United States Marshalls announced Tuesday that they worked with Massachusetts and California police to arrest a fugitive convicted of rape 16 years ago.
The fugitive, Tuen Kit Lee, fled Massachusetts during a 2007 trial, where a jury found him guilty of of kidnapping and raping a young woman in Quincy. Lee, however, was able to run away before the judge could sentence him, according to a U.S. Marshalls press release.
Lee’s case was featured numerous times on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.” The Massachusetts State Police offered a $10,000 reward for any tips that would help authorities find and arrest Lee, CBS News reported. (RELATED: Man In China Pretends To Be A Deaf Mute 20 Years To Avoid Arrest: REPORT)
Massachusetts fugitive dubbed “Bad Breath Rapist” captured in California after 16 years on the run https://t.co/mJdFD6RQso pic.twitter.com/NhoiDunE8N
— CBS Sacramento (@CBSSacramento) May 29, 2024
A piece of evidence that helped identify Lee as the rapist was his foul breath, according to the outlet. The media utilized this by labeling him the “Bad Breath Rapist.”
The U.S. Marshall’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force (PSWRFTF) worked with the Danville, California, police to determine that Lee had fled to Diablo, California. Together with investigators from Massachusetts, they took Lee into custody May 28, the press release reads.
“The arrest brings closure to the victim and law enforcement officers who have worked tirelessly over the 16-plus years to find Lee,” U.S. Marshalls said.
“There are violent offenders out there who believe they can commit crimes and not be held accountable for their actions,” acting PSWRFTF commander Sean LoPiccolo said. “Tuen Lee was on the run for more than 16 years and the unwavering dedication by law enforcement to locate and arrest him hopefully brings peace of mind to the victim and her family.”
Quincy Police Department Chief Mark Kennedy said, “I greatly appreciate the work of the Massachusetts State Police Fugitive Unit and the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service who made this arrest possible.”
Authorities said Danville police are holding Lee until his extradition to Massachusetts, WBZ reported.
