PROVIDENCE, R.I. (TCN) — A man convicted in absentia of sexual assault has been arrested on his yacht off the coast of New Jersey after decades on the run.
The U.S. Marshals Service announced the arrest of 70-year-old Ronald Fischer on July 16. Fischer fled Rhode Island in 2005 while he was on trial for criminal sexual assault. He was accused of raping a woman on board a yacht called The Lion King in 2003, KRON reports.
According to the outlet, Fischer emailed his attorney, “Although I believe my trial has gone very well, and expect to be acquitted and dismissed, the small chance of losing could carry extremely and unacceptably harsh penalties. … I have therefore decided not to take the risk and to leave the U.S. and enjoy life in another country where I have long been carefully planning a good, safe, secure, and comfortable life.”
Fischer was later convicted in absentia of first-degree sexual assault and remained wanted for first-degree sexual assault, failure to appear, and flight to avoid prosecution, according to the press release. KRON reports he was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” numerous times.
Investigators from the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from numerous other agencies including the FBI and Rhode Island State Police, learned Fischer was operating a 56-foot yacht called The Silver Lining off the coast of New Jersey, according to the press release.
The boat was registered under his alias, Richard Graydon. An investigation revealed Fischer used more than 12 aliases and worked in the biotechnology industry, most recently as the chief medical officer for Inmix Biopharma, in the years since he failed to appear, per KRON.
Fischer was about an hour offshore when U.S. Marshals and Coast Guard personnel apprehended him. He was arrested on an unlawful flight to avoid prosecution warrant from the U.S. Marshals Service. Once ashore, he was transferred into the custody of New York law enforcement and Deputy U.S. Marshals, per the press release.
KRON reports Inmix terminated Fischer on July 17 for reasons they stated were unrelated to his work at the company.
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