Stearns County Court
Stearns County Arrest Records

Stearns County, Minnesota Arrest Records

In Stearns County, Minnesota, law enforcement agencies create arrest records after arresting suspected offenders. Such records typically reveal arrest and post-arrest details, such as the arrestee’s name, physical description, arrest charges, booking number, and date and location of the arrest.

Stearns County Sheriff’s Office and other local police departments maintain records of arrest events in accordance with state laws. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and Minn. Stat. § 299C.72 regulate access to arrest records. The latter specifically determines the release of criminal history records, which may also include arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Stearns, Minnesota?

Yes, most arrest information in Minnesota is legally accessible to the public. The Minnesota Data Practices Act allows the public to inspect and obtain copies of arrest documents from criminal justice agencies. The agencies are legally required to provide means through which the public can access records. For example, record seekers may view arrest records via an online search platform maintained by the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

Minnesota laws may prevent the public from accessing specific arrest information. Exempt records typically include sensitive or confidential information that may endanger concerned parties. Criminal justice agencies may only disclose such records to eligible parties, such as the arrestee and their legal representative. In turn, eligible parties must present valid IDs along with relevant search information to obtain confidential arrest records in Stearns County, Minnesota.

Note: Minnesota laws do not restrict out-of-state requesters from accessing arrest records in Stearns County.

What Do Public Stearns County Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Stearns County may reveal the following information:

Arrestee’s full name and physical description.
Arrest date and location.
Arrest charges.
Name of the arresting agency.
Booking number and date.
Bond or bail amount.

Publicly-accessible arrest records may not reveal information that is exempt under state or federal laws. For example, arrest records that are sealed or expunged are not accessible to the public. Other non-public arrest records include the following:

Personal information of juvenile arrestees.
Arrest data that may expose the identities of crime victims, informants, and undercover officers.
Gruesome crime scene footage.

Stearns County, Minnesota Arrest Search

In Stearns County, Minnesota, record seekers may search and view arrest records in crime-related databases. For example, record seekers can look up arrest information by using the inmate search portal maintained by the Minnesota Department of Corrections. The portal reveals information about inmates who were transferred to state prisons. To look up arrest information on the portal, record seekers must enter the inmate’s name or MNDOC number. The MNDOC also maintains a search portal that provides information on registered sex offenders. The portal may also include arrest-related information.

Likewise, the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator reveals arrest data of inmates serving time in federal penal institutions. Record seekers may view the data by providing the inmate's name or prison identification number.

Record seekers may locate Stearns County arrest records in court case databases. The Minnesota Judicial Branch hosts an online searchable platform for court records. Record seekers may find arrest records on the platform by providing these details:

Case party names.
Citation number.
Case number.
Attorney bar number.
Attorney names.

Stearns County Inmate Locator

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office maintains an online search platform for current inmates held in the county jail. Record seekers may find inmates by providing relevant search data, such as the inmate’s name, age, and booking date range. The platform displays inmates’ arrest details, including the arrest date, charges, and booking number.

In contrast, record seekers may obtain copies of arrest records by submitting a request to the county sheriff’s office at this address:

807 Courthouse Square

St Cloud, MN 56303

Phone: (320) 259-3700

Active Warrant Search in Stearns County

In Stearns County, arrest warrants are court orders that authorize law enforcement officers to arrest and bring defendants before the court. Court judges generally issue warrants upon receiving a sworn statement that the defendant committed a crime. There are also instances when warrants are issued after defendants refuse to honor court summons.

Arrest warrants issued in Stearns County include the following:

Defendant’s name, known aliases, and physical description.
Alleged offense.
A statement that the offender must be arrested and brought before the court.
Warrant document number and other identifying information.
Name and signature of the court official.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office hosts a searchable platform for active warrants issued by the county’s courts. Record seekers may obtain warrants on the platform by providing relevant search information. In addition to this, record seekers may obtain this information in person at the county sheriff’s physical location.

Record seekers may find inactive warrants in criminal case files. The Minnesota Public Criminal History Search hosts an online search portal for criminal history files, including arrest warrants.

Agency / Resource	Purpose	Search Methods	Notes
Stearns County Sheriff’s Office	Maintains and serves warrants	Phone, online, in person
Minnesota Public Criminal History Search	Maintain arrest warrants	Online

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Stearns County

Record seekers may freely access arrest records in official crime-related databases. For example, you may view free arrest information by using the Stearns County Sheriff’s inmate search database. The database reveals arrest data, such as the booking number, arrest charges, and bond amount.

Likewise, the Minnesota Department of Corrections hosts a free inmate search portal that may reveal arrest-related information. Record seekers may also view arrest information for free via the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator. The locator reveals arrest details of inmates arrested for federal crimes.

Free online search websites may exclude older arrest records and sensitive information. Such information is only available at the arresting agency and the relevant criminal justice agency. These agencies may disclose confidential records to legally eligible record seekers, such as the case subject, legal representatives, and government officials.

Stearns County Arrest Report

Stearns County arrest reports reveal detailed descriptions of arrest events. They are written from the perspective of an arresting officer and may include the following information:

Statements collected from crime victims and informants.
The arrestee’s conduct during an arrest event.
Evidence collected at the crime scene.
Probable cause for the arrest, including tip-offs and observations.

Arrest reports are important documents for various legal processes. For instance, the court may admit such reports as evidence in criminal or civil cases. Record seekers may find arrest reports in the custody of the arresting agency. Since arrest reports often include confidential information, the custodian agencies may only disclose them to legally eligible parties.

Unlike arrest reports, arrest records only reveal basic information about an arrest event. Such records also include post-arrest details, such as the booking number and mugshot. Record seekers may obtain arrest records by using online search tools provided by criminal justice agencies.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Stearns County

Stearns County residents may expunge arrest records by submitting a petition to all agencies that hold copies of the records. Before filing a petition, petitioners must have fulfilled the following requirements:

They were not convicted of a felony or misdemeanor within the last 10 years after the arrest date.
The charges were dropped.
The prosecutor refused to file charges.

Eligible parties may expunge records by submitting expungement letters via mail to the following agencies:

The mail must include the subject line “Certified Mail - Return Receipt Requested.” You may submit the mail to the address provided in the forms.

For arrests that led to court conviction, record seekers may file for expungement by following these steps:

Complete a Notice of Hearing and Petition for Expungement and relevant forms, like the following:
1. Proof of Service - Criminal Expungement. Petitioner must fill out a separate Proof of Service for each court case they want to expunge.
2. Order Concerning Sealing / Expunging Records.
Create copies of these documents and submit them in-person or via mail to each agency checked on the Proof of Service form.
Submit copies of the form and submit them to the court that handled the case. The court may require payment of expungement fees before scheduling a hearing date.

How Do You Remove Stearns County Arrest Records From the Internet?

In Stearns County, petitioners must first obtain an expungement order to remove arrest records from the internet. Stearns County courts may issue an expungement order to all agencies holding copies of the arrest record. However, it is the duty of the petitioner to submit the order to third-party websites that hold arrest records. Petitioners must find the contact information of these websites on their “About Us” or "Contact Us" pages.