A man convicted of sexual assault and considered one of Rhode Island’s most wanted fugitives was arrested off the coast of New Jersey after over 20 years on the run, state officials said Thursday.
Ronald L. Fischer fled Rhode Island during his criminal trial for first-degree sexual assault in 2005, CBS affiliate WPRI reported. He was accused of sexually assaulting a woman on his yacht in 2003. He was convicted in absentia on the sexual assault charge, as well as for failure to appear and flight to avoid prosecution.
Fischer, a former anesthesiologist, has since spent more than 20 years on the run. The Rhode Island Most Wanted list previously described him as a “well-connected” man who was a “master yachtsman” and “world traveler.” He also was featured several times on the TV show “America’s Most Wanted.”
The operation to arrest Fischer came together quickly, the U.S. Marshals service said Thursday. During a 48-hour period this week, the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, FBI, Rhode Island State Police and U.S. Marshals “pursued newly developed investigative leads” that sent them to New York. WPRI reported that the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force received a credible tip on Fischer’s whereabouts.
The agents connected with law enforcement there, the U.S. Marshals said, and were able to locate Fischer aboard a 56-foot boat named “The Silver Lining,” which was registered under the alias Richard Graydon. Law enforcement then intercepted the boat about an hour off the coast of New Jersey, the U.S. Marshals said.
Fischer was found aboard the boat and arrested without incident, the agency said. He was transported to New York and is now in the custody of U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement. The Rhode Island State Police shared a photo of Fischer in custody.
Wing Chau, the U.S. Marshal for the District of Rhode Island, said that the arrest “demonstrates that time does not erase accountability.”
“Thanks to outstanding investigative work, exceptional intelligence analysis, and seamless coordination between agencies, Fischer is finally in custody,” Chau said. “We hope today’s arrest brings a measure of justice and long-awaited closure to the victim and everyone impacted by these crimes.”