Edgecombe County Arrest Records

Per North Carolina General Statute § 15A-401, arrest becomes a necessity in Edgecombe County when there is probable cause that a person has committed a crime, including felonies and misdemeanors. As captured in this law, law enforcement agencies are said to have probable cause when they witness a crime in progress, when they have a warrant for the arrest of the suspect, when they can establish that the suspect is a threat to public safety, or when they have evidence that connects the suspect to a crime. The Edgecombe County Detention Center and Annex, located at Anaconda Road and St. Andrews Street, respectively, houses the arrested persons in the County.

The Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office is mainly tasked with producing arrest records in the county. These records provide details about the arrest, encompassing the suspect's information, the charges brought against them, and the context of the arrest. It is essential to recognize that arrest records are viewed as a component of a person's criminal history and could be incorporated in Edgecombe County Court Records. This indicates that arrest details can be pertinent in legal proceedings and might be available to the court, lawyers, and other permitted individuals.

Are Arrest Records Public in Edgecombe County?

According to the North Carolina Public Record Law captured in the State General Statute § 132-1, arrest records are public in Edgecombe County. This law allows the general public to have access to government agency’s records, one of which is the arrest records of law enforcement agencies. This implies that any interested person can request an arrest record from law enforcement agencies.

However, North Carolina General Statute 132-1.1 through 132-1.23 outlines some information within arrest records that are not to be disclosed to the general public. This exempted information includes the following:

• Information that could compromise an ongoing investigation
• Information that could endanger the safety of a witness or victim
• Information that could reveal law enforcement techniques
• Juvenile records
• Medical records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The typical details found in Edgecombe arrest records include:

• The offender's individual information: This encompasses the offender, including the full name, gender, ethnicity, and
• Date of birth
• Characteristics of the offender: weight, height, hair color, ethnicity, nose shape, and eye color.
• Photos and mugshots of the arrested individual.
• Details of the violation: The category and severity of the offense committed (either a misdemeanor, felony, or infraction) along with the law that was violated.
• Arrest and booking details: This encompasses the date, time, and location of the arrest, the booking agency or officer, along with general information regarding the arrest. It additionally includes a recap of the occurrences that led up to the arrest and the firearms taken from the suspect at the time of arrest, if relevant.

Edgecombe County Arrest Statistics

Crime statistics reports from Law enforcement agencies in Edgecombe County are usually submitted to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI). This report, which includes arrest records, provides the collection of data for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) as part of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. A total of 1,681 arrests were recorded in Edgecombe County's 2023 UCR data. These arrests were for a wide range of charges, including drug offenses, driving while intoxicated, and property crimes like theft and burglary, as well as violent crimes like murder and robbery.

The data also shows that offenses related to drunkenness made up a significant portion of arrests. In particular, 74 individuals (about 4.4%) were detained for Driving Under the Influence, 63 for Aggravated Assault (about 3.9%), 59 individuals (around 3.5%)were arrested for Larceny – Theft, 47 for weapon-related offenses (about 2.7%), 43 for Possession of Marijuana (about 2.5%), and 36 for Burglary (approximately 2.1%).

Find Edgecombe County Arrest Record

To find information about arrests and inmates in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, requesters can utilize the resources for background checks made available by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). These resources include the Personal Background Checks and Public Offender Search.

Personal Background Checks

To access arrest records via this method, individuals should fill out the "Right to Review Request Criminal History" form and visit the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office to be fingerprinted. Next, they need to send the fingerprint card, the completed "Right to Review Request Criminal History" form, and a $14.00 certified cheque or money order to the following address:

NC State Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Information and Identification Section
Attention: Applicant Unit — Right to Review
3320 Garner Road
Raleigh, NC 27610.

Following the processing of the personal request, the SBI will formally reply to them via US Mail. Should a criminal history record which includes the record of arrest be discovered, the response letter will include a copy of it.

