Oregon Man, Previously Charged with Abducting a Woman, Unsuccessfully Attempts Jail Escape, Officials Report

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An Oregon man who had previously been detained on allegations of abducting a woman in Seattle and confining her in a room made of cinder blocks until she managed to escape, recently made an unsuccessful attempt to escape his own jail cell, announced authorities this Friday.

Negasi Zuberi, aged 29, endeavored to break the window of his cell at the Jackson County Jail last Tuesday, as confirmed by a statement from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

Constructed with dual layers of reinforced glass, the jail’s exterior windows proved to be formidable barriers. Zuberi managed only to inflict damage to the interior layer, according to the Sheriff’s Office statement. As a consequence, he is now facing additional charges of attempted escape and disorderly conduct.

When contacted for comment regarding the new charges, the office of Devin Huseby, one of Zuberi’s legal representatives, chose not to comment. Another message left for a different lawyer representing Zuberi was not promptly returned.

The attempted escape came to the authorities’ attention when a maintenance worker at the jail facility reported hearing an unusual noise emanating from inside one of the cells on Tuesday afternoon. Upon investigation, jail deputies discovered Zuberi standing on his bunk bed, in proximity to the damaged window. They also discovered what they characterized as an improvised tool, believed to have been utilized by Zuberi in his escape attempt. Subsequently, Zuberi has been transferred to a cell lacking exterior windows, as per official statements.

Zuberi had earlier been implicated in soliciting a woman for prostitution in Seattle on July 15, according to authorities. He is alleged to have posed as an undercover officer, displayed a badge, brandished a stun gun, and subsequently handcuffed and shackled the woman before confining her in the rear of his vehicle. Zuberi is said to have then transported her across state lines to his residence in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he held her captive in a cinder-block cell. Following her escape, Zuberi absconded but was apprehended by state police in Reno, Nevada, on July 16.

Operating under various aliases including Justin Hyche, Justin Kouassi, and Negasi Sakima, Zuberi has entered a plea of not guilty to the federal charges of interstate kidnapping and the transportation of an individual across state boundaries for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual conduct. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence.

In addition to the current charges, the Federal Bureau of Investigation stated that they are actively seeking other potential victims, tracing back to the year 2016, after establishing links between Zuberi and violent sexual assaults in multiple states.

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More about Negasi Zuberi Jailbreak Attempt

• Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Statement
• FBI’s Ongoing Investigations into Negasi Zuberi
• Legal Penalties for Interstate Kidnapping
• Overview of Criminal Sexual Conduct Charges
• Procedures for Additional Criminal Charges while in Custody
• Previous Coverage of Negasi Zuberi’s Initial Arrest