DALLAS, Texas– A 63-year-old man from Cleburne, Texas, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on Feb. 7, after kidnapping a 13-year-old girl and repeatedly sexually assaulting her during a cross-country drive.
The man, Steven Robert Sablan, pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of kidnapping.
Sablan was also ordered to pay $1,158 in restitution to the victim, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The incident began on July 6, 2023, when the girl was walking in San Antonio, Texas. Sablan, driving a gray Nissan Sentra, pulled up alongside her, pointed a gun, and forced her into the vehicle.
The victim, a reported runaway from San Antonio, told Sablan she was 13 years old. During the drive, Sablan allegedly assaulted the girl multiple times and threatened to take her on a cruise ship to visit a friend in Australia, provided she complied with his demands.
Sablan drove the girl to Southern California, where he parked in Long Beach on July 9. While he went into a laundromat, the girl wrote a note that read “Help Me” and showed it to passersby.
A bystander called police, prompting officers to rescue the girl. When officers arrived, she mouthed the word “help” to them.
Authorities arrested Sablan shortly after he was located by Long Beach police. They found a pair of handcuffs, a black BB gun, and the note the girl had written inside the car.
“This sentencing announcement represents a collaborative commitment to holding individuals accountable for victimizing and inflicting trauma upon our children,” said Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish in a statement.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally emphasized that the sentence ensures Sablan will not have the opportunity to harm others.
“The 35-year sentence imposed ensures this defendant will not have the opportunity to victimize children,” McNally said.
