Warrant sweep leads to 23 arrests in McHenry County

Teams of law enforcement officers swept across McHenry County beginning at sunrise Thursday, arresting more than 23 fugitives and other criminal suspects in a wide-ranging operation that lasted into the evening.

The effort involving about 40 officers from the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, Illinois State Police and U.S. Marshal's Service netted people wanted for crimes ranging from drug dealing to weapons offenses and felony traffic charges.

"It sends a message to the community that we take serving warrants seriously and we will invest the resources it takes to find these people," Sheriff Keith Nygren said.

Officers launched the sweep shortly after 5 a.m., seeking about 70 fugitives and others wanted on criminal charges, about 30 of them suspected felons, at homes across the county. Nygren said finding more than 20 is a good number since it is likely several of those wanted have relocated outside the county.

"But we're going to keep at it and find as many as we can," he said.

"The serving of warrants is always a dangerous task because you don't always know what you're dealing with on the other side of that door," Nygren added. "That's why when we do this, we go in numbers."