Warrant issued for Templeton sex offender

January 31, 2012

A Templeton man who pled guilty to sexually molesting two children failed to appear at a hearing Monday prompting the judge to issue a warrant for his arrest.

Donald Baker, 40, has repeatedly not shown up for his sentencing hearings. During several sentencing hearings, his attorney requested the court delay Baker’s sentencing until Feb. 20 so that the convicted child molester would have an opportunity to receive radiation treatment for lung cancer that had spread to his brain.

On Thursday, prison officials told San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera that Baker can receive the medical care he needs in prison. Even though Baker did not appear at his hearing, LaBarbera agreed to give him another chance to appear at court on Monday.

In December, Baker pled guilty to molesting a now 12-year-old girl, including forcing the girl to perform oral copulation, penetration with a foreign object of a person under 14 and possession of child porn, according to the sheriff report. He also pled guilty to molesting a now 14-year-old male relative in 2010.

As part of a plea agreement, Baker is facing 10 to 20 years in prison.