Kidnapping victim’s ‘Help Me!’ sign leads to girl’s rescue, suspect’s arrest

Kidnapping victim’s ‘Help Me!’ sign leads to girl’s rescue, suspect’s arrest
A 13-year-old kidnapping sufferer was rescued in Southern California after making a “Help Me!” signal to alert passersby, which then led to the arrest of a Texas man.

Steven Robert Sablan, 61, is now going through federal kidnapping expenses for the incident during which he’s alleged to have pulled a gun on the woman as she walked alongside a sidewalk in San Antonio, Texas, earlier this month.

“If you don’t get in the car with me, I am going to hurt you,” Sablan instructed the sufferer, in accordance with court docket paperwork.

A 13-year-old kidnapping victim was rescued in Southern California after making a "Help Me!" sign to alert passersby, which then led to the arrest of a Texas man.
A 13-year-old kidnapping sufferer was rescued in Southern California after making a “Help Me!” signal to alert passersby, which then led to the arrest of a Texas man. (CNN)

Once contained in the automobile, Sablan is alleged to have repeatedly sexually assaulted the woman as he drove her from Texas to California, as outlined within the affidavit.

Sablan was indicted by a grand jury this week on one rely of kidnapping and one rely of transportation of a minor with intent to have interaction in legal sexual exercise.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on the costs later this month, the US Department of Justice introduced on Thursday.

CNN is looking for remark from Sablan’s authorized illustration.

Police stated that whereas Sablan went right into a laundromat in Long Beach, California, on July 9 the woman flashed her “Help Me!” signal from contained in the suspect’s parked car, prompting Samaritan to name 911.

Long Beach Police officers stated the woman was “visibly emotional and distressed” upon their arrival.

After working the car’s license plate, officers discovered that Sablan was needed on a housebreaking cost in Fort Worth, Texas, and thought of armed and harmful, in accordance with the affidavit, which additionally notes Sablan’s prior convictions for theft and drug possession.

A black handgun, later decided to be a BB gun, a switchblade, and handcuffs, have been present in Sablan’s car, in accordance with the federal affidavit.

If convicted on each expenses, Sablan might face a sentence of as much as life in jail.

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Source: www.9news.com.au