with his wife and kids. According to Nathan Lichvarcik, head of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Eugene and Medford, Oregon, he will be charged with interstate kidnapping, which carries a maximum punishment of life in prison.
A legal counselor addressing Mr. Zuberi didn’t promptly answer a solicitation for input on Wednesday.
According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Zuberi made a request for a woman in Seattle “to engage in prostitution” on July 15, the day before his arrest. In the wake of having a sexual experience with the lady, who was recognized exclusively as “Grown-up Casualty 1,” Mr. Zuberi told her that he was a covert cop and that he needed to arrest her, the objection states.
Mr. Zuberi set the lady in binds, put her in the rearward sitting arrangement of his vehicle and drove her from Seattle to his home in Klamath Falls, Metal., around 450 miles away, as per the objection. According to the complaint, Mr. Zuberi pulled over at some point during the drive and made the woman have sex with him.
At the point when they showed up at Mr. Zuberi’s home, he put her in an improvised cell that he had underlying his carport, as per the objection.
“The cell was made of ash blocks and a metal entryway introduced backward so it couldn’t be opened from within,” the grumbling said.
Mr. Zuberi left the lady in the cell for a couple of hours, telling her he expected to do desk work, as per the grievance. She was capable, be that as it may, to drive out, Capt. Deny Reynolds of the Klamath Falls FBI Police Division said at the news meeting. The F.B.I. said in a proclamation that the lady had the option to break the cell entryway by over and over hitting it.
Captain Reynolds stated, “We wouldn’t be here today and Mr. Zuberi wouldn’t be in custody if she didn’t do what she did.” Insights regarding how she got away couldn’t be shared in view of the dynamic examination, Chief Reynolds said.
According to Captain Reynolds, the woman flagged down the first vehicle she saw as soon as she escaped. The vehicle’s driver called 911, and the lady was taken to a medical clinic, as indicated by the protest.
The specialists didn’t distinguish where the other rapes to which they had connected Mr. Zuberi had happened.
According to Ms. Shark of the FBI, Mr. Zuberi has resided in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Florida. She said that he had used other aliases, including Sakima Zuberi, Justin Kouassi, and Justin Hyche.
“It is accepted he might have utilized a few unique strategies to deal with his casualties FBI,” Ms. Shark said, including “tranquilizing their beverages and imitating a FBI police officer.”
“We are concerned that if we work backwards FBI, we’re going to find unfortunately numerous victims,” Ms. Shark stated FBI. The authorities requested that anyone with information regarding Mr. Zuberi contact the F.B.I.