Public Offender Search

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) also maintains the North Carolina Public Offender Search, containing information on individuals who are serving or have served state prison sentences and those who are or have been on parole in North Carolina, including Edgecombe County. Individuals have the option to look up arrest records this option also by using the search portal available online.

Free Arrest Record Search in Edgecombe County

Aside from the North Carolina Public Offender Search discussed in the previous section, third-party websites also provide access to basic arrest records at zero cost. These unofficial platforms aggregate arrest records from official sources and make them available to requesters through their user-friendly interfaces.

However, it is important to note that comprehensive arrest records may require an extra charge for these unofficial sources, and their records may not always be up to date when compared with official sources.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Records of anyone arrested in Edgecombe County will be kept on file with the arresting agency for as long as necessary. Nonetheless, the record will also be forwarded to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) and retained on file for a minimum of 50 years if the person is found guilty of the offense. Records of those who are arrested but not found guilty will remain on file with the arresting agency, but the SBI will not get them.

Expunge Edgecombe County Arrest Records

North Carolina General Statute § 15A-146 permits a person to request the expunction of arrest records if the following conditions are satisfied:

• The accusations against the individual were dropped, or the person was acquitted of the crime.
• If convicted, a duration of five years has passed since the conviction for misdemeanors and ten years for felonies.
• The State's Governor patrons the subject of the record.
• The mandated substance abuse treatment has been completed, and the person has avoided drug use for a duration in instances of substance abuse arrests.
• There is no current warrant or ongoing probation/parole related to the record subject.
• All fines and restitutions mandated by the court have been fulfilled.

To submit a petition for expungement, the petitioner should visit the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts' website and obtain the approved expungement form based on the type of offense, age, and conviction status. They are to fill out the form properly and enclose a certified copy of the court ruling that exonerates them from the allegations or indicates the Governor's pardon, and visit a Notary Public to affirm the details of the filled-out form. Then, finally send the required documents to the courthouse clerk in the county where the case took place or forward them to:

Administrative Office of the Courts in North Carolina
P.O. Box 2448
Raleigh, North Carolina 27602-2448

After the expungement petition process is finished, the court or AOC will examine the petition and determine whether the record should be expunged. In certain instances, the judge might call for a court hearing to determine whether the petitioner is in good standing and meets the qualifications for expungement.

Should the petition be approved, the relevant law enforcement agencies will be informed and provided 30 days to contest the petition. Should there be no objections filed within the set timeframe, or if the judge rejects the objections made, the court subsequently issues an order directing the record custodian to seal those records and limit public access to them. The clerk likewise provides a copy of the expungement order to the petitioner. The petitioner should be aware that the expungement procedure is often lengthy and legally complicated. Therefore, it might be necessary to utilize the expertise of a legal expert to streamline the procedure.

Edgecombe County Arrest Warrants

Edgecombe County arrest warrant, defined by North Carolina General Statute § 15A-304, is a legal document issued by a judicial officer authorizing law enforcement officers to arrest a specific individual suspected of having committed a crime.

A judicial officer usually issues an arrest warrant after determining probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and that the individual to be named on the warrant is likely responsible. Also, arrest warrants are issued in situations like the following:

• When the suspect has failed to appear in court for a prior summons or citation
• When there is a risk that the suspect may flee the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution
• When the suspect poses a danger to the community or specific individuals
• When the alleged crime is serious

An arrest warrant typically includes the following information:

• Name of the accused individual
• Description of the alleged crime(s)
• Issuing judicial official's signature
• Date of issuance
• Bail amount, if applicable
• Specific instructions to law enforcement
• Execution of Arrest Warrants

Once an arrest warrant is issued, law enforcement officers have the authority to arrest the named individual at any time and in any location within the state of North Carolina. The arrested individual will be taken into custody and brought before a judicial official to be informed of the charges against them.

Do Edgecombe County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Edgecombe arrest warrants are indefinitely valid and only considered executed when a suspect is arrested. However, if the suspect passes away or there is no longer probable reason for the arrest, the court may recall the warrant.