A man who is alleged to have raped a Yosemite National Park staffer last month has been indicted, according to federal authorities.
Nathan Baptista is the suspect, according to a news statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, on Thursday. Following a grand jury’s indictment on Thursday, the 36-year-old was charged with one count of aggravated sexual abuse.
Authorities claim that around the end of May, the suspect choked and sexually assaulted a female employee of Yosemite National Park.
“According to court documents, on May 31, 2024, Baptista forcibly raped and strangled a female park employee after meeting her that night,” the release said.
Due to a “dangerous” incident seen on camera, a Yellowstone tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail.
At California’s Yosemite National Park, a suspect has been charged with raping a park employee. iStock
“The National Park Service conducted an investigation that resulted in this case,” the statement continued. “Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case.”
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According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Baptista was a Yosemite Hospitality employee at the time of the incident. The rape took place at a house that the suspect shared with his co-workers.
“[The victim] reported that when she and a friend were walking home they stopped at the house the subject (“Nate”) shares with other Yosemite Hospitality employees… [the victim] indicated that she was in the living room talking with the subject, nobody else was around, and that is when he assaulted her,” the documents described.
A welcome sign at the Yosemite National Park
“The subject was physically violent, and she had visible bruising from the incident.”
The maximum punishment that the suspect faces is life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office added that Baptista’s punishment “would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.”
Authorities are actively investigating the incident. No additional details are known at this time.
Fox News Digital reached out to the National Park Service for additional information, but did not immediately hear back.