Rogue Valley News, Friday 8/4 – Joint Task Force Serves Child Porn Search Warrant at South Medford Residence, Two More Illegal Grow Busts This Week in Josephine County

Klamath Falls Man Indicted for Kidnapping and Sexually Assaulting Seattle Woman, Additional Victims Sought

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment today charging a Klamath Falls, Oregon, man with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a Seattle woman and forcing her into a makeshift cell he constructed in his garage.

Negasi Zuberi, 29, also known as Sakima, Justin Hyche, and Justin Kouassi, has been charged with interstate kidnapping and transporting an individual across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, Zuberi was in Seattle when he is alleged to have posed as a police officer, pointed a taser at an adult woman, placed her in handcuffs, and forced her into the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the woman approximately 450 miles back to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her and cover her face with a sweatshirt.

When Zuberi arrived at his residence, he moved the woman from his vehicle into a makeshift cell he had constructed in his garage. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open and she escaped. She 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, two Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a retail parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.

On July 26, 2023, Zuberi made his first appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the District of Nevada. He was ordered detained pending his transfer to the District of Oregon.

Interstate kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting an individual across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.

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. Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Brassell is prosecuting the case for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Zuberi has lived in ten different states over the last ten years including California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada, and federal law enforcement has reason to believe he may have victimized additional women.

If you or someone you know have information about possible crimes committed by Zuberi, please visit fbi.gov/sakimavictims or call 1-800-Call-FBI.

FBI Portland Seeking Additional Victims After Woman Escaped Makeshift Cinderblock Cell in Klamath Falls, OR

OREGON – The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Portland Field Office is asking for the public’s help in identifying potential victims of a violent sex assault offender who has lived in at least 10 states.

29-year-old, Negasi Zuberi (aka Sakima, Justin Hyche and Justin Kouassi), is in federal custody for interstate kidnapping after a Washington woman escaped his home in Klamath Falls, OR, claiming she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and locked in a cinderblock cell.

According to court records, on Saturday, July 15, 2023, Zuberi traveled from his home in Klamath Falls, OR, to Seattle, WA, where he solicited the services of a prostitute, he then posed as an undercover police officer. The victim told investigators that he pointed a taser at her and placed her in handcuffs, leg irons and put her in the back seat of his car. He then traveled roughly 450 miles with the woman, sexually assaulting her during the trip.

According to the victim, once he arrived at his home in Klamath Falls, OR, Zuberi moved her into a makeshift cell that he had constructed in his garage. The cell was made of cinder blocks and a metal door installed in reverse so it could not be opened from the inside. Once Zuberi left, the victim says she repeatedly banged on the door and was able to break the door open and escape the room. She was able to flag down a passing motorist who called 9-1-1.

Klamath Falls Police Department obtained a search warrant for Zuberi’s residence and found the makeshift cell described by the victim. Zuberi fled and was located in Reno, NV where he was taken into custody after a brief standoff with local police.

“According to the complaint, this woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell. Police say, she beat the door with her hands until they were bloody in order to break free. Her quick thinking and will to survive may have saved other women from a similar nightmare,” says Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Stephanie Shark with the FBI Portland Field Office. “We are fortunate that this brave woman escaped and alerted authorities. Through quick law enforcement action we were able to get Zuberi in custody the next day. While she may have helped protect future victims, sadly we have now linked Zuberi to additional violent sexual assaults in at least four states and there could be more.”

Zuberi has lived in ten states over the last ten years and FBI investigators have reason to believe there could be additional sexual assault victims.

The FBI’s investigation has extended to multiple states where Zuberi previously resided between August of 2016 and today. Those states could include: California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada.

Victims may know Zuberi by the name “Sakima” and it is believed he may have used several different methods to gain control of his victims; including by drugging their drinks and impersonating a police officer.

The victims are often threatened with retaliation if they notify the police.

