York County Arrest Records

A person can be arrested when a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe a crime was committed and the suspect is responsible. The officer could make arrests without a warrant if the criminal act happened in their presence. Otherwise, a warrant is required before the arrest. After the arrest, the suspect would be brought to the York County Detention Center and held until bond is posted, is ordered to be released by a court, or is transferred to a state institution after court sentencing. The suspect will be booked in the Center, and all information entered during the booking process will be compiled to create an arrest record. The Sheriff's Office is the custodian in charge of arrest records.

Interested persons can request to view or obtain copies of these records because they are public. Other law enforcement records available to the public are York County Court Records, Inmate Records, and Warrant Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in York County?

Yes. The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to inspect or copy arrest records except as otherwise stated by state and federal laws. However, some arrest records are deemed confidential. Per SC Code §30-4-40, a York County law enforcement agency may exempt from disclosure of arrest records whose release would:

• Reveal the identity of a confidential source.
• Endanger the life or physical safety of a person.
• Interfere with a prospective law enforcement proceeding.
• Deprive the arrested person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication.
• Expose current techniques and procedures used in law enforcement investigations or prosecutions.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The York County Sheriff's Office makes the following arrest information available to the public:

• Mugshot
• Inmate's full name
• Booking date and time
• City, state, and Zip
• Age, race, and sex
• Height and weight
• Booking number
• Release date
• Total bond
• Sequence number
• Charge description
• Arresting agency

York County Crime Rate

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's Crime in South Carolina Annual Report reveals that 16,423 crimes were committed in York County in 2022. The report captured 873 violent crimes, 5,393 property crimes, 5,667 crimes against persons, 3,662 crimes against property, and 3,433 crimes against society. The most popular crimes were larceny (4,222), drug offenses (2825), simple assault (2605), fraud (1697), and destruction/damage/vandalism (DDV) (1609).

That same year, the Sheriff's Office's 2022 Annual Report indicated 325 crimes were committed in York County, marking a 17% decrease from 2021. However, commercial robberies rose in 2022 compared to 8 in 2021. Property crimes totaled 2,640, representing a 9.4% decline from 2021, but commercial burglaries rose in 2022 compared to 112 in 2021.

York County Arrest Statistics

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) recorded 9,485 arrests in 2022 in York County, a 5.8% decline from 2021. York County had an arrest rate of 322.35 in 2022. The top crimes for which arrests were made include drug law violations (2,135), DUIs (812), larceny-theft offenses (783), and simple assault (786). The least crimes for which arrests were made include human trafficking, negligent manslaughter, peeping tom, and gambling.

Find York County Arrest Records

Individuals can find York County arrest records at local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The process of viewing or copying arrest records from these agencies varies. For example:

Individuals can find arrest information by requesting incident reports in person from City Police Departments. The York Police Department freely provides this service for victims, but others must pay $3 in cash. Inquirers can also retrieve arrest records by contacting the York County Clerk of Court. Arrest records of individuals held in local jails can be obtained from the York County Detention Center online or in person at the Sheriff's Office located at:

York County Sheriff's Office
Moss Justice Center
1675-2A York Highway
York, SC 29745
Phone: (803) 628-3059
Fax: (803) 628-3075

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) also issues arrest records for York County to interested citizens. Record seekers can use the DOC website's Inmate Search feature to find inmates currently sentenced and incarcerated in the state jail. The search criteria are based on SCDC number, SID, first name, or last name. Individuals seeking arrest information for individuals released from SCDC can check the Released Inmate List. Enter a release date range in the search area, select York County, and click the "Search" button.

Requesters can retrieve records of York County individuals arrested by federal law enforcement agencies. These records are maintained by

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP): Use the Inmate Locator on the BOP's website to locate persons arrested in York County in federal prisons. A search can be conducted by number or name. Alternatively, requesters can contact any BOP facility to request arrest records.
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): York County individuals can retrieve their arrest records online, by mail, and through approved channelers from the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS). This service costs $18. Mail applicants must submit a completed Applicant Information Form to:

FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

• The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Use the Online Detainee Locator System to locate York County individuals arrested by the ICE. Conduct a search using an A-Number or biographical information. Requesters can also contact a local field office or the specific ICE detention facility for arrest records.
• The United States Capitol Police (USCP): Interested persons can request arrest summary reports from the USCP online or by mailing a Request Form to:

United States Capitol Police
Reports Processing Section
119 D Street, Ne
Washington, DC 20510

Free Arrest Record Search in York County

The York County Sheriff's Office has an Inmate Search Portal where individuals can freely find arrest records. Conduct a search by last name or click the "Sort by Last Name" button and scroll through to find the desired record. Alternatively, requesters can use third-party online portals to conduct a free arrest record search. Most third-party vendors provide this service at the initial stage of the search. A full arrest report always attracts a small fee.

