Fairfield County Arrest Records

Fairfield County arrest records are official documentation from the archives of law enforcement agencies that contain details about lawful detention and detainees in custody. These records provide details of arrests executed in the county by the sheriff’s office and local police departments. Arrest records typically contain details of the arrest, such as date, time, and location, as well as details of the detention, such as the mugshot, investigating or arresting agency, alleged crime, and the detainee’s description or details. These records accumulate with the execution of arrests in the county, which is usually pursuant to fulfilling an arrest warrant. This warrant is issued by a judge with an order to peace officers to arrest and detain an individual named in the document. It is issued when probable cause is established, meaning the named individual is reasonably believed to be guilty. Arrests are also executed without a warrant when the probable cause points towards a violent felony, or the peace officer saw the crime happen.

Fairfield County arrest records are generated and maintained by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office. These records are also contributed to by the Fairfield County Detention Center, which is the facility that holds detainees after booking. It serves for holding convicts serving less than a year's sentence and temporary incarcerations, such as individuals awaiting appearance or bond. The Fairfield County Clerk of Courts will also provide access to Fairfield County court records, which contain arrest records. For arrests that were charged to court, the arraignment documents will contain details about the arrest and the incident report, which is accessible to the public.

Are Arrest Records Public in Fairfield County?

Yes, Fairfield County arrest records are publicly accessible according to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. According to this law, there are publicly accessible arrest details that do not violate anyone’s privacy or data rights. The public can access booking details like name, gender, age, the criminal charges, as well as arrest details like the location, date, and time of the arrest. There are also mugshots and incident reports, which are available to the public on request. The law also contains descriptions of records that are restricted for privacy concerns. They include personal identifiers like medical records and social security numbers. They also include juvenile records, witness or victim information for certain crimes, body-worn camera footage, and details from active investigations. These records are accessible to individuals who can provide a valid ID and proof of authorized access, along with their records request.

The sheriff’s office can be accessed at:

Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office
250 N. Walnut Street, P.O. Box 387
Winnsboro, South Carolina 29180
(803) 635-4141 - Phone
(803) 635-3325 - Fax
(803) 635-4841 - Detention Center

Fairfield County Arrest Statistics

Fairfield County arrest statistics are maintained by law enforcement agencies such as the local police department, the sheriff’s office, or the FBI. The public can also access these statistics online through the Crime Data Explorer website, which contains yearly and monthly statistics for arrests and crimes. In 2024, there were 514 total arrests recorded by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, of which there were 70 arrests for all other offenses, 44 arrests for simple assaults, 43 arrests for larceny, and 38 arrests for aggravated assault. The county recorded 15 burglary arrests, five arrests for motor vehicle theft, two arrests for homicide offenses, as well as one arrest for robbery, sex offenses, and nonforcible sex offenses, respectively. There were no arrests recorded for arson.

Find Fairfield County Arrest Records

Fairfield County arrest records are publicly accessible through the county sheriff’s office or the courts. These agencies provide access to arrest records for anyone who can make an in-person or mail-in request. Arrest records are also available online through the state’s Department of Corrections Inmate Search. This website allows inmate searches using their full name or the inmate’s SCDC number. Court records containing arrest information can also be obtained through the office of the Fairfield County Clerk of Court or online using the state’s Case Records Search website.

Fairfield County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Fairfield County criminal records refer to details from documents about an individual or group’s history of convictions and criminal activities. Arrest records are details of detainees and the reason for their detention. They are a part of criminal records, which is the initial section where the alleged offenses, the investigating or arresting agency, mugshots, date, place, time of arrest, as well as the detainee’s description or details, can be found. Criminal records are more detailed as they further contain court documents from criminal trials, a list of evidence or witnesses, sentencing details, and convictions. Criminal and arrest records may be similar, but the former contains records from the three stages of criminal justice, which are apprehension, trial, and punishment. They contribute to background checks, but arrest records cannot be used as proof of liability or guilt.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests will remain on your public records for an indefinite period of time in Fairfield County. There are no provisions for removing or sealing arrests on your public profile automatically or after a period of time. If the arrest resulted in a conviction, the record will remain permanently until legal steps are taken to seal or remove it. In cases where there was no conviction, the records are immediately eligible for expungement, but the physical copies will not be destroyed until after a 3-year waiting period and 120 days from the expungement order. To become eligible for expungement, the case must not have led to a conviction. If there was one, the waiting period must be satisfied, and the offense must be eligible for expungement.

Fairfield County Arrest Warrants

Fairfield County arrest warrants refer to official documents that are issued to peace officers with a directive or order to detain someone for a crime. Arrest warrants are issued by a magistrate or judge, who signs them after examining evidence that makes it reasonably plausible that the suspect is guilty of the crime. After they are signed, they become active and can only be cancelled when recalled by a judge, the suspect dies, or the suspect is duly arrested. The judge’s signature also makes the document recognized across jurisdictions for cross-county arrests. In Fairfield County, an arrest warrant may be issued for the detention of trial deserters in the form of a bench warrant, or for arresting someone to be freshly arraigned. This document will usually contain details about the suspect, the offense, the relevant laws, the judge’s signature, and the investigating agency. They are maintained by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office and the courts through the clerk.

Do Fairfield County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Fairfield County arrest warrants do not expire because they are designed to remain active until the named individual is in law enforcement custody. After they are signed by a judge, arrest warrants become active indefinitely and can be executed across jurisdictions. They can be recalled and cancelled by a judge. They can also become inactive due to the impact of statutes of limitations. This refers to when a charge has a time frame within which it can be filed in court. When the time expires, the warrant remains active, but due to an inability to sue, the arrest becomes unnecessary.

Expunge Fairfield County Arrest Records

Fairfield County arrest records can be expunged according to South Carolina laws. This is a process that allows records registrants to seal or destroy arrest records from public archives. According to South Carolina Code § 17-22-910, an expungement order will direct that the booking records, fingerprints, and mugshots will be destroyed from government archives. However, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division will keep a restricted record of the arrest. To be eligible for the expungement process, the offense must not be a violent crime or a felony. There must have been a dismissal of the case, or the court made a not guilty verdict. In cases where there was a conviction, the offender must have completed a diversion program, the offense was a minor offense by a first offender, or the first offender was aged between 17 and 24 years at the time of the offense. In the case of a youthful offender, there is a 5-year waiting period. The process involves:

• Obtain the expungement packet from the Fairfield County Courthouse
• Gather your records and obtain a Certified Disposition from the County Clerk of Court for each charge you want to expunge
• File the documents and pay the required fees, which are usually $310. In cases without a conviction, fees are generally waived
• The application will be reviewed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
• If approved, a Circuit Court Judge signs the order.
• The signed order will be sent to the jail, Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for the removal of the records.