The Wisconsin man, who allegedly faked his personal demise earlier than turning up alive and nicely abroad, returned to U.S. soil the place sheriff’s deputies booked him into jail, authorities stated Wednesday.
Ryan Borgwardt, handcuffed and carrying 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 stated: “I’ve $20 in my pockets within the different room, in order that’s what I’ve.”
Since Borgwardt “voluntarily turned himself in” from “midway around the globe,” Slate stated the defendant did not pose a serious 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 demise earlier than taking off throughout the Atlantic Ocean.
“We introduced a dad again on his personal accord,” Sheriff Mark Podoll informed reporters earlier within the day.
The sheriff declined to disclose the place Borgwardt had been staying earlier than coming residence of his personal volition. He could possibly be requested to reimburse the prices of the search and rescue efforts, Podoll stated.
“Relieved,” the sheriff stated explaining his feelings of Borgwardt’s return. “We by no means stopped. We proceed to serve our neighborhood in no matter name we get.”
Podoll spoke emotionally about his pleasure of convincing Borgwardt to return again to the United States.
But the sheriff declined to disclose any particulars of the person’s journey similar to what contact he is had along 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 stated.
The sheriff thanked his employees, federal authorities and native volunteers who labored on this case.
“They’re those that saved this going,” Podoll stated, his voice cracking with emotion. “I could not be extra happy with them for what they did for a household. We did not quit. And you’ll be able to stand right here at the moment 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 residence on that day, searchers discovered a capsized kayak and his car 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 turned of Borgwardt.
If Borgwardt wished to go off the grid, the married father of three 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 stated. Borgwardt rode it to Madison, boarded a bus to Detroit, crossed into Canada and ultimately boarded a aircraft, authorities stated.
The probe additionally discovered that Borgwardt had opened a overseas checking account, officers stated.
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 stated.
The sheriff on Nov. 21 launched part of his division’s video dialog with Borgwardt, who on Nov. 11 stated he was alive, nicely and residing in an condominium. His actual location at that second wasn’t disclosed.
The sheriff had appealed to Borgwardt to return residence and be along 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 stated.
It wasn’t instantly clear if anybody from Borgwardt’s household was in court docket on Wednesday.
DA Gerise LaSpisa unsuccessfully requested Judge Slate to bar photographers from snapping and publishing photos of Borgwardt’s dad and mom, suggesting they may have been there.
Slate entered a not responsible plea for Borgwardt and set his subsequent court docket date for Jan. 13.
