A man convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Douglas County has been placed on the U.S. Marshals’ 15 Most Wanted fugitive list.
Richard Carl Heeringa, 55, is wanted in Douglas County for failing to appear on 17 counts of sexual assault, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals office.
In April 2010, Herringa fled Douglas County and has not been seen since. He is considered armed and dangerous.
While Heeringa was on the run, a jury found him guilty of multiple charges of sexual assault on a child in a position of trust and failure to register as a sex offender. He faces more than 500 years in prison.
Heeringa has two additional sex assault cases pending in Colorado. He also spent 12 years in a Michigan prison on a sex assault conviction.
After his release from prison in 2004, Heeringa began seeing a woman from Colorado. In 2005, he moved to Colorado and began living with the woman and her 12-year-old daughter.
Heeringa started abusing the girl shortly after he moved in. The abuse continued until January 2008, when the girl made a report.
Heeringa will continue this behavior until he his caught, authorities said.
Heeringa used to own a construction company and has a history of working in the business. He is self-sufficient and could easily make a living as a handyman.
Authorities say Heeringa is skilled in martial arts and is in good physical shape. He used to hunt and may be living in the wilderness.
Born in Michigan, Heeringa has family ties there and in Georgia and California.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is also looking for Heeringa.
Heeringa is 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 200 pounds, has brown hair and blue eyes. He has scars on his abdomen, right knee upper left arm and face.
A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to the Heeringa’s arrest.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102.
