Massachusetts refugee known as ‘rapist with bad breath’ arrested in California after 16 years on the run

“The tireless commitment of law enforcement in locating and arresting Tuen Lee will hopefully bring peace of mind to the victim and her family,” said Inspector Sean LoPiccolo.

A convicted rapist who was on the run for more than 16 years has been taken into police custody.

Tuen Kit Lee, wanted in Massachusetts, was found and arrested in the San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday, May 28, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).

The USMS Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force (PSWRFTF) in Northern California assisted the USMS Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), and the Quincy (Mass.) Police Department in the apprehension of 55-year-old Lee.

He was taken into custody after being identified as the man who kidnapped and raped a young woman at knifepoint in Quincy, Massachusetts in 2005. Lee was found guilty in a September 2007 trial, but fled before sentencing. In addition, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) had previously offered a reward of up to $10,000, and he has been arrested on multiple occasions. America’s Most Wanted.

After his escape, he was dubbed a “bad breath rapist” after it was revealed that a piece of evidence showed Lee had been identified as the attacker based on his bad breath and DNA, according to an MSP press release.

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After MSP investigators discovered that a fugitive was in Diablo, California, a few miles from the East Bay suburb of Danville, California, they headed to California to work with the Danville Police Department and PSWRFTF to determine that Lee was the fugitive.

On Tuesday, Lee was taken into custody after Danville police stopped a car. He initially gave a false name, but was pressured by authorities and soon confessed to his true identity, which was confirmed by fingerprints.

Lee was transported to the Danville Police Department for booking and will be held there until he is transported back to Massachusetts.

According to police, Lee’s partner, with whom he had been together for almost 15 years, did not know his true identity.

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“There are violent offenders who believe they can commit crimes without being held accountable for their actions,” said Chief Inspector Sean LoPiccolo, acting PSWRFTF commander, according to the USMS press release. “Tuen Lee was on the run for more than 16 years and the tireless commitment of law enforcement to find and apprehend him will hopefully bring peace of mind to the victim and her family.”

“I am very grateful to the Massachusetts State Police Fugitive Unit and the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service who made this arrest possible,” Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy said in the press release.

“Someone who was on the run for 17 years probably felt pretty comfortable,” U.S. Marshals Service Inspector General Chris Tamayo told CBS News Bay Area. “It’s unusual that there haven’t been other crimes that we may not have seen, especially with something as violent as this.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to Rainn.org.

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