The MMA fighter who was accused of trying to kidnap a 3-year-old girl during a recent disagreement with the girl’s father in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood appeared in court on Tuesday. He was smiling most of the time.
Michael Nates, 31, allegedly attempted to kidnap the girl near the KO ZONE gym at 301 NW 54th St. The former Bantamweight fighter was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation about a week after he was arrested Feb. 9.
Alex Torres told police officers that he and his daughter were walking near the intersection of Northwest Third Avenue and Northwest 54th Street when he ran into Nates. Torres said Nates asked him if he was willing to fight for his daughter and there was a struggle.
A witness told police officers he decided to intervene when he saw Nates punched Torres and grabbed the girl by the arm. Officers arrested Nates and reported he tried to grab an officer’s gun at the police station and it took about a dozen officers to retrain him.
Miami-Dade corrections officers booked Nates Feb. 12 and he is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Nates is facing charges in two cases.
In the case of the father and his daughter, he is facing charges of kidnapping and battery.
In the case of the police station, Nates is facing 13 counts of resisting arrest without violence, two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of depriving an officer with means of protection, two counts of resisting an officer with violence, escape and criminal mischief.