Disturbing kidnapping case ends in guilty plea as ‘good samaritans’ spot victim’s plea for help

A 62-year-old man, Steven Robert Sablan, has been convicted of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl after a harrowing rescue sparked by a ‘help me’ sign. The incident unfolded in Southern California when vigilant passersby spotted the distressed girl holding the sign in a parked car last July.

The young victim, who had been kidnapped at gunpoint in San Antonio, Texas, was found in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles after witnesses immediately called 911 upon seeing her plea for help.

Sablan, indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of kidnapping and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, has now pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping.

In the plea agreement, it was revealed that on July 6, 2023, Sablan abducted the victim in San Antonio, holding her against her will and transporting her to Long Beach, California, where she was eventually rescued.

During the ordeal, Sablan used a firearm to threaten and control the victim. The courageous ‘Good Samaritans’ who noticed the ‘help me’ sign played a crucial role in alerting law enforcement, leading to the rescue of the visibly emotional and distressed girl.

Law enforcement discovered a black BB gun, the ‘help me’ sign, and a pair of handcuffs in Sablan’s vehicle. The victim, who mouthed the word ‘help’ when police arrived, was identified as a missing runaway from San Antonio.

In addition to the kidnapping charge, Sablan admitted in his plea agreement to sexually assaulting the 13-year-old during the Texas-to-California journey. Notably, he had no legal custody or familial relationship with the victim.

United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha has scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 25. Sablan is expected to face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, with a maximum sentence of life behind bars.