In a disturbing incident that shook the community, a 62-year-old man from Texas, Steven Sablan, pleaded guilty on Friday to kidnapping a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint in San Antonio. The victim, displaying immense bravery, aided in her own rescue by scribbling a note with the words "help me" and showing it to a stranger, who promptly called 911.

According to federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, Sablan admitted to sexually assaulting the girl multiple times during their journey to Southern California, where he was eventually apprehended in Long Beach.

The details of the case, as outlined in the criminal complaint, illustrated the horrifying ordeal the victim endured and her desperate attempt to seek help. Authorities clarified that Sablan had no legal custody or familial relationship with the teenage girl.

The abduction occurred as the victim was walking near a bus stop, when Sablan approached her, brandishing a handgun and forcing her into the passenger seat of his silver Nissan Sentra. In an affidavit submitted by an FBI agent investigating the case, it was revealed that Sablan threatened to harm the girl if she did not comply.

Throughout the journey, Sablan became aware of the victim's age and her connection to a friend in Australia. Exploiting her vulnerable state, he suggested taking her to a cruise ship. However, after driving for an hour, Sablan pulled over, directing the girl to the back seat, where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her despite her pleas to stop.

The ordeal continued for over two days during the more than 1,300-mile journey to California, with Sablan stopping periodically to subject the victim to further sexual assault.

On July 9, while Sablan parked at a laundromat in Long Beach to wash clothes, the brave teenager took a critical opportunity to attract attention. She scribbled a note with the words "Help me!" and pressed it against the car window, catching the attention of a "good Samaritan" who swiftly dialed 911, alerting the local police to their location.

Meanwhile, the girl's worried mother had also reported her daughter missing. It was confirmed by investigators that the victim had a friend named Mickey who had relocated to Australia and that she had left home without informing her mother of her plans.

Upon Sablan's arrest in California, law enforcement officers discovered a plastic BB handgun, handcuffs, and a knife in his possession. Authorities then learned that Sablan had an outstanding warrant related to a burglary charge in Fort Worth. Additionally, he had previously been convicted twice for robbery with a deadly weapon and possession of a controlled substance.

Currently held in a federal detention center in Los Angeles, Sablan could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, with the possibility of a life sentence, depending on the judge's ruling at a later date.

The community is grateful for the courage displayed by the young victim in aiding her own rescue and commends the "good Samaritan" whose quick thinking led to the apprehension of the perpetrator. The case serves as a painful reminder of the importance of remaining vigilant and united against those who seek to harm the most vulnerable members of society.