Texas man gets 35 years in federal prison for kidnapping, sexually assaulting teen rescued in Long Beach
The 13-year-old girl was rescued on July 9, 2023, after a witness saw her holding up a sign reading 'Help me!'
A 63-year-old man who kidnapped a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint in Texas and sexually assaulted her before being arrested in Long Beach in 2023 has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, according to the Department of Justice.
Steven Robert Sablan of Cleburne, Texas was driving down a street in San Antonio on July 6, 2023, when he saw and approached the teen, according to federal authorities.
Sablan, according to a criminal complaint, raised a black handgun and told the girl: "If you don't get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you."
The girl got in his car and over the next two days, Sablan drove the teen from Texas to California. During this time, he sexually assaulted her multiple times, according to the DOJ.
On July 9, Sablan wanted to wash their clothes and stopped at a laundromat, federal authorities said.
The girl stayed in the car and wrote "Help me!" on a piece of paper, hoping to get someone's attention, according to court documents.
Someone saw the sign and called law enforcement, who responded to the scene and saw Sablan standing near his car while the girl mouthed "help," federal authorities said.
Law enforcement agents searched the vehicle and found a black BB gun, a pair of handcuffs and the sign the teenager had written, they said. Investigators also found out that the teen had run away from home before the kidnapping and had been reported missing.
Sablan was taken into federal custody that day, and later admitted to the crime, pleading in January 2024 to one count of kidnapping, according to the DOJ.
“[Sablan] violently abducted a child and repeatedly sexually assaulted her while driving her thousands of miles from her home,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “And while [Sablan] spent days abusing her for his own pleasure, her parents agonized over their missing child, fearing the worst. The worst was not far from reality.”
In addition to the 35-year sentence, United States Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha also ordered Sablan to pay $1,158 in restitution.
“The 35-year sentence imposed ensures this defendant will not have the opportunity to victimize children,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “There is nothing as important as protecting our young people. I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their efforts to secure justice here.”
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