Steven Robert Sablan, 62, abducted the girl at gunpoint on or about July 6, 2023, in San Antonio and “engaged in sexual activity” with her while driving her to Long Beach, California, the plea agreement states. The child was rescued on July 9, 2023, after Sablan went into a laundromat in Long Beach, California, and the girl held up a “Help Me!” sign from inside Sablan’s parked vehicle. A good Samaritan called 911 after spotting the sign, and Long Beach police officers said at the time the girl was “visibly emotional and distressed” when they arrived. Sablan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the US Attorney’s office said in the news release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender when released from prison, the plea agreement says.

Source: CNN January 20, 2024 15:00 UTC