U.S. Marshals arrest over 600 fugitives in East St. Louis

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – During a nationwide U.S. Marshal sweep, over 3400 fugitives were arrested between May and September, with 600 of those arrested in East St. Louis.

According to U.S. Marshals of the Southern District of Illinois, Operation North Star targeted fugitives and offenders in 10 metropolitan areas, prioritizing those with firearms and of high risk for violence.

In East St. Louis alone, investigators arrested 602 fugitives and recovered 172 firearms, seven vehicles, 53 kilograms of illegal narcotics, and over $258,000.

Among those arrested between May 10 and September 13, there were 34 arrested for homicide, 34 for sexual assault, 29 for robbery, 119 for aggravated assault, and 177 for firearm violations.

Among East St. Louis, downtown St. Louis was also included in the operation alongside several other cities, such as Little Rock, Arkansas, and Dallas, Texas.

USMS report one major arrest from East St. Louis was of a man named Vito Crowder, who was arrested on Aug. 29 in St. Louis for aggravated battery with a firearm and wanted for two counts of first-degree murder after a shooting in Alton, Illinois, which killed a 13-year-old girl.

USMS arrested Crowder and recovered a firearm in his residence.

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