Jury convicts Klamath Falls man of abducting, sexually assaulting two women, holding one in cinder block cell

MEDFORD, Ore. (KTVZ) — A federal jury on Friday found a Klamath Falls man guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women, holding one in a cell he constructed in his garage.

Negasi Zuberi, 30, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was found guilty 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, while in Seattle, Zuberi posed as a police officer and used a Taser and handcuffs to detain his victim in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the victim about 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her.

When Zuberi arrived at his residence, he moved the victim from his vehicle into a cell he had constructed in his garage, prosecutors said. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open, and she escaped. The victim retrieved a handgun from Zuberi's vehicle, fled his garage, and flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911.

The next 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 short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.

While investigating Zuberi's crimes, federal agents discovered that approximately six weeks prior to the kidnapping in Seattle, on May 6, 2023, Zuberi kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim. While being held by Zuberi, his first victim observed stacked cinder blocks in his garage that he later used to construct the cell where he detained his second victim.

On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on February 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegallypossessing firearms and ammunitionand attempted escape were added by superseding indictment.

Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting a victim across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity by up to 10 years. Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and attempted escape are punishable by up to 15 years. 

This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police with assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada; Klamath County District Attorney's Office; Reno, Nevada Police Department; Washoe County, Nevada District Attorney's Office; and Nevada State Police. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Marco A. Boccato, and Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from Appellate Chief Suzanne Miles, also of the District of Oregon.