North Texas man accused of kidnapping, raping 13-year-old girl on drive to California
A 61-year-old North Texas man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl he drove from Texas to California was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury, officials said.
Steven Robert Sablan of Cleburne was arrested in Long Beach near Los Angeles on July 9. He is charged with kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to a Department of Justice news release.
The 13-year-old victim was walking down a San Antonio street when Sablan approached her in his car and threatened her with a gun, authorities said in the release. “If you don’t get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you,” Sablan allegedly said, according to court documents.
When the victim told Sablan she was 13 and had a friend in Australia, Sablan allegedly told her he could take her to a cruise ship to visit the friend, but first she had to do something for him. He then sexually assaulted her multiple times, the release said.
Sablan is accused of driving the victim from San Antonio to Long Beach and raping her at least two more times on the way, according to the release.
Once in Long Beach, Sablan left the victim in the car and went to a laundromat to wash their clothes, officials said. The victim wrote “Help me!” on a piece of paper and managed to get the attention of a passerby who called law enforcement.
Officers found Sablan standing outside the vehicle and saw the victim mouth the word “help” from inside the car, according to court documents. Officers found a black BB gun, a pair of handcuffs and a sign with the words “Help me” when they searched the car.
Sablan is scheduled to be arraigned July 31 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, according to the release. If convicted of both charges, he could face up to life in federal prison.
