Winona County Arrest Records

Local law enforcement agents may arrest and detain persons who commit a crime or are accused of committing a crime in Winona County. Such arrests may be made with a warrant or, if probable cause exists, to believe that the suspect committed a public offense. Private persons may also arrest another individual for public offenses they witness or if there is reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested committed a felony.

Under the Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure, peace officers may issue a citation, take the arrested person before a judge, or release the arrested person if conditions are met. During arraignment, the court may also order an arrested person to be fingerprinted, photographed, and booked into the county jail (Winona County Detention Center). Information obtained during this process is usually sent into a central repository maintained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

As a result, arrest records or information may be obtainable through different sources, including the arresting agency, jail, BCA criminal history system, and Winona County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Winona County?

Yes. Arrest records are mostly public in Winona County and throughout Minnesota. The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) requires that arrest data and other documents deemed public by law be made public by the originating agency or custodian. As a result, interested persons may request and examine arrest records held by any law enforcement department in the state.

However, law enforcement agencies may restrict access to records deemed confidential by law or information that would jeopardize an individual’s safety or the agency’s operations. Exempted records or information may include:

• Juvenile records
• Reports and files on active investigations
• Victims’ names and information
• Confidential reports
• Domestic or child abuse data
• Identifying information in 911 recordings
• Confidential information in arrest warrant indices
• Private or confidential corrections and detention data
• Sealed or expunged records

Access to these exempted records is strictly available to certain law enforcement personnel and individuals authorized by law or court order. Otherwise, the custodian may provide a copy with redacted sensitive information.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Winona County provide information on adult arrests within the county. The following information contained in adult arrest records is publicly available:

• The name, age, and gender of the arrested person
• Charge, warrants, or other basis for arrest
• Arresting agency details
• Arrest date, time, and location
• Manner of arrest (pursuit, resistance, or use of weapon)
• Custody or incarceration details
• Release conditions

If the arrest record is examined after the detained person has been released, it may contain release information such as the set bail/bond, release date and time, and parole conditions, if applicable.

Winona County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, the Winona County Sheriff’s Office recorded 236 arrests in 2023, 8 of which were arrests of persons below eighteen years of age. Arrest data for that year shows that the Sheriff’s Office made most arrests for DUI offenses (102). Other arrest categories included liquor law violations (26), drug/narcotic offenses (25), simple assault (13), and other group B arrests (54).

Also, in 2023, the Winona Police Department, which serves Winona City, recorded 738 arrests, 70 of which were juvenile arrests. The crime categories with the most arrests included larceny (173), DUI (166), group B arrests (142), simple assault (46), and disorderly conduct (41).

Find Winona County Arrest Records

The inmate rosters or search tools provided by county, state, and federal agencies can help persons locate inmates in facilities under each agency’s jurisdiction. Interested persons can use these resources to search for inmates by name or designated inmate number and obtain public information concerning the inmate, offense, case, and detention. Users may also screen results with other inmate details like gender, race, and age.

Interested persons may view the Winona County Detention Center's online jail roster for a list of inmates currently housed in the facility. Available information includes each inmate's full name, mugshot, age, sex, charges, and booking details.

In addition, the Minnesota Department of Corrections’ (MNDOC) inmate search tool provides information on persons currently incarcerated in a state-run facility or released persons who are still under MNDOC supervision. Alternatively, the inmate locator provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons helps users get information on current and past inmates housed in federal prisons since 1982.

For paper copies of arrest or inmate records, direct record requests to the specific arresting or housing agency. Requests should contain the subject's name, arrest or booking date, and other specific details that will help the custodian locate records.

Free Arrest Record Search in Winona County

Persons may obtain free arrest information by performing inmate searches with tools provided by county, state, and federal agencies. To access arrest records on persons arrested and detained by the Sheriff’s Office, call or send written requests to:

Winona County Sheriff's Office
Records Division
201 West 3rd Street,
Winona, MN, 55987
Phone: (507) 457-6368
Fax: (507) 454-5020
Email: ContactUs@co.winona.mn.us

Inquirers can also submit an online request through the Public Records Center after registration. Inspecting records in person may be free if the document is readily available, but obtaining copies usually incurs charges. To inspect records of arrests by other agencies, record seekers should direct requests to the agency that carried out the arrest. Other law enforcement agencies in the county include:

Winona City Police Department
201 West 3rd Street
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (507) 457-6302

Lewiston Police Department
City Hall Building
75 Rice Street,
Lewiston, MN 55952
Phone: (507) 523-2534

St. Charles Police Department
830 Whitewater Avenue,
St Charles, MN 55972
Phone: (507) 932-3020

Additionally, third-party websites may also provide free access to Winona County arrest records. Users may search these records using the arrestee's name, arrest date, location, or other details. However, while these databases provide free access to basic arrest information, users may need to subscribe or pay a fee to get or download a complete record.