If you believe you have been a victim or have any information concerning Zuberi (aka Sakima) visit the website: fbi.gov/SakimaVictims or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. You can also contact the FBI Portland Field Office at (503) 224-4181, your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI would like to acknowledge our partners assisting in this investigation including the United States Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon, Klamath Falls Police Department, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon State Police, Reno Police Department, Nevada State Police and the FBI Las Vegas Field Office, Reno Resident Agency.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Oregon Health Plan Members Urged To Take Steps To Protect Personal Information After System Hack – Data Breach Affects 1.7 Million Oregon Health Plan members

The hack was related to a security issue with MOVEit file transfer software, which also led to the Oregon DMV data breach in June.

Members of Oregon Health Plan are urged to monitor their credit after hackers accessed the personal information of an estimated 1.7 million members.

A company called PH Tech, which contracts with health care providers, announced the breach Wednesday.

Members of the Oregon Health Plan should take steps to protect their personal information following an OHP patient data hack, according to the state health officials.

The Oregon Health Authority said that Performance Health Technology, a company that helps health care organizations manage OHP patient data, was recently hacked due to a software security vulnerability. While the data breach did not affect state systems, hackers did gain access to about 1.7 million OHA members, OHA officials said.

“We’re urging OHP members to activate credit monitoring as a precaution,” said Dave Baden, interim director at OHA. “It’s disheartening that bad actors are looking to exploit people in our state and that their actions create a burden for others, who have more than enough to manage already. However, there are important steps that OHP members can take to further protect their data.”

OHP members are urged to watch for information in the mail from PH Tech with instructions on how to activate 12 months of free identity theft protection, state officials said. Members may also request a free credit report from Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian, authorities said.

OHA said PH Tech began mailing notification letters to OHP members on July 31 to those who were impacted.

For more information, contact PH Tech at 1-888-498-1602 or online.

OSFM to pre-position firefighters and equipment in Central Oregon

SALEM, Ore. – With fire danger increasing and Red Flag Warnings issued for a large part of Oregon east of the Cascades, the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is pre-positioning firefighters and equipment in Central Oregon.

Two task forces from Clatsop and Washington counties will mobilize Friday morning, August 4. These firefighters will be pre-positioned in Jefferson County for 72 hours and will stay longer if needed. The two task forces add firefighting capacity if a brush or wildfire breaks out.

“The increased fire danger and the threat of dry lightning across portions of Oregon is concerning as we head into the weekend,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “We’re using the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to move resources and add capacity to respond to any fire that may spark. Our goal is to keep fires small and away from communities.”

These centrally-located task forces give the OSFM the ability to quickly move firefighters to other parts of the state if they are needed.

Pre-positioning resources is one of the tools the OSFM has as part of its Response Ready Oregon initiative. These resources boost initial fire attack and allow a quick response to emerging fires in Oregon. These firefighters and equipment are not assigned to a specific fire but are ready to respond if there is a fire.

With Oregon in the heart of wildfire season, the OSFM encourages all Oregonians to be aware of the dry conditions and take necessary precautions to avoid sparking a human-caused fire. The OSFM asks all Oregonians to be vigilant, and if they spot a fire, report it immediately.

ABOUT RESPONSE READY OREGON  – The OSFM’s Response Ready Oregon initiative was created to help increase capacity and modernize wildfire response within the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS). The goal of Response Ready Oregon is to attack fires while they are small, keep them away from communities, and reduce large, costly wildfires.

Hundreds Of Seasonal Workers Sought For Oregon State Fair – Job Fair on Saturday 8/5

A job fair will be held on Aug. 5 to immediately fill hundreds of seasonal positions needed for the 2023 Oregon State Fair.

The job fair will be held at the Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center located at 2330 17th Street in Salem. The job fair will begin at 9 a.m. and on-site interviews will be performed until “all the positions are filled.” Workers are currently needed for fair admissions, parking, administration, carnival, security and concessions.

