OREGON, USA — A federal jury found an Oregon man guilty of kidnapping two women, locking one of the women in a cinder block cell in his garage.
Negasi Zuberi, 30, was found guilty on all counts in U.S. District Court in Medford on Friday.
Zuberi did not take the stand during the trial, which was supposed to last three weeks. He attempted to testify on Friday, despite having waived his right to do so the day prior. The judge denied the request, calling it an attempt to disrupt the case, reported KOBI, the NBC-affiliate in Medford.
Zuberi initially pleaded not guilty to an eight-count indictment on two counts of kidnapping, two counts of being a felon in possession of guns and ammunition, and one count each of transportation for criminal sexual activity and attempted escape.
The FBI said that in July 2023, Zuberi posed as an undercover police officer, kidnapped a woman from Seattle, then sexually assaulted her during the 450-mile drive to his home in Klamath Falls. The woman was able to escape the cell by beating on a metal screen door until her hands bled, according to federal agents.
After breaking out of the cell and Zuberi's garage, the woman flagged down a passing driver who called 911.
Security camera footage also showed Zuberi buying cinder blocks at a local Home Depot to construct the makeshift cell in his garage. Weapons and ammunition, video footage and evidence were also found in Zuberi's home and car.
After a standoff with police, Zuberi was arrested a day after the kidnapping in Reno, Nevada.
Zuberi was linked to an earlier, second kidnapping that happened in May 2023. Prosecutors said Zuberi abducted a woman outside a Klamath Falls bar, threatened her with a taser, handcuffed her in the back of his car and then sexually assaulted her multiple times, according to court documents.
Federal prosecutors said that this victim saw stacked cinder blocks in his garage that were later used to construct the cell where he imprisoned the next victim.
Zuberi is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 16. Federal kidnapping charges are punishable by up to life in prison, and the other charges could each net between 10 and 15 years.
KGW's Kyle Iboshi contributed to this reporting.