Adams County Arrest Records

Adams County arrest records are created by law enforcement agencies when they apprehend an individual for a crime they allegedly committed or for failure to honor a court summons or order. These records help the criminal justice system retain crucial information about inmates and the circumstances surrounding their arrests. Information covered by arrest records includes arrestee personal data, description of charges, booking details, and court case information.

Adams County court records usually precede the creation of arrest records, especially since most arrests are sanctioned by arrest warrants issued by the courts, except when an officer can make a warrantless arrest, which is common if they witnessed the crime.

Are Arrest Records Public in Adams County?

Yes, Adams County arrest records are public under the Ohio Sunshine Laws (or the Ohio Public Records and Open Meetings Laws). Per this law, the general public may request and obtain county arrest records from the appropriate custodial agency. However, certain restrictions were established to regulate the dissemination of these records to ensure that they are disclosed in a manner that does not compromise personal safety or legal rights.

Non-public arrest records, as provided in Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Statutes (O.R.S.), include the following:

• Juvenile records
• Records deemed classified by state or federal law
• Records containing information protected under O.R.S., Sections 2710.03 and 4112.05
• Arrest records released under O.R.S., Section 5120.21, Division E
• Records expunged under O.R.S. Section 2593.32

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public Adams County arrest records contain the following:

• Arrest charges
• Suspect's name and date of birth
• Booking number, date, and facility
• Arrest date and time
• Name of the arresting facility
• Release date (if previously released from custody)
• The suspect's photo and fingerprints
• Bail/bond information (if any).

Adams County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI's statewide arrest data for the state of Ohio, a total of 205,987 arrests were recorded in 2019, including 20,149 offenders below the age of 18. Property crimes were most prevalent, totaling 29,869, while a total of 8,752 arrests were made for violent crimes. Under the crime category, the following arrests were made:

• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter — 244
• Rape — 438
• Robbery — 1,830
• Aggravated assault — 6,240
• Burglary — 3,583
• Theft — 25,142
• Motor vehicle theft — 893
• Arson — 251
• Other assault — 34,495
• Forgery and counterfeiting — 519
• Fraud — 1,826
• Weapon possession — 3,656.

(County-level estimates for arrests and offenses in Adams County are not publicly available.)

Find Adams County Arrest Records

The Adams County Sheriff's Office is the county's primary custodian of arrest and criminal records. It offers online access to arrest records through its JailTracker tool, where interested persons can find recent arrests and inmate information, such as full name, arrest date, arresting agency, bond type/amount, race, eye/hair color, detention status, court date, and case code. Visitors may request complete arrest reports if they know an arrestee's full name and sufficient descriptions, at the sheriff's office Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at:

110 West Main Street
West Union, OH 45693
Phone: (937) 544-2314

Arrest records maintained by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (DRC) may be perused on the Offender Search website provided by the agency. This database covers information for current inmates, released inmates, and individuals who died in custody due to natural causes. Searches on this website are name-based and typically return results containing sentence information, mugshots, arrestee personal data, and criminal history. For further inquiries, contact the DRC at:

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
4545 Fisher Road, Suite D
Columbus, OH 43228
Phone: (614) 752-1161

Free Arrest Record Search in Adams County

Aside from official resources provided by record custodians, arrest information can be found on third-party websites. These private websites aggregate data from numerous sources, usually covering information for multiple counties, states, and nationwide.

Large databases generally have search filters that allow users to narrow down results by state, county, and even city in some cases. Primarily, however, searches are performed by entering the first and last names of the person of interest in the appropriate fields.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. There are no retention timelines for the expiration of arrest records, especially when the arrestee was convicted. However, Ohio laws provide for the expungement or sealing of arrest records if certain conditions are met. Expunged records are usually destroyed and cannot be accessed afterward, whereas sealed records are only restricted from public access.

Expunge Adams County Arrest Records

In line with the Ohio Revised Codes, Section 2953, a person may petition to expunge their arrest record in Adams County. This is, on the condition that the offense that led to their arrest qualifies for expungement and the applicable expungement waiting period has elapsed. Conviction arrests involving any of the following crimes are not eligible for expungement: first or second-degree felony, traffic convictions, offenses in which a victim is less than 13 years old, three or more third-degree felonies, protection order violations, and violent felonies that are not sexually oriented.

Also, an expungement applicant must have completed the sentence associated with the arrest they wish to expunge and not have any pending criminal charges in their name. If a person was convicted of the charges for which they were arrested, they will have to wait for any of the following timelines after discharge from jail (and completion of any other correctional program), depending on the crime:

• One year for a misdemeanor
• Six months for a minor misdemeanor
• Thirteen years for two third-degree felonies
• Eleven years for a fourth or fifth-degree felony.

With these satisfied, the petitioner must file an expungement petition at the courthouse where the case was filed. If there were multiple or different cases in different courts, they would have to file individually for each case and court. Guidelines about what information is required and the procedure for filing may be obtained from the office of the appropriate Clerk of Court. The court has 45 to 90 days from the date a petition is filed to conduct an expungement hearing.

The petition shall be granted if, during the hearing, the petitioner can convince the court that their interest in expunging the record is greater than any legitimate government need to retain the records. If granted, the court shall issue an expungement order and notify any involved law enforcement agencies of such, after which the concerned record(s) shall be destroyed.

Adams County Arrest Warrants

An Adams County arrest warrant is a court order authorizing law enforcement to arrest an individual within the county. Without a warrant, an arrest can only be made if an officer witnesses the crime or has probable cause to link a person to a crime. Before a warrant is issued, an official statement or complaint must be presented before the issuing judge or magistrate (O.R.C. 2935.08).

The statement must be backed by evidence linking the person named in the warrant to an offense that has been committed. A typical arrest warrant should contain a person's name, charges, the name and seal of the issuing authority, the date of issuance, and an arrest clause.

Do Adams County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Adams County arrest records do not expire. They remain valid until a suspect is arrested, turns themselves in at the court, fulfills bond conditions, or dies. Otherwise, a warrant typically goes away if the court recalls or quashes it, or the associated cases are dropped.