Lee County Arrest Records

Law enforcement officers in Lee County arrest individuals caught committing an offense, suspected of violating the North Carolina criminal code. Arrests are typically made by officers from the sheriff's office and local police departments. After an arrest, the arresting officer(s) take the arrested individual to the sheriff's office, where they are booked before detention in the county jail, where they await court appearance.

The booking process entails collating information about the arrested individual, the arrest incident, the associated charges, and the facility where the arrestee is held. These details, once filed, make up the arrest record. Arrest information may also be found in other records generated in the criminal justice process, such as Lee County court records. The Lee County Sheriff's Office is the primary agency responsible for preserving arrest records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lee County?

Yes, Lee County arrest records are public under the North Carolina Public Records Law (NC Gen. Stat. § 132). Per this law, custodians of records created and preserved by public agencies while administering their public duties in North Carolina are required to make them available to the public except when restricted by a law or court order. As such, citizens can request access to arrest records.

However, records whose disclosure threatens a person's safety, violates their privacy rights or compromises the credibility of ongoing criminal investigations are restricted from public view. Sensitive information about minors, ongoing criminal investigations, rape victims, and witnesses in protection are general exemptions from the Public Records Law. Such records are only available to the affected arrestees, their attorneys, law enforcement officers, and certain third parties on need-to-know grounds.

To obtain restricted arrest records, a person must obtain a subpoena or order from a court of competent jurisdiction and submit it alongside a public record request to the law enforcement agency in custody of the sought-after record. Before issuing an order authorizing a third party to access records, a court must establish that the petitioner's interest outweighs the reason a record was initially sequestered.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following is information obtainable while perusing Lee County arrest records:

• The full name of the arrestee and any known aliases
• Date of birth
• Physical characteristics, e.g., height, sex, race, ethnicity, weight, scars or tattoos
• Holding facility
• Custody status
• Description of charges, e.g., offense and offense degree
• Booking information (number, photo, date, and time)
• Where applicable, bail/bond information and amount, and release conditions.

In some cases, arrest records may contain court information, such as case numbers, court appearance dates, presiding judges, and information about inmate visitation.

Lee County Arrest Statistics

According to the 2022 annual summary report published by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), the total number of arrests reported in the said year was 1,757. Offenses for which arrests were made include the following: theft (103), non-aggravated assault (135), burglary (31), motor vehicle theft (3), arson (1), robbery (6), driving under the influence (34), and weapon-related offenses (30). The total number of arrests made in the previous year (2021) was 1,580, indicating a 10.08% decrease.

Find Lee County Arrest Records

The Lee County Sheriff's Office and city police departments maintain records of arrests made by their officers. The two primary police departments in the county are the Sanford City and Southern Pines police departments. Both agencies are authorized to make arrests and required to maintain records of such arrests.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office displays arrest information on its Arrest Blog Page. Information displayed online may be viewed by interested parties for free and includes arrest date, arrestee full name, age, reason for arrest, and bond amount. For additional arrest information not displayed on this website, complete the online public record request. The fee for this service is $5.00. Below are the contact addresses of the local police departments:

Sanford Police Departments
225 East Weatherspoon Street
Sanford, NC 27330.

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 3729
Sanford, NC 27331
Phone: (919) 775-8268

Southpines Police Department
450 West Pennsylvania Avenue
Southern Pines, NC 28387
Phone: (910) 692-2732
Fax: (910) 692-7042
Email: pd@southernpines.net.

Statewide databases also exist for arrest record searches. For instance, the offender information platform provided by the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (NCDAC) can be used to perform name-based searches. This website covers incarceration information on arrestees held in state prison locations.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lee County

The provisions of the North Carolina Public Records Law afford citizens the right to view arrest records for free or at minimal costs required by a custodial agency to facilitate record searches. The lookup page provided on the county sheriff's website can be accessed for free. Alternatively, record seekers can use third-party websites provided by private companies. Although many such sites charge a fee for usage, basic arrest details are typically available for free.

Third-party websites provide users with wider access to records, as they aggregate information from multiple jurisdictions and agencies. Despite the benefits associated with these websites, the accuracy, completeness, and availability of certain records is not guaranteed. As such, record seekers should only use records obtained from government agencies for official purposes like employment or tenant screening.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. However, law enforcement agencies may remove arrest information from a person's record if they file a petition for expungement under NC Gen. Stat. § 15A. However, note that certain criteria must be met before an expungement petition is granted. Notable cases that typically qualify for expungement are when an arrest did not lead to a conviction and when an arrest was due to mistaken identity.

Expunge Lee County Arrest Records

Lee County residents who meet certain criteria can petition the county's superior court for their arrest records to be expunged. Upon expungement, the affected records are sealed or cleared from public databases, although records may exist with law enforcement agencies. In any case, the subject of an expunged arrest record may deny that such an arrest ever happened and not be found guilty of perjury. Generally, the effects of expungements vary with the kind of offense involved. NC Gen. Stat. § 15A-145 outlines circumstances that may qualify an arrest for expungement. They include:

• The charges that led to the arrest were dropped or dismissed
• The arrestee received a pardon of innocence
• The arrested individual is a first-time non-violent offender
• The arrest was made as a result of mistaken identity.

NB: While conviction records for arrests made for certain offenses may qualify for expungement, others may not. For more information, see the expungement process guide by the North Carolina judicial branch.

To begin the expungement process, obtain a Certificate of Verification of Prior Expunction from the eCourts filing page. Thereafter, complete the applicable expunction application form. Note that forms vary for various offenses, e.g., the form petitioners complete for expungement of prostitution arrests is different from that used for expunging non-violent misdemeanor arrests.

A $175 filing fee is required for petitions. This and other applicable fees can be paid via money orders or certified checks. Individuals who can demonstrate dire financial predicaments may request a fee waiver. Upon completing the application form, submit the form alongside evidence of payment to the court clerk's office. The court may hold an expungement hearing or issue a summary judgment. Generally, expungement proceedings may take several weeks. If the court grants the petition, a notice of expunction will be issued to all involved criminal agencies, ordering that the affected records be destroyed.

Lee County Arrest Warrants

A Lee County arrest warrant is an official statement issued by a magistrate or judge ordering law enforcement officers to apprehend and take individuals charged with offenses or guilty of court order violations into custody (NC Gen. Stat. § 15A-304). Judges require probable cause to issue arrest warrants. In other words, law enforcement officers are required to establish probable cause linking an individual to an offense. Per North Carolina Laws, an arrest warrant must set forth the following:

• The subject's name and other identifying information
• The date and time when the warrant was issued
• The city where the warrant was issued
• The statement of crime
• The name and signature of the issuing authority.

Active arrest warrants are not public in Lee County. Only warrant subjects and their attorney (or other legal representative) are privy to arrest warrants. Eligible parties may query the sheriff's office at (919) 718-4688 for information about existing warrants in a person's name.

Do Lee County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Unless recalled by the issuing authority or quashed by a court, arrest warrants issued in Lee County do not expire until they are executed. Per NC Gen. Stat. § 15A-728, an active Lee County arrest warrant may be executed regardless of the time or place where the warrant's subject is found.