22 taken into custody during Lake County warrants operation

Officials said 22 people in Lake County were taken into custody Wednesday during a warrant sweep called "Operation Safe Communities."

The operation, which focused on locating and apprehending felony and misdemeanor fugitives, was led by the Lake County Sheriff's Office warrants team and featured more than 50 law officers from 16 different federal, state and local sheriff offices and police departments.

The sting divided officers into teams with each having multiple wanted subjects to investigate and apprehend. The crimes of the people taken into custody included a Round Lake Beach man charged with criminal sexual abuse, multiple people charged with possession of a controlled substance, and a Waukegan man charged with battery.

"Operation Safe Communities is a terrific example of countywide law enforcement working together to keep Lake County safe," Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said in a news release. "I'm very proud of the collaborative teamwork that went into the operation and proud of the Lake County Sheriff's Office Warrants Team for taking the lead and organizing the operation."