U.S. Marshals were busy in Southern Illinois and the metro-east during 2019

United States marshals captured more than 600 fugitives and seized nearly 200 weapons in Southern Illinois during 2019.

U.S. Marshal Bradley Maxwell said 615 of the captured offenders were wanted on state and federal warrants for violent crimes in partnership with the Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force. Deputies and task force officers seized 174 weapons in the area during the same time, he said.

“The high number of weapons seized in the area compared to the relatively small population in the district illustrates the extreme challenges facing law enforcement officers,” Maxwell said.

The Southern District of Illinois covers the southern most 38 counties in the state.

The Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the Southern District of Illinois is supported by the U.S. Marshals Service, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Corrections, Effingham County Sheriff’s office, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Belleville Police, East St. Louis Police and Fairmont City Police.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 2:16 PM.