Photo: FBI
A woman who was kidnapped in Seattle managed to escape captivity in Oregon, leading to the arrest of a man who has been linked to at least four different cases of sexual assault across four states.
The FBI said that the woman was being held captive in a makeshift cinderblock cell in the garage of 29-year-old Negasi Zuberi. The agency noted that Zuberi drove from his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington, to solicit a prostitute.
Posing as an undercover police officer, Zuberi handcuffed the woman and put her in the backseat of his car. He then drove her back to his home and sexually assaulted her multiple times.
Once Zuberi was back in Oregon, he locked the woman in the cinderblock cell, but she managed to escape and flagged down help.
"This woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell. Police say she beat the door with her hands until they were bloody in order to break free," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Shark with the FBI Portland Field Office.
Investigators said they have linked Zuberi, who has several other aliases, including Sakima, Justin Hyche, and Justin Kouassi, to four sexual assault cases in four different states. The FBI did not provide any details about those cases.
The FBI believes there could be additional victims and have asked anybody with information to submit tips at fbi.gov/SakimaVictims.