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Ho, Ho, No: Man playing Santa arrested after skipping court

DocChewbacca
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Flickr/Creative Commons

WATERLOO, Ill. (AP) - Santa Claus was arrested in southern Illinois - but not in front of kids.
Authorities say Cody Alexander, a federal fugitive, was discovered portraying Santa outside a business in Waterloo on Monday night. He's been wanted since failing to appear in federal court in East St. Louis on Dec. 15.

 
Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing says Alexander was taken inside a real estate business and arrested. He's facing a mail theft charge.

Alexander could have his bond revoked when he appears in federal court Friday. Rohlfing says he'll get a free ride to court "but not on a reindeer."

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.