Winona County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

A significant distinction between arrest and criminal records in Winona County is the presence (or absence) of disposition details. Generally, arrest records, logs, or reports provide information on an individual’s arrest, specifically descriptions of arrest, arrestee, offense, and detention. On the other hand, criminal records offer a more comprehensive overview of an individual’s criminal activities, including arrests, indictments, prosecution, conviction, and sentence.

Therefore, arrest records may provide summaries of circumstances surrounding an arrest or even a log of arrest incidents, but they are limited in scope as they do not often provide information on case disposition. As such, persons can not use these documents to prove criminal convictions.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Winona County, arrests will remain on an individual’s criminal history record unless it qualifies for automatic expungement under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 609A. Records that may be removed from public access without the record subject filing a petition include:

• Dismissed charges or not-guilty verdicts under Minnesota Statutes 609A.015
• Dismissal, discharge, or deferred prosecution of certain possession of controlled substance violations for first-time offenders
• Certain cannabis offenses under Minnesota Statutes 609A.055
• Completed diversion programs or stay of adjudication of qualifying offenses under Minnesota Statutes 609A.015 (one-year waiting period)
• Petty misdemeanor convictions excluding traffic violations (two-year waiting period)
• Qualifying misdemeanor convictions (two-year waiting period)
• Qualifying gross misdemeanor convictions (three-year waiting period)
• Fifth-degree felony conviction of controlled substance violations (four-year waiting period)
• Other qualifying felony convictions (five-year waiting period)
• Charges dismissed due to mistaken identity
• Juvenile offenders prosecuted in adult criminal courts
• Pardoned convictions under Minnesota Statutes 609A.035.

Automatic expungements are usually initiated by the BCA or court, which notifies other agencies that may keep related records of the case’s expungement eligibility. Otherwise, eligible record subjects must file a petition for expungement.

Expunge Winona County Arrest Records

As per state laws, expunging arrest records in Winona County only seals and restricts access to the record. To seal records of arrests without charge, persons may not need to file an expungement petition at the court if there are no corresponding records of the case filed in the court. Instead, record subjects may request (under MN Statutes Section 299C.11) that law enforcement agencies destroy identifying parts of the record (excluding DNA samples) and seal the arrest record.

Record subjects typically send such requests to any law enforcement agency with a record of the arrest. Some examples may include the county sheriff, local police departments, city or county attorney, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Applicants should keep an extra copy of each written request letter and send the letters via certified mail requesting receipt.

To qualify for this kind of expungement, applicants must meet the following conditions:

• No conviction of a gross misdemeanor or felony in the ten years preceding the arrest
• Must not enter a diversion program in connection to the arrest
• All charges were dropped before probable cause was established, OR the prosecutor chose not to press charges, and a grand jury did not deliver an indictment.

Alternatively, persons who qualify for expungement under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 609A.02 may apply for one by completing court forms, serving copies to agencies that keep related records, getting proof of service, and filing required documents with the District Court. Persons applying to expunge cases disposed in their favor, and those who qualify for a waiver may not pay filing fees.

Following filing, a hearing may be scheduled after a minimum of 63 days have passed since notifying government agencies, which may object to the expungement before or during the hearing. The judge has 90 days from the hearing date to decide and issue an expungement order. However, records may remain open until 60 days after the order.

Winona County Arrest Warrants

In Winona County, a judge or magistrate issues an arrest warrant after an officer or private person files a complaint in court and shows probable cause - with supporting documents or sworn testimony - that the defendant committed a charged offense. Warrants may also be issued if an individual does not respond to a court summon.

Typically, arrest warrants must include:

• Defendant’s name, known aliases, or identifiable description
• Charges
• Order for court appearance
• Judge’s signature
• Bail or release conditions

Moreover, the active warrant list on the Winona County Sheriff’s website provides the following details:

• Warrant number
• Defendant’s name and date of birth
• Issuance date
• Offense description and level (misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony).

Do Winona County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Winona County arrest warrants remain active unless acted upon. They remain in effect until the person specified on the warrant is caught, appears in court, or dies. As a result, law enforcement agents can apprehend persons with active arrest warrants at any time. To resolve these warrants, the subjects may voluntarily surrender to law enforcement officials to lessen potential consequences and exhibit cooperation with the legal process.