ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A West Boca man who authorities say faked getting lost at sea is facing federal charges.
The Sun Sentinel reports that 45-year-old Richard Ohrn faces a felony charge of communicating false distress to the U.S. Coast Guard following a grand jury indictment on Thursday.
A Palm Beach County sheriff's report says that Ohrn set a blood-stained boat adrift in the Atlantic Ocean on March 31, 2015. The report says he then used an inflatable boat to travel back ashore and flee to Georgia. Authorities say he was trying to escape mounting costs from a lawsuit. The incident triggered a search by air and sea.
Palm Beach County sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera says Ohrn remained jailed Monday night. It's unclear if he has an attorney.
Associated Press
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