Stanly County Arrest Records

Stanly County arrest records are the official documentation of an arrest created during the booking process by the arresting agency. An arrest becomes necessary when a police officer witnesses the individual committing the offense, witness testimony, confession, or when the authorities have probable cause to believe that an individual has committed a criminal offense.

Persons arrested in Stanly County are typically held at the Stanly County Jail. This is a short-term holding facility for inmates who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or being held in custody until their bail conditions are satisfied. The Stanly County Sheriff's Office is responsible for creating arrest records, and they also share these records with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Judicial Branch. As such, additional information about an individual's involvement with the criminal justice system may be found in Stanly County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Stanly County?

Yes. The North Carolina Public Records Act ensures that all persons can access, inspect, and request copies of documents and all documentary materials regardless of physical form made or received in connection with the public business of all government authorities within the state. The Act recognizes public records as the property of the people, and it is mandatory for all government agencies, including law enforcement agencies, to make these records reasonably available for free or at minimal costs.

It is important to note that protecting freedom of information is just as important as protecting the right to privacy and the safety and security of individuals. To ensure this, some official records are subject to nondisclosure orders or are considered confidential or sealed records. Such records are exempt from public disclosure and may not be accessible on public platforms.

In line with § 132-1.2 of the NCPRA, the Stanly County Sheriff's Office, District/Municipal Police Department, and other state or local agencies are not required to disclose any of the following information that may be related to or collated as arrest information recorded in Stanly County:

• Personal identifiable information like social security numbers, personal home address, email address, phone number, and fingerprints.
• Confidential or privileged information
• Information that may compromise the safety or security of a victim, witness, or confidential informant
• Disclosure that may lead to impartial administration of justice
• Information that may interfere with an individual's right to fair hearing
• Disclosure that may interfere with law enforcement investigation and procedures

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The information in arrest records accessible to the general public may vary depending on state or local laws; it may also vary on a case-to-case basis, especially when it relates to juvenile offenders or other cases of sensitive nature. Below are the following details one may expect to find in Stanly County arrest records:

• The arrestee's personal Information: Full name, aliases, date of birth, and age.
• Physical description: Race, ethnicity, sex, height, weight, hair color, eye color, tattoos or scars.
• Booking photo (a.k.a., mugshot)
• Arrest information: Date and time of arrest, location of arrest, arresting agency/officer, reason for arrest, charges filed, report of damage done to person or property.
• Bail Information: Bond amount, conditions for release
• Court Information: Court schedule, case number, etc.
• Sentencing information.

Stanly County Arrest Statistics

The 2023 Uniform Crime Reporting Data for North Carolina released by the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation states that the index crime rate for Stanly County is 1898.2 (per 100,000 persons). Property crimes were reported to be at the rate of 1,615.6, while violent crimes were at the rate of 282.5 per 100,000.

According to statistics published by the FBI's Crime Data Explorer, in 2023, law enforcement agencies in the county made a total of 1338 arrests; 956 of these offenders were male and 427 female offenders. The most prevalent offenses in the county for that year were larceny, simple assault, aggravated assault, drug/narcotic offenses, driving under the influence, and burglary.

Find Stanly County Arrest Records

Pursuant to the provisions of the North Carolina Public Records Act, arrest records in Stanly County are public records. Hence, researchers and other interested persons can find information on arrested and incarcerated persons in custody of federal, state, or local government law enforcement officials.

The Stanly County Sheriff's Office is the primary agency responsible for creating, maintaining, and transferring arrest records in the county. Interested persons may contact or visit the Sheriff's Office during official hours to inspect or request copies of arrest records. Please note that while accessing arrest records may be free, individuals will be charged administrative fees for requests to reproduce or certify law enforcement records. The Stanly County Sheriff's Office also maintains and releases information on wanted persons and inmate lists online.

Stanly County Sheriff's Office
223 South 2nd Street
Albemarle, NC 28001
Phone: (704) 986-3714

For State resources for finding arrest records, the Offender Public Information Search website provides information on all offenders in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. Interested persons can access arrest and incarceration information on active inmates, probationers, parolees, escapes, absconders, and released inmates as well.

Free Arrest Record Search in Stanly County

Researchers may access arrest records for free at the Stanly County Sheriff's Office and online at the Stanly County Sheriff's Office Inmate List.

An alternative low-cost option for finding Stanly County arrest records is using third-party public records search platforms. Third-party search applications are owned by private individuals and are not affiliated with the government. These databases host arrest information, incarceration, and court records on one website to improve access to more data. Although third-party public records sites are not free, some have low-cost payment plans for users.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In North Carolina, arrests can remain on your public record indefinitely unless the record holder is eligible for and obtains an expungement order. Expunging your records is a legal process to permanently remove information about arrests and convictions from an individual's record and delete it from all government records. Expunged records cannot be accessed by the general public. However, they may still be accessed by state or federal law enforcement officials and judicial officials.

Expunge Stanly County Arrest Records

Per the provisions of North Carolina General Statutes §15A-146, if any person charged with a crime (felony or misdemeanor) or charged with an infraction before December 1, 1999, and the charge is dismissed, the individual or district attorney is eligible to petition the court in the county in which they were arrested, or the charge was filed to expunge all arrest records and records relating to their trial. The court shall review this petition, and if it finds that the charge or all other pending charges have been dismissed, the court shall order the expunction. The court will not order the expunction of all such records if any of the charges to be expunged result in a conviction on the day of the dismissal or if the trial court has yet to reach a final disposition in relation to the case.

Where an individual is charged with one or more criminal offenses, either a felony, misdemeanor, or infraction, and the court finds them not guilty or not responsible for the crime, the individual or district attorney may petition the court in the county where the charges were entered to delete all records of the arrest and other related official records, including trial records.

Further, where an individual is named in a charge or infraction, either a felony or misdemeanor, as a result of mistaken identity, and they are declared not guilty, or the conviction is set aside, the named person may petition the court in the county where the charge was last pending on a form approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts for an order to expunge all official records or entries relating to their arrest, charge, or trial (G.S. §15A-147). This means all arrest, incarceration, and court records created in relation to the petitioners' case will be expunged.

Stanly County Arrest Warrants

In North Carolina, an arrest warrant is a writ containing the statement of a crime for which the accused is charged and an order that the named accused be arrested and brought before the court. It may be issued where the named defendant has been previously summoned but failed to appear in court, where it is evident that the person will not respond to summons, or where the person may evade arrest or cause damage to other persons and property (G.S. § 15A-304).

A Justice of the Supreme Court may issue a valid arrest warrant in the state of North Carolina, a judge of the Court of Appeals, a judge of the superior court, a judge of the district court, a clerk, or a magistrate. Furthermore, a judicial officer may only issue a warrant for arrest where the complainant provides sufficient information to show probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and the suspect committed the crime. This information must be supported by an affidavit or oral testimony under oath before the court.

Do Stanly County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants issued in North Carolina do not expire. They are valid until executed (that is, until the defendant named in the warrant is arrested) or recalled. The criminal statute of limitation may affect the validity of an arrest warrant. However, filing a criminal complaint and issuing an arrest warrant will usually be the statute of limitation, making the crime and warrant actionable even after multiple years have passed since the warrant was issued.

Nevertheless, as enshrined in the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, all citizens have a right to a speedy trial; hence, law enforcement officials must execute arrest warrants within a reasonable time. Unreasonable delay may lead to prejudice and result in the warrant/case being dismissed.