A Texas man pleaded guilty on Friday to kidnapping a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint in San Antonio, driving her to Long Beach, and sexually assaulting her several times, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
Steven Robert Sablan, a 62-year-old man from Cleburne, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping. He has been in federal custody since July 2023.
According to court documents, Sablan abducted the girl in July and transported her in a Nissan Sentra to Long Beach. Sablan used a gun to threaten her.
Sablan kept the girl in his custody in Long Beach until July 9, 2023, when someone noticed her holding a sign saying, “help me!” in the window of Sablan’s car and called 911.
Sablan also admitted to sexually assaulting the girl, with whom he has no family relationship or legal custody.
Sablan will be in court next on Oct. 25, at a sentencing hearing, where he will potentially face life in prison.