“Job seekers aged 16 or older can apply for carnival games and concession positions, while carnival ride positions require applicants to be 18 or older,” the Oregon State Fair announced on July 31. MORE INFO: https://oregonstatefair.org/careers/

*** UPDATE *** Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating a train vs. vehicle crash south of Gervais

We are saddened to report last nights train crash into a car was fatal for 3 of the 4 occupants.  This involved a freight train, heading north, and a 2002 Honda passenger car.  The investigation indicates the Honda was traveling west on a farm access road, north of the 7100 block of Keene Rd NE, when it attempted to cross over the tracks.

The farm road was controlled with stop signs, but it appears from the investigation the Honda failed to obey the traffic control device.  There were no indications of either alcohol or drugs being a factor.  The involved occupants of the Honda have been identified as the following:

Hernandez Guzman, Catarino, 31 years of age (Driver, Deceased)

Lopez, Francisco, 33 years of age (Passenger, Deceased)

Carrera Avendano, Jesus, 22 years of age (Passenger, Deceased)

Caballero Herrera, Anselmo 26 years of age (passenger, Survived)

The family of the involved do not wish to talk with the media.  Keene road is once again open to all traffic.

We would like to remind those who encounter a railroad crossing to make sure to do the following:

• Be prepared to stop at the crossing and remain stopped until safe to proceed.
• Slow down, look both ways, and listen while honing your senses.
• Understand the signs and warning devices.
• Check that you have enough room on the other side of the tracks for your vehicle to cross safely.

Oregonians Can Pump Their Own Gas Starting Today

It will be legal for a person to pump their own gas in Oregon beginning on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023.

As gas prices nationwide climbed to their highest prices since last November, Oregonians are seeing increases at the pump, too.

AAA Oregon/Idaho reported that Oregon’s average inched up four cents from last week, to $4.62 per gallon. That’s nearly a dollar higher than this year’s low, around $3.69, in January. The national average hit $3.78, a 14-cent jump from last week and the highest average price so far this year.

Prices are still far below what they were last summer, when Oregon hit a record high of $5.55 per gallon, and the national average climbed to about $5. While Oregon saw one of the smallest increases nationwide this week, it remains one of the most expensive states for gas, behind only California, Washington and Hawaii.

Governor Kotek Hosts Signing Ceremony for Bills Supporting Education and Child Care

Legislators and advocates join Governor to acknowledge new laws advancing early literacy, building the educator workforce, and moreSalem, OR—Today, Governor Tina Kotek hosted a signing ceremony for seven bills passed during the 2023 legislative session to support K-12 public education and child care.

“My vision for Oregon is a state where every child has a safe place to receive a high-quality, culturally responsive public education, and every family has access to affordable child care,” Governor Kotek said. “While I will always push for more, I can stand here today saying we made progress for our kids. We have built a strong foundation for the work ahead.”

Below is the list of bills Governor Kotek signed:

SB 283: Addresses educator workforce needs by creating a statewide educator workforce data system and regular workforce surveys, allowing school districts to boost pay for teachers and classified staff working in special education, establishing apprenticeship and mentorship grants, allowing recently retired teachers to convert to substitute licenses at no charge, and more.

SB 1050: Grants funding to the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to provide professional development to teachers and administrators relating to Holocaust, genocide studies, and ethnic studies content standards.

HB 2281: Requires district school boards to designate one or more civil rights coordinators to monitor, coordinate, and oversee district compliance with state and federal anti-discrimination laws and oversee investigations of discrimination complaints.

HB 3005: Aims to increase child care availability by creating a new $50 million Child Care Infrastructure Fund to strengthen access to physical infrastructure for child care facilities and support opening child care facilities across Oregon.

HB 3144: Creates the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Student Success Plan to address the academic opportunity gap hurting NH/PI students.

HB 3198: Increases funding for early literacy to improve how children are taught to read and write, ensuring educators, parents, caregivers, federally-recognized Tribes, and communities have what they need to support students.

