CHICAGO (CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM) — More than 150 suspects have been captured in a joint operation targeting Cook County fugitives who were receiving food stamps while on the run.
“Operation Talon” — conducted by the Cook County Sheriff’s office, USDA Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Marshals Service’s Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force — resulted in the capture of 168 fugitives, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
The operation combined local databases of outstanding warrants with federal databases on food stamp recipients.
During the week of April 19, 126 fugitives were captured by task force members and sheriff’s fugitive and gang officers in the city and suburbs, the release said. They continued chasing leads for the rest of April, bringing the total number of arrests to 168.
Those captured were wanted for crimes ranging from reckless homicide to delinquency in child support. Among those captured, according to the release, were:
– Sarah Motato, 37, of Chicago who was wanted for criminal damage to property for allegedly etching “Rody and Sara” into the “Cloudgate” sculpture in Millennium Park in January.
– Cornel Safat, 29, of Chicago was wanted for aggravated battery for allegedly beating a man with his shoe so violently the victim suffered blunt force trauma to his head.
– Jacob Sabu, 42, of Mount Prospect, was wanted for filing fraudulent state income tax returns. He owed the state $103,000 in back taxes when he was arrested at O’Hare after returning on a flight from Abu Dhabi.
– Christine Williams, 23, of Chicago, was sought for aggravated kidnapping. In September 2008, she allegedly kidnapped a woman, locked her in a room, stripped off her clothes, wrapped a belt around her neck and forced her to crawl like a dog. Williams allegedly held the woman hostage until she paid $300 cash.
– Elaine Sharpe, 55, of Chicago. was wanted for theft for allegedly receiving federal housing subsidies from the CHA, then renting out her subsidized unit and living elsewhere from May 2003 thorugh April 2009.
– Leeric Collins, 21, of Chicago was arrested in October 2008 for throwing a lit bag into the rear of a business. Charged with arson, he told investigators he was paid to commit the act. The investigation is ongoing.
– Michael Johnson, 22, of Chicago Heights was wanted for unlawful use of a weapon. When investigators arrived at his Chicago home, he was found with marijuana and charged with drug possession. Two others in the house were also arrested on gun and drug charges.
All those arrested are in the Cook County Jail awaiting trial.
In addition to capturing fugitives, investigators also seized four guns, cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy while searching the homes where they were arrested, the release said.
Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.