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A former anesthesiologist on America’s Most Wanted was captured aboard a sailboat off the coast of New Jersey after more than two decades on the run.
Ronald L. Fisher, one of Rhode Island’s most wanted fugitives, had been on the run since fleeing the state during his 2005 trial for sexual assault. He never returned to court, and a jury in his absence later found him guilty of first-degree sexual assault, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities searched for him for more than 20 years.
Investigators tracked Fisher to New York City, where they discovered he was operating a 56-foot sailboat called The Silver Lining, which authorities said was registered under the alias “Richard Graydon.”
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Ronald L. Fisher, a former anesthesiologist and one of Rhode Island’s longest wanted men, was captured after more than 20 years on the run, authorities said. (Rhode Island State Police)
Deputy U.S. Marshals, FBI agents and U.S. Coast Guard officials intercepted the vessel off the New Jersey coast and then took Fischer into custody without incident, according to the FBI Boston Field Office.
The FBI’s Boston office called the arrest the culmination of a “multi-state law enforcement operation” involving the Rhode Island Fugitive Task Force and FBI agents.
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Fisher was transported aboard a U.S. Coast Guard vessel to Coast Guard Station Staten Island, where he was turned over to deputy U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement officials.
Rhode Island State Police requested a photo of Ronald L. Fischer holding a “Captive” sign after authorities arrested him more than two decades after he escaped during a sexual assault trial. (FBI)
“This arrest shows that time does not relieve responsibility,” U.S. Marshal Ving Chau for the District of Rhode Island said in a statement.
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“For more than twenty years, Ronald Fisher believed he had escaped justice,” Chau continued. “The men and women of the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, along with our partners, remained committed to ensuring that this day eventually came.”
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Rhode Island State Police said Fisher’s arrest ends one of the state’s longest running fugitive investigations, crediting generations of investigators who have continued to pursue the case over the past two decades.
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A U.S. Marshals Service deputy wears tactical gear during a getaway operation. Ronald L. Fisher was captured after more than 20 years on the run as a result of a multi-agency investigation by the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force. (Getty Images)
“We are proud of the persistent, coordinated work that brought him to justice and the numerous troopers, both active and retired, who have worked on this case over the past two decades,” Rhode Island State Police said in a statement. “They never stopped seeking justice for his victim, and we are grateful for their dedication.”
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The arrest caps an intensive, multi-state investigation conducted by the Rhode Island Fugitive Task Force with assistance from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police and numerous federal, state and local agencies.
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Authorities acknowledged that FBI special agents and intelligence analysts helped find Fisher after more than two decades on the run.
The U.S. Marshals Service said Fisher lived under the alias “Richard Graydon” before coordinating with federal, state and local partners to arrest him.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Rhode Island State Police and U.S. Coast Guard to get more details about Fisher’s life as a fugitive, the investigation that led to his capture, and whether photos or video of the arrest will be released.
Greg Wehner is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering news and crime across the United States, with a focus on breaking news, law enforcement, public safety and important events shaping communities across the country.