After two decades on the run, one of Rhode Island’s most elusive fugitives has finally been taken into custody. Ronald L. Fischer, a 70-year-old former doctor, was apprehended off the coast of New Jersey on Thursday, July 16, ending a massive multi-state manhunt that spanned more than 20 years. According to NBC 4, the operation to capture Fischer involved a coordinated effort between the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Investigators had been tracking new leads for several days. It ultimately pointed them toward the water near New York and New Jersey. The task force eventually located a 56-foot sailboat named The Silver Lining. It was being operated by Fischer under the alias Richard Graydon. The Providence Journal reported that Fischer’s flight from justice began in 2005. It was during his criminal trial in Newport Superior Court. He had been accused of raping a 46-year-old Westerly woman on his yacht, the Lion King, while it was docked at Hinckley’s Marina in Portsmouth in 2003. Just before closing arguments were set to begin, Fischer reportedly sent an email to his attorney, Robert Mann, titled Goodbye. He ran because he allegedly didn’t want to take the risk Per WPRI, Fischer wrote, “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. I have therefore decided not to take the risk and to leave the U.S. and enjoy life in another country where I have long been carefully planning a good, safe, secure and comfortable life.” Despite his disappearance, the trial continued, and he was reportedly convicted in absentia of first-degree sexual assault. According to The Providence Journal, Fischer was a former chairman of the anesthesia department at Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket and a professor at Brown University Medical School. Ohio State University is another school dealing with fallout from a staff member. They just settled with 500 students who claimed the school doctor abused them. #BREAKING: After more than 20 years on the run, one of Rhode Island's most wanted fugitives, Ronald L. Fischer, is now in custody following a multi-state law enforcement operation by the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force & #FBI Boston. Fischer, using the alias Richard… pic.twitter.com/aUmi5q06Gq— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) July 16, 2026 Per reports, this wasn’t Fischer’s first brush with the law. He had previously lost his medical license in Massachusetts and Rhode Island after a 1996 conviction for assaulting a date on a different boat. In another case, a Long Island father rescued his 14-year-old daughter from a boat and, in turn, from a trafficking ring. Over the past two decades, Fischer has been a fixture on the state’s most wanted lists. He was even featured on the television show America’s Most Wanted. As noted by the Providence Journal, he was described by authorities as a master yachtsman with international connections. This, they believe, allowed him to move through various social circles while remaining undetected. Once the intelligence of his presence was confirmed, the U.S. Marshals Service press release noted that task force members intercepted the vessel with a 45-foot Coast Guard response boat. Officials were able to take Fischer into custody without incident. He was then reportedly transported to Coast Guard Station Staten Island. There he was transferred to the custody of Deputy U.S. Marshals. “This arrest demonstrates that time does not erase accountability,” Wing Chau, U.S. Marshal for the District of Rhode Island, said in the press release. “For more than twenty years, Ronald Fischer believed he had successfully escaped justice. The men and women of the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, together with our partners, remained committed to ensuring that day would eventually come.” He added, “Thanks to outstanding investigative work, exceptional intelligence analysis, and seamless coordination between agencies, Fischer is finally in custody. We hope today’s arrest brings a measure of justice and long-awaited closure to the victim and everyone impacted by these crimes.” Rhode Island State Police also told The Providence Journal, “We are proud of the persistent, coordinated work that brought him to justice and the numerous Troopers, both currently serving and retired, who pursued this case for the last two decades. They never stopped seeking justice for his victim, and we are thankful for their dedication.” Per the outlet, First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda echoed those sentiments. “You can run, but you cannot hide from justice,” Calenda said. #ONLYON10 For the first time since Ronald Fischer was captured after more than 20 years on the run, his victim, Cheryl Gingerich, is speaking out.Cheryl shares her reaction to the arrest and what this moment means after two decades.Tonight at 5 only on @NBC10 pic.twitter.com/rKOrG9rNfL— Leanna Faulk (@leannaafaulk) July 17, 2026 “Thanks to the determined, coordinated efforts of the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and the dedicated prosecutors in this office, Ronald Fischer will now return to Rhode Island to face the consequences he sought to evade for more than 20 years.” As the investigation continues, officials are currently determining the next steps for his court appearances. Fischer faces charges related to his failure to appear and his flight to avoid prosecution.