Martin County Arrest Records

Martin County, North Carolina, arrest records refer to records of offenders arrested within the county. Law enforcement operating in Martin County is authorized by state law to detain a person when there is proof that they committed a crime. The Martin County Sheriff's Office is the main arresting agency within the county and houses offenders in the Martin County Detention Center.

Arrest records are generated and maintained by the arresting agencies, like the county sheriff's office, which also serve as repositories and answer requests for these records. Martin County arrest records may also be part of Martin County Court Records, maintained by the county courts when the arrest brought about a criminal trial. Arrest records for Martin County may also be found in state agencies such as the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation.

Are Arrest Records Public in Martin County?

The North Carolina Public Records Law classifies Martin County arrest records as public information. This law allows the general public to access, view, and copy arrest records unless the record or information is categorically excluded from public access.

Records that are excluded from public access by the law include the following:

• Records from ongoing criminal investigations
• Arrest records concerning minors
• Criminal records that have been expunged or otherwise restricted
• Records containing sensitive public security information, such as classified blueprints and terrorist response procedures
• Records covered under attorney-client privilege

Although these records are typically exempt from disclosure, access to them may still be possible after obtaining a court order.

Martin County Arrest Statistics

Law enforcement agencies for Martin County, such as the Sheriff's Office, collect crime data and submit it to the FBI database. Using the FBI Crime Data Explorer, interested parties may view these statistics online for free. According to information submitted, the sheriff's office reported 273 arrests in 2023. The total includes 26 arrests for simple assaults, 22 for drugs and narcotics offenses, 13 arrests for aggravated assaults, 10 arrests for burglary, five arrests for weapons violations, four arrests each for vandalism and larceny, three arrests for DUI-related offenses, and two arrests each for fraud, robbery, and homicide.

Find Martin County Arrest Records

Interested parties may obtain Martin County arrest records from the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Inquiries may be made by visiting the sheriff's office at:

Martin County Sheriff
305 East Main Street (Room 126)
P.O. Box 308
Williamston, NC 27892

Record seekers may call the office before their visit at (252) 789-4500. The sheriff's office website also provides a link to the North Carolina Public Offender Search database maintained by the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections. This search tool allows users to look up records of current inmates, past inmates, probationers, and parolees by name, race, age, ID number, and other criteria.

To look up inmate records for individuals in federal facilities, the records seeker may use the online Inmate Locator maintained by the Federal Bureau of Prisons(BOP).

Martin County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Martin County arrest and criminal records detail a person's relationship with law enforcement. These records differ based on who generates them and how comprehensive the records are. Arrest records are generated by arresting agencies and typically concern only arrests; they show the offender's name, the crimes committed, and what law was violated. They may also include information taken during the offender's booking after the arrest, such as a physical description and bail information.

While an arrest record just shows a person was once suspected of a crime and does not prove guilt, criminal records are proof of guilt. They contain information generated by different agencies, but only after a person passes through the full legal system. A criminal record, sometimes called a criminal history, contains all arrest and court records, including trial details, verdicts, and sentencing records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In North Carolina, arrests and criminal records typically remain on a person's record indefinitely unless steps are taken to remove or restrict the records. North Carolina offers offenders access to a process known as expungement that allows them to remove arrest records from public access.

To qualify for expungement, the crime typically must be non-violent felonies or misdemeanors, and the person typically must have completed all aspects of their sentence and the required waiting period. In cases where the case was dismissed, the arrest record may be expunged immediately. However, some records, including the following, may not qualify for expungement.

• Violent offenses
• Sex offenses
• Assault convictions
• DUI/ DWI offense
• Crimes involving minors

Martin County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants in Martin County, North Carolina, as covered in Criminal Procedure Act § 15A-304, are documents instructing that a person accused of a crime is to be arrested and held to answer all charges against them in court. Arrest warrants may be initiated by either law enforcement or a civilian submitting an affidavit to a judicial officer. The affidavit typically must provide sufficient probable cause that the subject in the warrant committed a crime. It typically must also supply facts that show that the subject of the warrant has either refused to appear when summoned or will attempt to escape if summoned by the court.

Arrest warrants issued in Martin County will generally contain the following information:

• The name of the person to be arrested or a general description by which they may be identified
• A statement of the crime describing the crime and what laws it violates
• An order of arrest directing law enforcement officers to take the person into custody and bring them without unnecessary delay before a judicial officer
• The date, signature, and office of the judicial officer who issued the warrant

Do Martin County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants issued in Martin County have no expiry date. They remain active until they are resolved, whether by the suspect being arrested, surrendering, or passing away. In some cases, the issuing judge may recall or quash the warrant. This typically involves the suspect of the warrant or their attorney filing a petition with the judge and showing that the warrant was illegal or unnecessary.

Expunge Martin County Arrest Records

Offenders in Martin County may qualify to have their records expunged if they meet certain qualifications. For example, only non-violent misdemeanors and felonies qualify for expungement.

Arrests dismissed outright or the suspect was found not guilty after a trial are typically up for immediate expungement. Convictions, on the other hand, require a waiting period before they may be expunged.

• A record with one non-violent misdemeanor may be expunged 5 years after the date of conviction.
• If the record contains more than one non-violent misdemeanor conviction, it qualifies for expungement 7 years after the date of the last conviction or 7 years after the offender completes all sentences, probation, or after-release supervision program.
• One non-violent felony may be expunged 10 years after the date of conviction or 10 years after completing the jail sentence and post-release supervision program.
• A record with three non-violent felonies may be expunged 20 years from the date of the last conviction, or 10 years after completing their sentence or probation, and after-release supervision.

Interested parties may file for expungement using the following steps:

• Obtain a copy of the full criminal record.
• File the expungement petition with the court clerk at Martin County and pay any fees.
• Serve a copy to the district attorney in Martin County if the petition is for a conviction.
• The judge may call a hearing to hear arguments and decide whether to grant the expungement. Sometimes, however, no hearing is required, particularly when the case has been dismissed.
• The petitioner will receive an expungement order signed by the judge. This typically must be filed with the clerk of the court, who will issue an order for all state agencies to expunge the record.