U.S. Attorney’s Office announces results of “Operation Safe Christmas”
The fugitive apprehension operation netted more than 60 arrests of criminal offenders, including Granite City man charged with shooting local police officer.
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — A coordinated fugitive apprehension effort involving federal and state law enforcement agencies resulted in 63 arrests, the seizure of 2.5 pounds of narcotics and $15,000 in U.S. currency, officials announced Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. The weeklong operation, dubbed “Operation Safe Christmas,” was conducted across multiple counties in Illinois and in Atlanta, Georgia.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois said the operation was carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service for the Southern District of Illinois, FBI Springfield, Illinois State Police, ATF Chicago and DEA St. Louis, along with numerous local law enforcement partners. Among those arrested was a Granite City man charged with shooting a local police officer on Dec. 5, 2025.
The operation involved numerous agencies, including the Fairview Heights Police Department, Carlyle Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, Bond County Sheriff’s Department, Vandalia Police Department, Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, Danville Police Department, Johnson City Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI Atlanta Field Office.
The U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of Illinois Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force includes members from the Illinois State Police, Belleville Police Department, Granite City Police Department, Alton Police Department, ATF Chicago, Homeland Security Investigations, Illinois Department of Corrections – Parole, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and Effingham County Sheriff’s Department.
“The U.S. Marshals led this expansive operation in the field together with the FBI and Illinois State Police leadership,” U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft said. “Together, federal, state, and local partners arrested 63 fugitives — including the Marshal Service’s arrest of the suspect from the December 5, 2025, Granite City police shooting. These results reflect weeks of planning and coordination to remove criminal elements from our streets.”
The arrests spanned Bond, Effingham, Fayette, Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois, as well as Atlanta, Georgia.
U.S. Marshal David C. Davis highlighted the role of the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the operation.
“The operation’s success was made possible through the strong collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, whose commitment and cooperation remain essential to these efforts,” Davis said. He added that task force members were instrumental in investigating and apprehending the alleged shooter of the Granite City police officer.
FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. S. Johnson emphasized the importance of interagency cooperation. “Operations like this reflect the strength that comes from close cooperation among law enforcement agencies. By working together, we are able to locate and apprehend individuals who drive violent crime into our communities,” Johnson said. He noted the arrests demonstrate the FBI’s ongoing commitment to reducing violent crime.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said interdepartmental operations are vital for public safety. “ISP will continue to partner with local and federal agencies to get violent criminals off the street and to protect the communities we serve,” Kelly said.
Michael Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA St. Louis Field Division, underscored the operation’s impact on community safety. “If members of our community are able to sleep a little easier tonight because of the joint effort of law enforcement agencies removing violent criminals from our streets, then I absolutely consider this operation a success,” he said. “No one should be forced to live with the fear these individuals forced upon a community.”
The FBI’s involvement in Operation Safe Christmas was part of a broader initiative called Operation Coast to Coast, aimed at combating violent crime and narcotic distribution.
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