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North Texas man gets 35 years for kidnapping 13-year-old girl at gunpoint

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North Texas man gets 35 years for kidnapping 13-year-old girl at gunpoint


A Cleburne man will spend the next three-and-a-half decades in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint in San Antonio and taking her to California.

Steven Robert Sablan, 63, was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1,100 in restitution by a federal judge in California on Friday.

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He pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of kidnapping.

What they’re saying:

“The 35-year sentence imposed ensures this defendant will not have the opportunity to victimize children,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “There is nothing as important as protecting our young people. I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their efforts to secure justice here.”

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“Mr. Sablan took this young girl from the safety of her Texas home and repeatedly sexually assaulted her at gunpoint throughout a lengthy drive of terror to California,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate sexual deviants who exploit our children at will and – as in this case – will hold these violent offenders accountable.”

“This sentencing announcement represents a collaborative commitment to holding individuals accountable for victimizing and inflicting trauma upon our children,” said Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish. “I am deeply grateful to our officers and federal law enforcement partners from the FBI and DOJ for their tireless efforts on this case.”

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The backstory:

Prosecutors said Sablen abducted the girl on July 6, 2023, in San Antonio.

He then sexually assaulted her and used a firearm to control the girl while driving her to Long Beach, California.

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In this undated photo released by the U.S Department of Justice is a “Help Me!” sign used by a 13-year-old girl kidnapped in Texas. The girl was rescued in Southern California on July 9, 2023, when passersby saw her hold up the sign in a parked car,

She was rescued after a good Samaritan called 911 after seeing the girl holding a “Help Me” sign in the window of Sablan’s car.

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CleburneCrime and Public SafetyLos Angeles



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Fans erupt as U.S. wins in World Cup and North Texas builds buzz

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Fans erupt as U.S. wins in World Cup and North Texas builds buzz


Watch parties erupted nationwide after today’s win, including a packed crowd at Texas Live celebrating the team’s move to the knockout stage. North Texas is already buzzing ahead of World Cup matches returning Monday, with fans gathering in Sundance Square to watch a key Group D matchup that could help decide whether the United States wins the group. The U.S. leads with six points after a 2–0 victory earned without its star forward.



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New screwworm portal aims to protect Texas livestock, wildlife and rural economy

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New screwworm portal aims to protect Texas livestock, wildlife and rural economy


AUSTIN – Texas officials are rolling out a new online hub aimed at helping residents spot and report the New World screwworm, a pest Gov. Greg Abbott says threatens livestock, wildlife, and the state’s rural economy.

Abbott announced the launch of screwworm.texas.gov, an enhanced website housed in the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s Disaster Portal that he described as a “one-stop shop” for information and resources tied to the state’s response.

The New World screwworm poses a direct threat to Texas livestock, wildlife, and our rural economy,” Abbott said. “This new website puts essential tools in the hands of our producers, veterinarians, and families. Screwworm.texas.gov delivers the facts, maps, identification methods, and certification resources Texans need to detect problems early and report cases without delay. Now every Texan has the information to act. Texas will protect our land, our animals, and our way of life from this pest.

According to the governor’s office, the site is designed to provide “actionable and reliable multimedia information” about the New World screwworm, including fact sheets, videos, and educational materials.

The portal includes background information, guidance on how to spot the pest, sample collection procedures, Texas Animal Health Commission New World screwworm zone maps, the U.S. Department of Agriculture case dashboard, links to best practices for livestock and wildlife, and details on registering for a new no-cost New World screwworm Certified Inspector Training.

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The governor’s office said state and federal partners are working together to detect, control and contain the spread, and that expanding public outreach and providing clear information is a key part of reducing risk.

Abbott’s office also highlighted actions taken by the governor in response to the pest, including:

  • Directing the creation of a joint Texas New World screwworm Response Team
  • Joining USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to announce a $750 million investment in a new sterile fly production facility in Edinburg
  • Issuing a statewide disaster declaration ahead of the first detection
  • Deploying state resources and activating the State Emergency Operations Center after the first confirmed Texas cases
  • Visiting the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville for a briefing
  • Launching a free online training course to certify more inspectors
  • Announcing federal funding to strengthen inspection capacity.

Texans are urged to inspect livestock and pets for wounds and report suspected cases immediately, including in wildlife.

For livestock and pets, suspected cases should be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission’s 24-hour veterinarian call line at 1-800-550-8242.

For wildlife, reports should be made to Texas Parks and Wildlife’s 24-hour biologists’ call line at 512-389-4505. Officials also warn people not to move affected animals.

More information and updates are available at screwworm.texas.gov and screwworm.gov.

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Flu sickens some 160 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas

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Flu sickens some 160 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas


More than 150 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas have been infected with influenza over the past three weeks — a major outbreak less than two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American troops would no longer be required to be vaccinated against the flu.



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