Ronald L. Fischer was captured off the coast of New Jersey after fleeing a Rhode Island sexual assault trial for more than 20 years.
Ronald L. Fischer, a 70-year-old former anesthesiologist, was captured aboard a sailboat off the coast of New Jersey after spending more than two decades as a fugitive. Fischer fled Rhode Island in 2005 during a first-degree sexual assault trial, notifying his attorney via email that he intended to avoid the risk of a harsh penalty by living abroad. He was subsequently convicted in absentia and sentenced to life imprisonment. The arrest was made possible by a tip from an online sleuth, which helped the FBI and the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force locate Fischer. He was operating a 56-foot vessel named The Silver Lining under the alias "Richard Graydon." Authorities from the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, and local agencies intercepted the boat, and Fischer surrendered without resistance. U.S. Marshal Wing Chau stated that the arrest demonstrates that time does not erase accountability. Fischer now faces federal and state charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and failure to appear in court.