A harrowing kidnapping ended with the suspect's guilty plea in a Texas federal court, as a teen's quick thinking led to her escape from a nightmare ordeal. Steven Sablan, a North Texas man, confessed to abducting a 13-year-old girl from San Antonio, transporting her across state lines into Southern California, and sexually assaulting her multiple times. Sablan, who had threatened the girl into submission, has been in federal custody since last July following his arrest, according to FOX 4 News.
In an act of self-preservation, the girl wrote a simple yet powerful message, "help me," on a piece of paper, showing it to passersby, which led to her rescue. "If you don’t get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you," Sablan had told the victim, as she stood near a bus stop, investigators revealed to NBC News. The details of his actions, and the girl's brave response, shed light on the traumatic experience she endured.
Sablan, 62, agreed to a plea deal on one count of kidnapping, and, under the terms of the plea, he admitted to the sexual assault of the teenager. During the kidnapping, Sablan deceived the girl with the false promise of taking her to a cruise ship, only to stop later for the sinister purpose of assaulting her. This pattern of abuse continued over the two-day trek from Texas to California. Upon his arrest, officials discovered a plastic BB handgun, handcuffs, and a knife in Sablan's possession, adding to the gravity of his criminal actions.
At the time of Sablan's capture, he was already wanted on a burglary charge in Fort Worth and had past convictions for robbery with a deadly weapon and possession of a controlled substance. Sablan’s sentencing is set for October 25, and, he will face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison, with a potential for life. The teen’s mother had reported her daughter missing, confirming to investigators that her daughter had indeed a friend in Australia — but certainly no plans to be taken against her will.
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