Expand / Collapse search
☰

'Operation Clean House' nets 47 fugitives across Chicagoland, feds say

By Nic Flosi
FOX 32 Chicago
Crime and Public Safety
Published October 8, 2026 8:33 AM CDT
Published October 8, 2026 8:33 AM CDT

The Brief

    • The U.S. Marshals Service said 47 fugitives were taken into custody during Operation Clean House.
    • The targets included people wanted in sexual assault, drug and weapons cases.
    • The operation focused on fugitives living in or using subsidized housing communities.

CHICAGO - A weeklong law enforcement operation across the Chicago area led to the arrest of dozens of fugitives, according to federal authorities.

47 fugitives apprehended

Operation Clean House was carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.

The U.S. Marshals Service said the fugitives were wanted in cases involving sexual assault, dangerous drugs and weapons. Investigators said the targets were living in or using government-subsidized housing communities.

The agencies said the partnership identified high-priority targets who were using government-assisted housing developments as hideouts, compromising residents’ safety and abusing taxpayer-funded programs.

"The success of Operation Clean House is the result of outstanding cooperation amongst law enforcement throughout Northern Illinois," Chief Inspector Diego Grimaldo, commander of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, said in a statement.

"Through the use of the task force, the United States Marshals Service is committed to providing an ongoing platform for information sharing and cooperation amongst law enforcement agencies," Grimaldo added.

Special Agent in Charge Machelle Jindra of HUD OIG said the operation showed the strength of the agencies’ partnerships.

"Operation Clean House demonstrates the strength and effectiveness of our law enforcement partnerships in protecting America’s housing," Jindra said. "Every successful operation reinforces our commitment to ensuring that families can live in safe, secure communities."

The backstory:

The Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force began operating in 2003. Since its inception, the task force has arrested more than 125,000 fugitives, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

The task force has partnership agreements with more than 90 federal, state and local agencies.

The Source: The information in this story came from the U.S. Marshals Service.

Crime and Public SafetyChicagoNews