Officials say the multi-agency push, dubbed “Operation Clean House,” targeted people with active felony warrants living in HUD-assisted units across central Ohio.
COLUMBUS, OH — A U.S. Marshals–led task force arrested more than 50 wanted individuals during a six-day operation carried out over two weeks in and around Columbus, focusing on government-subsidized housing, authorities said Thursday. The arrests removed fugitives with active felony warrants from apartment complexes and housing developments across Franklin County and neighboring areas.
Officials said the initiative—organized by the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team with local partners—was designed to locate fugitives who had been living in units backed by federal housing assistance. The operation comes amid ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime and to serve outstanding warrants more quickly. Investigators emphasized that the focus was on people with pending felony cases, not on residents generally, and that the enforcement activity was coordinated with property managers to minimize disruption. The arrests mark the latest in a series of regional sweeps that rely on joint teams of federal, state and local officers.
Task force leaders said the sweep unfolded over two weeks, with officers conducting targeted checks on six enforcement days at specific addresses tied to open felony warrants. Teams worked early mornings and evenings, when subjects were most likely to be home. Many arrests occurred at multi-building complexes on the city’s South and West sides, with additional pickups in surrounding suburbs. “The goal is public safety,” officials said, noting that several arrests involved suspects who were considered high risk because of prior violence or access to firearms. Investigators also recovered limited contraband during incidental searches associated with warrant service, authorities said.
According to the task force, the more than 50 arrests involved a range of alleged crimes, including assault-related charges, weapons offenses and narcotics cases. A number of subjects were wanted on probation or parole violations after earlier convictions. Several individuals had skipped court dates on pending felony cases, officials said. The operation, called “Operation Clean House,” relied on warrant lists compiled by partner agencies and data matching to identify addresses tied to housing assistance. Officers made arrests without serious injuries to residents or law enforcement, and no shots were fired during the enforcement period. Officials declined to name all of those arrested, citing ongoing court processes and victim notifications.
Investigators said the sweep was planned over weeks, with deconfliction across departments to avoid overlap with other searches or undercover work. The U.S. Marshals’ Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team coordinated with Columbus police and other local partners to serve warrants and transport those arrested to county facilities for booking. Many arrests took place after brief announcements at doors, followed by compliance; in a smaller number of cases, teams used breaching tools when individuals refused to open up despite warrants. Property managers at targeted sites were notified ahead of enforcement days, officials said, adding that door-to-door checks were not conducted and locations were selected based on warrants and investigative leads rather than building-wide dragnets.
Public housing in central Ohio includes a mix of high-density complexes and scattered-site units managed by public and private entities under federal programs. Law enforcement officials said the operation sought to address a recurring problem: wanted individuals listing subsidized addresses to avoid service or moving between units where friends or relatives live. Prior operations in the region have used similar task-force models to concentrate resources for short bursts, which authorities say helps clear backlogs of felony warrants that can accumulate when suspects miss court dates or abscond from supervision. Advocates for residents have previously urged clear communication so families are not caught off guard when officers arrive to serve warrants.
Those arrested during the sweep were taken to local jails to await initial appearances or transport to other jurisdictions with open cases. Some are expected to face bond hearings early next week, depending on the county and the nature of the charges. Prosecutors will review each arrest to determine whether new counts—such as failure to appear or obstruction—should be added. Officials said reports from the operation will be shared with housing providers to update tenant records where applicable, though eviction decisions, if any, would follow separate civil processes. Authorities said they expect to release a fuller accounting in the coming days, including a breakdown of charges and the number of warrants cleared.
On Thursday afternoon, officers described a controlled pace to the sweep, with teams rotating across sites to limit disruptions. Residents at several complexes watched from sidewalks as marked and unmarked units entered, while community outreach staff followed up with building managers about security concerns. “We planned this to be precise and brief,” one supervisor said, explaining that teams staged outside the properties before moving in to serve individual warrants. In a few instances, neighbors provided tips about where a wanted person might be staying, helping officers make arrests without extended searches.
Officials said the operation reflects a broader push in the region to use joint strike teams to reduce violent crime and to ensure those with active warrants appear in court. The U.S. Marshals Service routinely coordinates such sweeps with local departments, which contribute detectives familiar with neighborhood patterns and repeat offenders. While the task force emphasized that the enforcement was limited to named subjects, some residents expressed worry about activity near their buildings. Housing managers said they would review incident logs and consider additional lighting or patrols in high-traffic stairwells and parking lots identified during the arrests.
As of Thursday evening, more than 50 fugitives had been booked or transferred, with paperwork continuing on several cases initiated at the end of the sweep. Officials said a consolidated list of defendants and court dates is being compiled and will be provided to prosecutors and clerks. Additional follow-up arrests are possible based on leads developed during interviews and evidence collected when warrants were served. Authorities said the next public update—expected early next week—should include the final arrest tally and a summary of charges cleared during the operation.
Author note: Last updated January 30, 2026.