Meigs County Arrest Records

An arrest occurs when a peace officer takes an individual into custody due to an active arrest warrant or when they have reasonable cause to believe the person has committed a criminal offense. Following an arrest in Meigs County, details of the arrest are documented in Meigs County arrest records. The arresting agency creates these records containing pertinent details about arrests, such as the arrestee's personal information, description of the alleged offense, the arrest date (date, location, and time), and other relevant information.

Generally, Meigs County arrest records are vital criminal justice records that provide information about an individual's criminal past within the county. Government agencies, such as the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), also use arrest records to generate crime trend statistics. Additionally, arrests are one of the first steps in criminal prosecutions. Due to the above reasons, arrest records are featured in or used to create different criminal justice records, including Meigs County Court Records, criminal history records compiled by the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the OCJS's crime reports and data.

Are Arrest Records Public in Meigs County?

Yes. The Ohio Public Records Act codified in Ohio Revised Code § 149.43, grants everybody the right to access most government records, including arrest records. As a result, Meigs County law enforcement agencies usually make arrest records that they generate and maintain publicly accessible.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public Meigs County arrest records usually contain the following information:

Meigs County Arrest Statistics

According to the 2023 arrest statistics provided by the FBI Crime Data Explorer, local law enforcement agencies made 250 arrests in Meigs County in 2023, a 65.96% percent increase from the previous year, when 126 arrests were made. Of those arrested, 234 were adults, while 16 were juveniles. Furthermore, offenses with the highest number of arrests in 2023 include simple assault (77), drug/narcotic offenses (27), disorderly conduct (17), aggravated assault (12), and larceny (10).

Note that the above arrest statistics only reflect arrests made by the Meigs County Sheriff's Office, Middleport Police Department, Pomeroy Police Department, Racine Police Department, Rutland Police Department, and Syracuse Police Department.

Find Meigs County Arrest Records

Meigs County arrest records are generated and maintained by local law enforcement agencies, such as the Meigs County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and municipal police departments. Thus, record seekers can find Meigs County arrest records through these agencies. They must ascertain the agency that created the sought-after record to appropriately direct their request.

Each Meigs County local law enforcement agency's procedures for requesting public arrest records it maintains may differ. In most cases, agencies accept in-person public record requests. Notwithstanding, record seekers must provide sufficient information about the sought-after record, such as the arrestee's name, arrest date, and arrest location, to identify it adequately. It is also worth noting that record seekers are usually charged a fee per request, and copies of records are furnished. These fees may also vary by agency.

For instance, interested persons can request arrest records generated by the Meigs County Sheriff's Office in person, by mail, fax, or email. During regular working hours, in-person requests may be made at the MCSO physical address. Alternatively, requesters can request records remotely by completing the MCSO's Record Request Form and submitting it along with required fees (detailed in the form) by mail, fax, or email to:

104 E 2nd St,
Pomeroy, OH 45769
Phone: (740) 992-3371
Fax: (740) 992-2654
Email: amanda.larkins@meigssheriff.org

Free Arrest Record Search in Meigs County

Unfortunately, Meigs County local law enforcement agencies do not provide online resources that interested persons can use to search for arrest records in their custody for free. Thus, the only way an individual may access Meigs County arrest records for free is by visiting the local law enforcement agency that created the record to inspect it in person. However, free in-person inspection of arrest records is not always guaranteed, as some agencies may charge record seekers a fee for searching for the sought-after record, especially when the search takes over an hour. For instance, the MCSO charged individuals a $5.00 fee for public record searches that take over an hour.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Meigs County, arrests are usually reported to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), so it would be added to the arrestee's criminal history record. Generally, arrests can remain indefinitely on an individual's criminal history record, unless it gets expunged or sealed. Notwithstanding, Megis County local law enforcement agencies usually have record retention schedules that determine how long they internally keep arrest records on file.

Expunge Meigs County Arrest Records

Meigs County arrest records that meet the eligibility requirement under ORC Chapter 2953 may be expunged or sealed.

The procedures for applying for an arrest record expungement or sealing in Meigs County differ depending on the specifics of the arrest, such as the type of offense and what it led to. Generally, an individual may submit a written request to the police chief in the community where they were arrested to have their arrest record sealed, provided they were released without any charges being filed. In a case where an arrest led to a conviction, a "waiting period" must be exhausted before the arrestee can apply for expungement. According to ORC § 2953.32, the duration of these waiting periods varies depending on the type of conviction:

• Felony Conviction - three (3) years
• Misdemeanor conviction - one (1) year

Notwithstanding, arrests that lead to certain convictions are ineligible for expungement or sealing per ORC § 2953.32. These includes, but are not limited to:

• Certain third-degree felony convictions.
• First and second-degree felony convictions
• Convictions for offenses involve a victim(s) under 13 years old.

On the other hand, the waiting period for arrests that result in no-bill of charges being issued by a grand jury is one (1) year. Meanwhile, there is no waiting period for arrests that result in an acquittal, and the arrestee can petition to expunge or seal such arrest record(s) after the conclusion of their trial.

When an arrest results in a conviction, a no-bill of charges issued by a grand jury, or an acquittal, the arrestee can petition to expunge or seal the arrest record through the following steps:

• Obtain necessary details about their case: The court clerk's office that handled the case can provide these details. They include the case number, the name and degree of each offense, the conviction dates (if applicable), and the date they completed their sentences.
• Obtain a record expungement or sealing application form for the court clerk's office: a good example is the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas's Expungement or Sealing Criminal Records Packet.
• Pay fees if required: there is a $50 fee for an application to seal a conviction, and petitioners can submit a notarized "Poverty Affidavit" form with their application if they can not afford the application fee. Note that there is no application fee to expunge or seal arrests that result in an acquittal or a no-bill of charge being returned by a grand jury.

After receiving a completed expungement or sealing application form and the necessary fee (if required), the presiding court would schedule a hearing within 45 to 90 days. After the hearing, a judge may approve the application and issue a court order to expunge or seal the petitioned criminal record. Following this, the petitioner must allow up to six (6) months for the court order to be implemented by the court and all other government agencies.

Meigs County Arrest Warrants

A Meigs County arrest warrant is a court order that directs law enforcement officers to arrest an individual suspected of committing a crime. Per Ohio, Rev. Code § 2935.08, a judge, clerk, or magistrate may issue an arrest warrant after receiving an affidavit or complaint pursuant to Ohio Rev. Code § 2935.05 or 2935.06. The following information is usually found in Meigs County arrest warrants:

• The defendant's full name or any other name or description that can reasonably be used to identify them with certainty
• Description of the alleged offense or charges
• The warrant issuance date and county
• The issuing judge's signature

Do Meigs County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Meigs County arrest warrants do not expire. They can remain active throughout the defendant's life until it is executed or recalled by the issuing court.