McMinn County Arrest Records

McMinn County arrest records contain information on all arrest-related events. Requesters typically obtain such records from the county's local law enforcement agencies or other public documents, such as criminal records. For example, McMinn County court records may contain arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in McMinn County?

Yes. The Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA) grants citizens the right to view, inspect, or copy non-confidential government records, including arrest records, stored and maintained by custodial law enforcement agencies while carrying out their statutory duties unless otherwise stated by law.

Nevertheless, the Act restricts or exempts Tennessee citizens' access to certain arrest records.

Some of these restrictions include:

• Wiretaps (records/documents)
• Law enforcement body camera videos
• Personal identifying information of crime victims, such as name, home and work addresses, telephone numbers, and social security number.
• Records identifying confidential informants
• Records of arrested persons found not guilty of any crime
• Credit card and debit card information
• Bank account information
• Juveniles' fingerprints, photographs, audio and video recordings
• Name and identity of any victim of sex crime
• Records related to child abuse and investigations or identifying underaged rape victims
• Records on ongoing criminal investigation

Interested parties who wish to examine a complete list of arrest record exemptions in Tennessee may visit the Public Records Exception Database.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Per the Tennessee Public Records Act, the following components of a McMinn County arrest record are accessible to the public:

• The offender’s first and last name
• Physical characteristics of the offender include sex, height, and weight
• Birth Date
• Offender’s Address
• Arrest Date and Time
• Inmate ID Number
• Booking Photograph
• Booking Status and Time Spent in Jail
• Bail Information
• Charges filed against the arrestee
• Previous Arrest Dates (History)

McMinn County Arrest Statistics

A 5-year crime statistics by the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) revealed that the McMinn County Sheriff’s Office reported 2,644 arrests between 2019 and 2023. The gender distribution of the arrest data indicated that males constituted 73.44% (1,942) while females accounted for 26.36% (702) of all arrests within the period.

The racial composition of all arrests in the period under review showed that Whites were the predominant racial group arrested for various offenses, with 91.68%. Others include Blacks or African Americans, Unknown, and Asians, who accounted for 7.30% (193), 0.87% (23), and 0.11% (3) of all arrests, respectively. American Indians or Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians constituted 0.04% (1).

A breakdown of the type of offenses law enforcement officers arrested suspects for between 2019 and 2023 showed that all other offenses aside from traffic were the most prevalent, with 38.30% (1,019), followed by simple assault at 12.83% (341) and possession of drugs and other dangerous nonnarcotic drugs at 10.41% (277).

Find McMinn County Arrest Records

Inquirers searching for information on McMinn County inmates at the state level can find them through the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC)'s Offender Search tool. The search engine enables users to find information on current or former inmates using the inmates' name, race, TDOC ID, or State ID.

Inmate details returned by the portal include the following:

• Offender’s biographical details, such as first and last name, TDOC, and State ID numbers.
• Offender’s physical characteristics include sex, height, race, hair and eye color, weight, and complexion.
• Booking photographs.
• Aliases
• Current Status: supervision status, combined sentence(s) length, sentence commencement and ending dates, incarceration location
• Active Tennessee sentences

The contact address of the Tennessee Department of Corrections is as follows:

320 Sixth Avenue North,
Nashville, Tennessee,
37423-0465
(615) 741-1000

Interested parties may also search for arrests made by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) via the Federal Inmate Locator or Online Detainee Locator System, respectively.

Free Arrest Record Search in McMinn County

Requesters can conduct free arrest records searches using the McMinn County Inmates List on the Sheriff's Office website. Visitors may filter their search by current inmates, detainees' bookings in the past 24 hours, booking date range, or inmate's name.

The jail roster usually consists of the inmate's complete name, physical descriptors, and booking photograph. Other information includes booking number, ID, jacket number, booking information (e.g., date and time), charges and offense, and bail amount, if applicable.

Alternatively, interested persons may obtain free McMinn inmate records by submitting a record request by mail, fax, or through a call to the following address:

McMinn County Sheriff’s Office

1319 South White
Athens, TN 37303
(423) 745-5620
Telephone-(423) 745-5620 ext. 9002
Fax-(423) 744-0771
Email: lrhea@mcminncountytn.gov
Mail: P.O. Box 649 Athens,
TN. 37371-0649

Under Tennessee law, record searchers may view or inspect arrest records for no fees but searches for documents that exceed one (1) hour and making copies attracts a fee.

McMinn County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest Records

Law enforcement officials usually create arrest records after an individual has been detained. These records typically consist of the arrestee's physical description, the booking photograph, the arresting officer, witnesses, and the circumstances of the incident. They are generally available from the sheriff's office.

Law enforcement agencies typically utilize arrest records during investigations and by employers carrying out background checks.

Criminal Records

Criminal records are detailed legal documents that explain an individual's criminal past. These documents encompass arrest and conviction reports, as well as details on arrest warrants, arrests, third-party complaints, convictions, and even non-prosecuted cases. In essence, a criminal record provides a detailed account of an individual's dealings with the criminal justice system from the time of arrest until the case's final disposition.

Employers, landlords, and licensing agencies routinely implement criminal records as part of their background investigations. Law enforcement authorities use them in criminal proceedings to identify suspects and impose sentences.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Tennessee, arrest records remain active on an individual's record indefinitely unless they are expunged. Eligible persons may apply for expungement depending on the offense type after completing their sentence and remaining crime-free.

Expunge McMinn County Arrest Records

In McMinn County, individuals who qualify for expungement include those who have had charges against them dismissed, a grand jury returned a “no true bill,” they were arrested but not charged, they were not convicted after a trial, or the prosecution chose not to proceed with the case (nolle prosequi).

Expungement Process

1. Applicants must collate all information relevant to their case, including the docket number and details of the charges.
2. Applicants must file a request for expungement in the court where their case originated.
3. The process may involve completing separate forms for multiple charges.
4. Subsequently, applicants must submit the expungement request and other relevant documents to the criminal court clerk.
5. Applicants must bring a self-addressed stamped envelope for each charge they want to expunge to have a personal copy of the order.
6. Applicants who had charges against them dismissed with costs must settle all outstanding court costs before their record may be expunged.
7. If the expungement request is granted, the approved document will be sent to various agencies, including the arresting agency, the county jail, the Tennessee Department of Correction, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

McMinn County Arrest Warrants

McMinn County arrest warrants are legal orders issued by a magistrate authorizing law enforcement agents to take someone into custody for an alleged offense.

When a magistrate receives a complaint alleging a specific offense within their jurisdiction and has reasonable cause to suspect that a designated person committed the offense, they issue an arrest warrant. The warrant directs any law enforcement officer in the state to arrest the suspect.

In McMinn County, arrest warrants must be written, signed by the judge, and include details information such as:

• The name of the crime and the portion of the law breached.
• The county where the warrant was issued.
• The name or description of the individual being arrested.
• The date of issuance and the judge’s name and title.
• A command to arrest and present the accused before the issuing judge or another judge in the same county.

Do McMinn County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Just as obtainable in several parts of the United States, McMinn County arrest warrants do not expire. They will remain effective until the subject of the warrant appears in court, passes away, or a judge quashes them.