Missing Mariposa County man now considered fugitive on the run, deputies say

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A man reported missing out of Mariposa County has been reclassified by deputies as a fugitive on the run after they discovered his federal warrant regarding a violent rape in Yosemite.

Over the weekend, 39-year-old Nathan Baptista was reported missing after leaving to ride his dirt bike “near a mine and a tower,” possibly in the Midpines area. At the time, the sheriff’s office described him as “at risk.”

While helicopter and ground search teams covered over 500 miles of rugged and remote terrain, deputies learned that Baptista had an active federal warrant issued by the U.S. Marshals Office for violating probation in connection with a sexual assault charge.

According to court documents, on May 31, 2024, Baptista forcibly raped and strangled a fellow Yosemite employee. He was indicted on June 20, 2024, for aggravated sexual abuse. 

Based on these findings, deputies are now referring to Baptista as a fugitive on the run.

Baptista is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, about 165 pounds, with hazel eyes and black hair. He is believed to be driving a white Chevrolet S10 pickup truck, California license plate 7B48533, and/or riding a white and blue dirt bike (unknown registration).

His truck and dirt bike were last captured on video in the Fresno area.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Nathan Baptista is asked to contact the law enforcement jurisdiction closest to them.