The Wisconsin man, who allegedly faked his personal loss of life earlier than turning up alive and effectively abroad, returned to U.S. soil the place sheriff’s deputies booked him into jail, authorities mentioned Wednesday.
Ryan Borgwardt, handcuffed and sporting an orange jumpsuit, appeared Wednesday afternoon earlier than a Green Lake County decide and was charged with alleged obstruction of an officer.
When Circuit Court Judge Mark Slate requested Borgwardt if he may afford any bail, the defendant mentioned: “I’ve $20 in my pockets.”
Since Borgwardt “voluntarily turned himself in” from “midway all over the world,” Slate mentioned the defendant did not pose a significant flight danger and set bail at $500.
Borgwardt faces as much as a $10,000 high quality and 9 months in jail for allegedly faking his personal loss of life earlier than taking off throughout the Atlantic Ocean.
“We introduced a dad again on his personal accord,” Sheriff Mark Podoll advised reporters earliert within the day.
The sheriff declined to disclose the place Borgwardt had been staying earlier than coming dwelling of his personal volition. He may very well be requested reimburse the prices of the search and rescue efforts, Podoll mentioned.
“Relieved,” the sheriff mentioned explaining his feelings of Borgwardt’s return. “We by no means stopped. We proceed to serve our group in no matter name we get.”
Podoll spoke emotionally about his pleasure of convincing Borgwardt to come back again to the United States.
But the sheriff declined to disclose any particulars of the person’s journey corresponding to what contact he is had together with his household, the place he was staying abroad and even what U.S. airport he landed at on Tuesday.
“At this time, we’re nonetheless placing that collectively,” he mentioned.
The sheriff thanked his workers, federal authorities and native volunteers who labored on this case.
“They’re those that stored this going,” Podoll mentioned, his voice cracking with emotion. “I could not be extra happy with them for what they did for a household. We did not surrender. And you’ll be able to stand right here as we speak feeling relieved.”
Borgwardt is accused of staging his Aug. 12 disappearance whereas kayaking on Green Lake, about 100 miles northwest of Milwaukee.
When Borgwardt did not come dwelling on that day, searchers discovered a capsized kayak and his automobile and trailer parked in Dodge Memorial County Park.
A frantic air and water search did not not flip up any stays or bodily clues of what grew to become of Borgwardt.
If Borgwardt needed to go off the grid, the married father of two took an ill-conceived path as he used his personal passport in Canada and helped authorities hint his lengthy journey abroad.
Investigators later discovered he used a small inflatable boat to get again to shore the place he had stashed an electrical bike, officers mentioned. Borgwardt rode it to Madison, boarded a bus to Detroit, crossed into Canada and ultimately boarded a airplane, authorities mentioned.
The probe additionally discovered that Borgwardt had opened a international checking account, officers mentioned.
After worldwide name for assist to seek out Borgwardt, a Russian-speaking girl reached out to Green Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and helped them contact the wayward father, authorities mentioned.
The sheriff on Nov. 21 launched part of his division’s video dialog with Borgwardt, who on Nov. 11 mentioned he was alive, effectively and residing in an condo. His actual location at that second wasn’t disclosed.
The sheriff had appealed to Borgwardt to come back dwelling and be together with his household for the vacations.
“We simply briefly spoke to them (the person’s household), and I can solely, solely think about how they really feel,” Podoll mentioned.