Rice County Arrest Records

Rice County arrest records are government documents containing information about individuals arrested by law enforcement authorities. Under Section 629. 34 of the Minnesota Statutes, law officers without a warrant in Rice County may arrest persons they observe or suspect of engaging in criminal activities. These acts can be categorized as petty misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and felonies, each with its legal implication. The Rice County Sheriff's Office is required to provide access to Rice County Court Records upon request.

Are Arrest Records Public in Rice County?

Yes. According to Chapter 13 of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, the general public has the right to view, inspect, or copy all forms of arrest records stored and maintained by custodial law enforcement agencies unless otherwise stated by law.

Nonetheless, the Act classifies specific arrest records as private or nonpublic data not subject to public disclosure.

Some arrest records exempted by the Act include:

• Domestic abuse records
• Residential, school, or employment addresses under Minnesota's Residential Confidentiality Program.
• Records of victims of sexual assault
• Records of domestic abuse and sexual assault programs
• Private automated license plate reader records
• Videotapes of child abuse victims
• Records on ongoing criminal investigation
• Law enforcement agents' body camera video
• Certain personnel, employment, medical, or financial records that are considered private data.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act makes the following elements of an arrest record available to the public:

• Arrestee's name, age, sex, and last known address
• Arrest time, date, and location
• The charge, arrest or search warrants, or other legal basis for an arrest
• Name of the arresting agency and the arresting officer
• Information on the custody or incarceration status of an arrested individual

Rice County Arrest Statistics

According to a 5-year analysis of figures from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office reported 943 arrests between 2019 and 2023. The gender distribution of the arrest figures revealed that males were the predominant offenders with 76.79% (724), while females constituted 23.21% (219) of all arrests.

The racial composition of all arrests in the period under review showed that Whites were the prevalent racial group arrested for various offenses, with 85.48%. Blacks or African Americans, Asians, and American Indians or Alaska Natives accounted for 9.44% (89), 1.17% (11), and 0.53% (5) of all arrests, respectively. The racial identity of 3.29% (31) of those arrested was unknown, while one offender (0.11%) was of Native Hawaiian or Alaska Native origin.

A breakdown of the type of offenses law enforcement officers detained offenders for between 2019 and 2023 showed that driving under the influence was the commonest offense with 23.70% (250), followed by all other offenses besides traffic at 22.469% (237) and possession of dangerous dangerous nonnarcotic drugs at 6.35% (65). Similarly, drug abuse violations constituted 5.31% (56), while liquor law violations made up 4.36% (46).

Find Rice County Arrest Records

Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC) Inmate Locator: The Minnesota Department of Corrections website has an Inmate Locator that allows users to locate offenders who have served time in a state prison. Using an inmate's name or MNDOC Offender ID, users may find inmates' demographic details such as MNDOC Offender ID, DOC Name, birth date, current state, sentence date, anticipated release date, and more. The search tool also provides information on the inmate's current offense information.

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP): Requesters may use the BOP Inmate Locator tool to find federal inmates detained from 1982 to the present. On the portal, they can search by name or BOP register number.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA): Searchers looking for historical federal jail records (before 1982)may contact NARA. They provide an index of inmates previously imprisoned in various federal prisons.

Free Arrest Record Search in Rice County

Interested persons seeking free arrest records in Rice County may access public arrest information by visiting the Rice County Sheriff’s Office’s website to view the Inmate Roster online. They may also visit the Rice County Jail for an in-person inspection of such records.

Requesters who choose to submit a record request to the Rice County Jail may appear in person at the following address:

118 Third Street NW
Faribault, MN
Phone: (507) 332-6021
Visiting hours: Tuesdays: 6-9 p.m., Thursdays: 8-11 a.m., Saturday: 8-11 a.m.

Under Minnesota laws, Rice County residents who are the subject of an MNDOC inmate record have the right to inspect public and private information about themselves for free. However, they must pay a $0.25 per page fee for copies.

Rice County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Rice County, an arrest record is an official document summarizing a specific arrest. Typically, such a record would comprise:

• Arrestee’s name and date of birth
• Physical descriptors of the arrestee (e.g., gender, height, weight, eye color, hair color, etc.)
• Charges against the Arrestee
• Location of the offense
• Name of the arresting officer

In contrast, Rice County criminal records comprise a comprehensive account of a person's complete criminal record, including all interactions with law enforcement and the judicial system. A criminal record—also known as a criminal history or rap sheet—usually contains information like:

• Police arrest and incident reports
• Ongoing legal proceedings
• Criminal convictions

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is the principal repository for the state's criminal records. It handles requests and grants access to criminal records through background checks.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Minnesota, arrest offenses, whether misdemeanors or felonies, will remain on an individual's record unless they apply for expungement. While most misdemeanor offenses are eligible for expungement, certain violent or sexual crimes cannot. They will remain on a person's record indefinitely.

Expunge Rice County Arrest Records

Individuals seeking the expungement of their arrest records in Rice County must review the Minnesota Expungement Statutes to determine their eligibility. Some misdemeanor offenses eligible for expungement include fifth-degree drug possession or sale, theft, receiving stolen property, damage to property, and forgery crimes.

Before a Minnesota court can grant an expungement, potential applicants must have remained crime-free for a specified period. Acquiring a new offense will extend the required waiting period or disqualify them from eligibility.

Individuals arrested but not charged with a crime do not require a court process to seal arrest records. The Minnesota Judicial Branch website offers more information on the process.

Process of Expungement

To expunge arrest records in Rice County, petitioners must first gather their complete criminal history and fill out a complete set of expungement forms for each case they wish to expunge, starting with the Notice of Hearing and Petition for Expungement.

In this petition, applicants must explain their reasons for seeking expungement, itemize their criminal history, and verify they have no other criminal records. On the form, they must also select the qualifying option for expungement and provide detailed information on the cases in which they want to be expunged.

Once the petition is completed, applicants must serve the relevant agencies. After serving the petition, they must file the following documents at the courthouse where the case took place: the original petition/notice of hearing (including all attachments), the original proposed order, and the signed proof of service. Applicants must pay about $325 to file the petition.

Applicants must then attend a court hearing where a judge will review the petition. If the judge approves the petition, they will grant the expungement order, effectively sealing the arrest records from public access.

Rice County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are legal orders issued by judges or magistrates that give peace officers the authority to arrest persons suspected of committing a crime.

In Rice County, an arrest warrant is issued after the law enforcement officer presents an affidavit to a court. The affidavit must contain enough factual material to show probable cause, and if the judge is swayed, the warrant is issued. Warrants processed by the Rice County Sheriff’s Office are issued by the Rice County District Court (Third Judicial District).

Rice County arrest warrants typically contain the identity of the person law officers are to detain, the suspected offense, the signature of the issuing authority, and law enforcement directives related to the arrest.

Arrest warrants may be issued for serious crimes, such as murder, criminal sexual conduct, and assault, or when an individual presents a flight risk, cannot be located, or resides out of state. They may also be issued for less serious crimes where an individual has failed to follow an order of the court.

Do Rice County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Rice County arrest warrants do not expire or have a statute of limitation. Individuals who are the subject of outstanding warrants risk being arrested months or decades after their issuance. For example, a person subject to an active arrest warrant could be immediately taken into custody if the warrant was discovered during a routine traffic stop years after the document's issuance. Arrest warrants remain operative until the person dies, is arrested, or a judge quashes it.