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A Cleburne man could face life in federal prison after being accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl in San Antonio and sexually assaulting her multiple times on the way to California.
Steven Robert Sablan, 61, was indicted Thursday on one federal charges of kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California. It wasn’t clear whether he had an attorney.
Prosecutors said the teenage victim was walking down a street in San Antonio on July 6 when Sablan approached her in a gray Nissan Sentra. Holding a black handgun, he told the girl he would hurt her if she didn’t get in the car, according to an affidavit.
The girl got in the vehicle and Sablan began driving. After the teen mentioned she had a friend in Australia, Sablan reportedly said he could take her to a cruise ship to see her friend.
He then repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim, the U.S. attorney’s office alleged. Over the next two days, Sablan drove the girl to Long Beach, Calif.
On July 9, Sablan went into a laundromat in Long Beach, leaving the 13-year-old in the car. She wrote “Help me!” on a piece of paper and caught the attention of a witness who called law enforcement, federal prosecutors said.
When authorities arrived, they saw Sablan standing outside the vehicle and the victim mouth the word “Help” from inside the car, authorities said. Officers searched the vehicle and retrieved a black BB gun, a pair of handcuffs and the “Help me” sign.
Officers learned the girl had been reported as a runaway in San Antonio.
Sablan is being held in the Los Angeles County jail, and his bail is set at $100,000.