HB 5015: Allocates a historic $10.2 billion to the State School Fund (base funding for Oregon’s K-12 schools), which is $700 million above current service level and the most ever allocated to the fund. https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=166908

Governor Kotek Announces New Staff to Lead Behavioral Health Efforts

Salem, OR—Today, Governor Tina Kotek announced that Juliana Wallace will join her administration as Behavioral Health Initiative Director in the Governor’s Office.

Wallace brings a combined two decades of experience as a clinical social worker, operational leader, and educator to the role. For the first 10 years of her career in Portland, Wallace worked with homeless youth at Outside In, developing and managing the StreetRISE Project, a federally-funded program providing housing and behavioral healthcare to homeless youth as they transition into adulthood. She later worked in leadership at Oregon Health & Science University before serving as the Director of Services at Unity Center for Behavioral Health.

Wallace was most recently the Senior Director of Mental Health and Culturally Specific Services at Central City Concern. Additionally, she worked as an adjunct professor at the Portland State University School of Social Work for the last five years. Wallace has also devoted her time to volunteering in the community and serves on two local nonprofit boards. She brings relationships across the spectrum of Oregon’s behavioral health system to the role, as well as a lifelong passion for supporting the most vulnerable and underserved in our community.

“Oregonians deserve a coordinated, accessible behavioral health system that meets them where they are and matches them with the appropriate level of care that they need,” Governor Kotek said. “We have a ways to go to achieve this vision, and I am grateful that Juliana is bringing her years of experience and expertise to help us move this critical work forward.”

Wallace starts in the Governor’s Office on September 5. https://www.oregon.gov/newsroom/Pages/NewsDetail.aspx?newsid=166914

BLM celebrates Great American Outdoors Day with free day-use access 8/4

PORTLAND, Ore, — The Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation day-use fees for visitors on August 4, 2023, in celebration of the third annual Great American Outdoors Day. The BLM is inviting all communities to explore the unique and diverse natural landscapes and recreation facilities available on their public lands throughout Oregon and Washington.

Within Oregon and Washington, the BLM’s standard amenity day-use fees will be waived at the following:

• Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
• Cape Blanco Lighthouse
• Wildwood Recreation Site 
• Hyatt Lake Recreation Area
• Gerber Recreation Area
• Yakima River Canyon
• Loon Lake Recreation Site
• Alsea Falls Recreation Site
• Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
• Edson Creek Recreation Site
• Spring Recreation Site

The standard amenity fee waiver does not guarantee admission to some busy recreation areas where reservations for day-use, group sites, and overnight camping are recommended. Please contact the local BLM office if you have any questions about a recreation site you are interested in visiting.

“Providing outdoor recreation opportunities to all communities is a top priority,” said Anita Bilbao, BLM Oregon/Washington Associate State Director. “We invite everyone to enjoy the spectacular beauty of your public lands firsthand.”

The Great American Outdoors Day was established to celebrate the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act into law on August 4, 2020, which invests in the protection and sustainment of public lands. With GAOA funding, the BLM is addressing deferred maintenance needs and improving public access to numerous popular outdoor recreation destinations throughout Oregon and Washington, including the Lower Deschutes Wild and Scenic River, Loon Lake Recreation Site, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, and Hyatt Lake Campground. You can comprehensively search all available BLM recreation opportunities to explore on your public lands here.

Know before you go:
• Be fire aware. Check for local fire restrictions and active fire closures.
• Practice Leave No Trace principles and leave your public lands cleaner than you found them.
• The fee waiver only applies to standard amenity fees for day-use at the recreation sites listed. The waiver does not apply to any expanded amenity fees for overnight camping, group day-use, and cabin rentals or individual Special Recreation Permit fees along permitted rivers.

Fee-free days occur each year in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Great American Outdoors Day, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day.

The remaining fee-free days in 2023 are:
• September 30 (National Public Lands Day)
• November 11 (Veterans Day)

For more information about the BLM’s recreation fee program, please visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees.

-BLM-
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.