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‘Master yachtsman’ who fled 2005 trial for sexual assault arrested off US coast
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Ronald L Fischer, a 70-year-old master yachtsman who fled a sexual assault trial in Rhode Island over 20 years ago, was captured on a sailboat off the coast of New Jersey.
- Fischer was convicted in absentia in 2005 for sexually assaulting a woman on his yacht in 2003 and sentenced to life imprisonment with parole eligibility after 25 years.
- He evaded capture for decades using multiple aliases, including operating a 56-foot sailing vessel named Silver Lining under the name Richard Graydon.
- Authorities, including the US Marshals Service, arrested Fischer without resistance after receiving credible leads just two days prior to his capture.
- Fischer now faces charges for unlawful flight and failure to appear in court, with officials emphasizing that his arrest underscores that time does not erase accountability.
