DANVILLE — A Massachusetts man on the run since 2007 after being convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman nearly 20 years ago has been arrested near Danville, authorities said.
Investigators from the U.S. Marshals Service found Tuen Kit Lee and arrested him Tuesday in the area of Diablo, an unincorporated part of Contra Costa County, according to a statement from U.S. Marshals Senior Inspector Chris Tamayo.
Lee fled his trial in September 2007 and was convicted in absentia, authorities said. He also was known as the “Bad Breath Rapist,” because his victim recognized Lee’s foul breath from working with him in a Lee family restaurant, authorities said.
The crimes happened in 2005.
In 2023, authorities offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his capture.
Massachusetts state police recently discovered that Lee might be in Diablo, and Danville police helped federal authorities follow up on leads, Tamayo said.
The Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force in Northern California and the US Marshal Services’ Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section and Quincy (Mass.) police all helped in Lee’s arrest.
“There are violent offenders out there who believe they can commit crimes and not be held accountable for their actions,” Chief Inspector Sean LoPiccolo, the acting PSRFTF commander, said in a statement. “Tuen Lee was on the run for 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.”
Lee is being held by Danville police until he can be extradited to Massachusetts, authorities said.
