Medford, Oregon- A federal jury in Medford has found Negasi Zuberi, 30, of Klamath Falls, Oregon, guilty of multiple charges related to kidnapping and sexual assault. Zuberi, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was convicted of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, Zuberi, posing as a police officer in Seattle, used a taser and handcuffs to detain a woman, placing her in the backseat of his vehicle. He then transported the victim approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her. Upon arrival at his residence, Zuberi confined the victim in a cell he had built in his garage. The woman managed to escape by breaking the door of the cell, retrieving a handgun from Zuberi’s vehicle, and flagging down a motorist, who alerted authorities.
The following day, on July 16, 2023, Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a brief standoff, Zuberi surrendered and was taken into custody.
Further investigation revealed that Zuberi had kidnapped and assaulted another woman just six weeks earlier, on May 6, 2023. During her captivity, the first victim had noticed cinder blocks in Zuberi’s garage that he later used to construct the cell for his second victim.
On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Zuberi on charges of kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Additional charges for illegal firearm possession and attempted escape were added by superseding indictment on February 15, 2024.
Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison, while transporting a victim across state lines for criminal sexual activity carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and attempting to escape custody are each punishable by up to 15 years.
The case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, the Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police, with support from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and law enforcement in Nevada. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey S. Sweet, Marco A. Boccato, and Nathan J. Lichvarcik from the District of Oregon, with appellate assistance from Suzanne Miles.
Source: Oregon DOJ
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