Federal authorities say more than 70 fugitives were arrested in the Cleveland area during a two-week enforcement operation focused on wanted people living in public housing.
U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott and HUD Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice announced the results of “Operation Clean House,” which ran Sept. 14–25. Members of the U.S. Marshals-led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force worked alongside HUD-OIG investigators to locate fugitives receiving HUD housing assistance, a population investigators say can be difficult to find through conventional means. Sixty-eight fugitives in HUD housing were arrested, and seven other people encountered during the operation were also arrested on outstanding felony warrants.
Officials said similar operations were conducted in 2026 in Columbus, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York, Memphis, New Orleans, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New Jersey and North Carolina.
The task force routinely partners with federal, state and local agencies on violent-fugitive roundups across northern Ohio. The Marshals Service reported no injuries to officers during the Cleveland operation.
