A fugitive who had been on trial for sexual assault almost 17 years ago in Massachusetts was recently apprehended by US Marshals in the East Bay, where he had apparently been staying for some time.

Dubbed the "Bad Breath Rapist" during the investigation into the assault case two decades ago, 55-year-old Tuen Kit "Dickie" Lee was taken into custody Tuesday in Diablo, California — a small, fairly wealthy unincorporated area near Danville. The US Marshals Service Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force conducted the arrest with the help of the Marshals Service Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Quincy (Mass.) Police Department.

The Danville Police Department also helped with the investigation, which determined that Lee had been staying in the area — though the details of this, or who might have been staying with, have not been made public.

Lee was originally on trial in 2007 for the kidnapping and rape of a young woman in 2005. The victim accused Lee of breaking into her Quincy, Mass. home while she slept, zip-tying her to her bed, and assaulting her at knifepoint while wearing a mask as a disguise. Lee got his nickname in the press because the victim recognized his foul breath from the restaurant where she worked, Kagawa, which belonged to Lee's family.

Lee fled from his trial in Massachusetts while out on $100,000 bail, and investigators long believed he had fled the state. But it was only recently, after nearly 17 years, that investigators got a lead on his whereabouts here in the Bay Area. A $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture was announced last fall.

Lee was convicted by a Massachusetts jury in absentia, but has never served time for his sentence.

"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," said Quincy Police Department Chief Mark Kennedy in a statement.

"There are violent offenders out there who believe they can commit crimes and not be held accountable for their actions," said Chief Inspector Sean LoPiccolo, acting commander of the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force. "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."

The Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force was formed in 2002, and it has partnership agreements with over 53 federal, state, and local agencies that help them to track down fugitives in the most violent cases.