An Oregon man who is accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in a cinderblock cell in his garage was previously featured on the popular TV show ‘Judge Judy’ in 2018, where he sued the mother of his two children for allegedly destroying his property.
The Kidnapping and Escape
According to the FBI, Negasi Zuberi, 29, who goes by the aliases “Sakima,” “Justin Hyche” and “Justin Kouassi, kidnapped a woman in Seattle, Washington, on July 15, 2023, by posing as an undercover police officer. He flashed a badge, pointed a Taser, and placed the woman in handcuffs, before putting her into the backseat of his car. He then drove about 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he sexually assaulted her during the trip.
At his home, he locked the woman in a makeshift cell he constructed in his garage of cinderblocks with a metal door that couldn’t be opened from the inside. The woman managed to escape the next day by breaking the door and climbing over a wooden fence. She flagged down a passing motorist who called 911.
The police obtained a search warrant for Zuberi’s home and found the cell as the woman described. They also found blood on the fence and the woman’s purse next to the cell. Zuberi was arrested and charged with one count of interstate kidnapping. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
The ‘Judge Judy’ Episode
Zuberi was also involved in a legal dispute with the mother of his two children, Alycia Westfall, who appeared with him on an episode of ‘Judge Judy’ in 2018. Zuberi, who used the alias Justin Hyche at the time, claimed that Westfall had assaulted him with a glass bottle at his apartment and destroyed his property days later. He sued her for $2,500 in damages.
Westfall denied throwing the bottle at him and said that he refused to let her take their son when she came to pick him up. She also said that he smashed her phone and filed a false restraining order against her. She countersued him for $1,000.
Judge Judy Sheindlin watched a video that Zuberi submitted as evidence, which showed Westfall yelling at him and asking someone to call the police. Sheindlin ruled in favor of Zuberi and ordered Westfall to pay him $2,500. She also dismissed Westfall’s countersuit.
The Other Victims
The FBI said that Zuberi has been linked to at least four violent sexual assaults in at least four states. They did not specify which states or when the assaults occurred. They are asking for the public’s help in identifying potential victims of Zuberi, who has lived in at least 10 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Zuberi or has information about him is urged to contact their local FBI office or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov
