‘Master yachtsman’ who fled 2005 trial for sexual assault arrested off US coast

Ronald Fischer, 70, was sentenced to life in his absence after telling lawyer he planned to ‘enjoy life in another country’ A “master yachtsman” who went on the run for more than two decades after fleeing a sexual assault trial in Rhode Island, which resulted in his conviction despite his absence, was captured on Thursday on a sailboat off New Jersey’s coast, according to authorities. Ronald L Fischer, 70, had been considered one of Rhode Island’s most wanted fugitives before his arrest, state police officials said in a statement on social media. And his case had been mentioned repeatedly over the years on the true-crime television program America’s Most Wanted. As the Rhode Island news outlet WPRI reported, Fischer was being tried in the state on a charge of first-degree sexual assault in 2005 when he notified his attorney through an email that he was leaving the US. “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,” Fischer’s email said, according to WPRI. “I have therefore decided not to take the risk and to leave the US and enjoy life

Jul 17, 2026 → Jul 21, 2026