Seattle, WA

Oregon man who kidnapped a Seattle woman and kept her in a makeshift cell gets life sentence

Published

11 months ago

January 18, 2025

Oregon man who kidnapped a Seattle woman and kept her in a makeshift cell gets life sentence

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man has been sentenced to life in federal prison after being convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting two women in separate instances, including locking one in a cinder block cell.

Negasi Zuberi, 31, was sentenced Friday in federal court in Medford, Portland television station KGW reported. A federal jury convicted him in October on charges of kidnapping, transportation for criminal sexual activity, being a felon in possession of a weapon and attempting to break out of jail when he tried to smash through his cell window in August 2023.

“This is not a man who deserves to be around others,” a victim said at the hearing. “He shows blatant disregard and lack of care for human life.”

The Associated Press does not usually name people who have been sexually assaulted.

“Negasi Zuberi is a serial predator who committed acts of evil. He hunted women,” assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Sweet said before Zuberi was sentenced.

In July 2023, Zuberi solicited a woman to engage in prostitution along Aurora Avenue in Seattle, authorities said. He told the woman he was an undercover officer, showed her a badge, pointed a Taser at her and placed her in handcuffs and leg irons before putting her in the back of his vehicle.

He then drove hundreds of miles to his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and locked the woman in a cinder block cell in his garage, according to the FBI. After the woman escaped after repeatedly banging on the cell door until it broke open, Zuberi fled and was arrested in Reno, Nevada.

Federal authorities later linked him to a second kidnapping in May 2023, in which he was convicted of abducting a woman outside a Klamath Falls bar. Prosecutors said he threatened her with a Taser, handcuffed her in the back of his vehicle and sexually assaulted her.

Zuberi had pleaded not guilty and continued to claim he was innocent during the sentencing hearing.

He waived his right to testify during the 11-day trial. He attempted to testify on the trial’s last day but was denied because he earlier waived that right.

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Seattle, WA

TONIGHT’S LIGHTS: West Seattle’s Madonna, shining

Published

3 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Press Room

TONIGHT’S LIGHTS: West Seattle’s Madonna, shining

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On this Christmas night, we visited 36th Avenue SW just south of SW Hanford, to see if the Gai Family‘s Madonna is in place and brightly illuminated again this season, and indeed, that’s what we found. It’s been two years since Ron Gai, son of the display’s creator Phil Gai, crafted this crown-shaped setting, and seven years since he brought back the display, which his baking-entrepreneur father had retired in 1996.

See all the displays we’ve featured this season – and previous years – by scrolling this WSB archive section.

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Seattle, WA

How Seattle Seahawks could be gifted NFC top seed week early

Published

15 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Press Room

How Seattle Seahawks could be gifted NFC top seed week early

With the Seattle Seahawks all alone in first place in the NFC West and atop the NFC standings, all eyes have understandably been fixed upon their Week 18 regular season finale against the San Francisco 49ers as the likely place where the division and No. 1 seed will be settled.

Where Seahawks’ No. 1 seed odds stand after Week 16

But there is a highly unlikely but still possible scenario that has gone under the radar where Seattle (12-3) could find itself on Monday already crowned the division champ and given a bye straight to the second round of the playoffs.

It’s a pretty simple one, though it has three components to it. Here’s what would need to happen for the Seahawks to clinch the NFC West and NFC’s No. 1 seed before Week 18:

• 1. The Seahawks win on the road in their 10 a.m. Sunday game against the Carolina Panthers.

• 2. The San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears tie on Sunday night.

• 3. The Los Angeles Rams lose on Monday night in Atlanta against the Falcons.

To take a line from the great Lloyd Christmas on the holiday that he shares a name with, we’re telling you there’s a chance. Not a good one, at least when it comes to wrapping everything up this week, but still a chance.

The tough part of this scenario is that both No. 2 and No. 3 are longshots.

NFL standings

Ties are rare in the NFL, with only one having occurred in the last three seasons combined. The Bears and 49ers are evenly matched with identical 11-4 records, though, which plays into why the Seahawks would need the tie to clinch before Week 18.

As for the Rams losing to the Falcons, that seems maybe even more far fetched than a tie happening. The Rams are also 11-4 and will probably be looking to take out some aggression after losing 38-37 in overtime to the Seahawks last week in the biggest game of the season for both teams.

While the Falcons are coming off surprising back-to-back wins, that’s a surprise for a reason. Atlanta is 6-9 this year and is down several players on injured reserve, including starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

So yeah, don’t count on it happening. But if the Seahawks find the unexpected gift of clinching by Monday night, it probably starts building a case of them being a team of destiny this season.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Schlereth believes Seahawks have two strong candidates for big awards
• Panthers CB has choice words about his trade from Seahawks
• Seahawks star WR JSN says any limitation put on him ‘is not true’
• Lefko: A bold offseason has Seahawks on brink of history
• Six Seattle Seahawks secure Pro Bowl selections

Follow @BrentStecker

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Seattle, WA

Week 17 Injury Report: Seahawks at Panthers

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2025

Press Room

Week 17 Injury Report: Seahawks at Panthers

Wednesday’s Injury Report

Having kicked off their week of practice a day early, the Seahawks held what would usually be their Thursday work on Wednesday, a schedule shift that will allow the team to take Christmas day off before returning to practice on Friday.

The Seahawks had two players held out of Wednesday’s work due to injury, safety Coby Bryant, who left Thursday’s win over the Rams with a knee injury, and left tackle Charles Cross, who missed that game due to a hamstring injury suffered the previous week.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said he did not have a timetable on either player, but did say that they are not expected to land on injured reserve, meaning they should be back at some point.

Cornerback Riq Woolen, who came out of last week’s game with a knee injury, was not on the injury report, a sign that he is OK.

For the Panthers, only two players did not practice due to injury, linebacker Trevin Wallace (shoulder) and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (hamstring), while guard Robert Hunt was limited by a biceps injury.

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