Henry County Arrest Records

Henry County arrest records contain information about arrest incidents, the charges that warranted the arrest, and the arrestee’s data. Arrest records also form part of other vital criminal justice records, mainly Henry County Court Records and criminal records.

While local police departments typically create and maintain their arrest record databases, the sheriff’s office is the county’s chief law enforcement agency. It usually has access to all arrest records or can facilitate access to documents not available in its record repository. Henry County uses the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio to house its inmates. This facility also serves Fulton, Defiance, Lucas, and Williams Counties.

Are Arrest Records Public in Henry County?

Yes, under the Ohio Public Records and Open Meetings Laws. Also known as the Ohio Sunshine Laws, this law provides for the public availability of records created, submitted to, or maintained by public offices and agencies in the state, including arrest records. Per this law, members of the general public can inspect and copy documents, provided such access does not violate other provisions under the Ohio Revised Statutes (ORS) or federal laws. Furthermore, such disclosure must not threaten the overall public’s interests.

To this effect, certain exemptions are provided by this law, authorizing record custodians to restrict access to arrest records in part or their entirety if a requested record pertains to any of the following:

• Expunged records (ORS 2593.32)
• Sealed records
• Investigatory records
• Juvenile records
• Sensitive personal details like social security numbers
• Records exempt in line with Sections 4112.05 and 2710.03 of the ORS.

Exempt records typically remain accessible to record subjects and certain criminal justice personnel. Third parties may only access non-public arrest records with express authorization by the court.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public Henry County arrest records typically feature the following information:

• Arrestee data (full name, age, date of birth, and aliases)
• Descriptive features of the arrestee (race, eye color, hair color, weight, height, and sex)
• Offense description
• Arrest information (date, time, location, and agency)
• Booking information (detention facility, booking date and time, and booking number).

Henry County Arrest Statistics

According to arrest statistics provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 205,987 arrests were made in Ohio in 2019. Of these arrestees, 20,149 were people below the age of 18. Arrests for property crimes were most prevalent for adults (29,869) and minors (3,287). The following arrests were made for other prevalent crimes:

• Violent crimes (8,752 adults and 1,033 minors)
• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter (244 adults and 22 minors)
• Rape (438 adults and 86 minors)
• Robbery (1,830 adults and 372 minors)
• Aggravated assault (6,240 adults and 553 minors)
• Motor vehicle theft (893 adults and 236 minors)
• Other assaults (34,495 adults and 4,684 minors)
• Burglary (3,583 adults and 468 minors)
• Larceny-theft (25,142 adults and 2,549 minors).

(There are no publicly available county-level arrest statistics for Henry County.)

Find Henry County Arrest Records

The Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio houses inmates from Henry County and maintains booking records for every person held in the facility. Recent bookings at the facility, up to the last 7 days, are available on the agency’s website. Inquirers may also look up a list of active offenders using the Inmate Search page on their website. Researchers may contact this agency by phone, fax, or email. Business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday:

Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio
03151 County Road 2425
Stryker, Ohio 43557-9418
Phone: (419) 428-3800
Fax: (419) 428-2119
E-Mail: ccnoregional@gmail.com.

Court-related records of persons in custody may be viewed through their respective criminal case files on the CourtView website. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (DRC) facilitates access to information about people currently or previously held at its facility through its Offender Search program. Please channel further inquiries to:

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

Regardless of the search method utilized, a record seeker needs to know the arrestee's name. Additional information that can aid a record search includes the arresting agency, date of arrest, date of birth, and case number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Henry County

Arrest record searches are generally free when viewed at the record custodian's office or online portal. However, fees may apply when a person requests copies. An agency may charge fees depending on the nature of a request and the resources employed in retrieving a requested record. A free alternative is unofficial websites provided by third parties not affiliated with courts or law enforcement agencies.

They collect arrest information from various sources, including criminal justice agencies, and provide it for free to users. Note that on many of these sites, free users are granted limited access to records and are required to pay a fee for a full report.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever, unless such records are sealed or expunged. Note that sealing does not remove arrests from a person’s record; it only makes them non-public. Once sealed, records cannot be found during background checks, although certain employers and individuals with court authorization can still find them. An expungement is the most effective way of removing arrests from one’s records.

Expunge Henry County Arrest Records

Ohio laws provide for the destruction of arrest and criminal records through expungement (OHS 2953). Although often used interchangeably, expungement differs from sealing in Ohio. While sealing only restricts public access to a person's records, expungement ensures a record’s complete destruction. However, note that documents pertaining to certain convictions do not qualify for expungement. In addition, specific eligibility criteria must be met before an expungement petition is granted, such as:

• The applicable expungement waiting period for the concerned crime has elapsed
• There are no pending criminal charges against the petitioner
• There are no pending traffic violations
• The petitioner has been rehabilitated to the court's satisfaction.

Per ORC 2953.32, the following convictions are ineligible for expungement:

• All traffic-related charges
• Offenses in which the victim was below 13 years old
• First and second-degree felony convictions
• Domestic violence
• Violation of a protection order
• Three or more third-degree felonies.

Eligible persons looking to destroy their arrest records should obtain an Application to Seal or Expunge Conviction form from the Henry County Clerk of Courts. A different form exists for arrests that did not result in a conviction. The appropriate form must be filled out and submitted alongside court costs ($100) to the clerk’s office. The Henry County Common Pleas Court oversees expungements.

After filing, the court shall schedule an expungement hearing within 90 days. Absent any valid objection from the prosecution, the court shall grant the expungement. All agencies and parties involved are usually notified of the expungement petition as well as the corresponding judgment from the court.

Henry County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are official court documents issued by a magistrate or judge, commanding law enforcement to apprehend and bring a person before the court. Per Ohio laws, the issuance of arrest warrants must be based on probable cause (O.R.C. 2935.08). Before warrant issuance, an official complaint or sworn affidavit must have been presented before the issuing authority, informing them a crime has been committed and that the individual to be named on the warrant is a suspect.

If the judge or magistrate is convinced, it shall issue an arrest warrant in the suspect’s name, address, alleged offense, the issuing authority’s name, date of issuance, and arrest clause, among others.

Do Henry County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants do not expire. They remain executable until the individual named on the warrant voluntarily turns themself in and satisfies any applicable bid requirements or gets apprehended by law enforcement. Otherwise, a warrant can only go away if:

• New evidence exonerates a suspect, causing the court to recall the warrant.
• A suspect dies.
• The charges are dropped or dismissed.