Get York County Criminal Records

Criminal records are official documents that reveal defendants' arrest and conviction information. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) maintains York County criminal records. The SLED only provides criminal records to eligible individuals. Criminal record requests can be made online via the Citizen Access to Criminal Histories (CATCH) portal. Online requesters must pay a non-refundable fee of $25 with a $1 convenience fee. Payments must be made using credit/debit cards. Individuals can conduct name-based searches via the portal. The record seeker must provide an exact last name, first name, and date of birth.

SLED also accepts criminal records requests by mail. The fee is $25, payable by business check, certified check, cashier's check, or money order. Personal checks and cash are unaccepted. The requester must send a completed Criminal Records Check Form, necessary payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to the SLED Records Department at:

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
Phone: (803) 737-9000

Charitable organizations may be eligible for a reduced fee of $8. Also, the SLED freely provides criminal records checks for prospective and substitute teachers to local school districts. Eligible agencies can obtain a reduced fee verification account by mailing a completed Charitable Account Application Form and IRS documentation of Section 501 (c)(3) status to the SLED.

York County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records are documents that contain only a person's arrest information. They typically contain the arrest person's full name, arrest location and date, and charges. Conversely, criminal records are full reports of defendants' offense histories. They contain information on arrests and convictions made by York County state/local law enforcement agencies.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

The South Dakota government does not have a specific timeframe for arrests to be removed from a person's record. Most arrests are permanent, while others can only be removed through expungement. However, the SC Department of Archives and History's Record Management provides General Records Retention Schedules for some arrest records maintained by the York County, Municipal, Clerk of Court, and Municipal Court:

• Arrest dockets are destroyed after 5 years.
• Booking reports of arrested persons are destroyed after 10 years.
• Arrest warrants for non-DUI offenses are destroyed after 5 years.
• Arrest information associated with traffic tickets is destroyed after 3 years.
• Arrest cards maintained by the Sheriff's Department are retained for 5 years.
• Arrest warrants are retained until executed and returned to the issuing official.
• Dismissed and certificate of transmitted of arrest warrants are destroyed after 2 years.
• Mugshots of arrested persons remain in the record until superseded or of no further value.
• Duplicate books for arrest warrants issued by the summary court judge are kept for 10 years.
• Arrest warrant stub books are kept for 3 years after the return of the last warrant in the stub book.
• Arrest warrants for criminal nontraffic offenses remain on record 15 years after the case disposition.
• Arrest records associated with the Breathalyzer Operator Test Report (BA Form) are retained for 10 years after the trial date.
• Arrest data included in incident reports are destroyed within five years or until of no further legal or administrative value, whichever comes later.
• Criminal history cards, records, and fingerprint cards of an arrested person are retained until the subject's death or after 75 years, whichever comes first.
• Arrest records of a juvenile are destroyed 3 years after the subject reaches majority unless there is a legal reason to retain further.

Expunge York County Arrest Records

Expungement is the official and formal erasure of an arrest record or its partial contents. Expunged arrest records are not available for public perusal. They are only open law enforcement or prosecution agencies, attorneys, and individuals permitted by court order (SC Code §17-1-40). South Carolina law provides several categories of cases in which a defendant's arrest record can be expunged or destroyed:

• The charge was dismissed, discharged, or the person was found not guilty (SC Code §17-1-40).
• Successful completion of the Pre-Trial Intervention Program (SC Code §17-22-150) and Alcohol Education Program (SC Code §17-22-520).
• The arrested person was convicted under the Fraudulent Check Law, and no other criminal activity has occurred in one year from the conviction date (SC Code §34-11-90 (e)). This does not apply to felony offenses.
• The defendant was convicted of the first offense, Simple Possession of Marijuana, under the "conditional discharge" provisions of this specific law and has successfully complied with the terms of that sentence (SC Code §44-53-450 (b)).
• The arrested person was convicted of a crime whose penalty does not exceed a thirty-day jail term, a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, and three years as passed from the conviction date (SC Code §22-5-910). This excludes offenses involving the operation of motor vehicles and fish, game, or watercraft violations.
• The defendant was convicted of domestic violence in the third degree pursuant to SC Code §16-25-20(D) or §16-25-20(B)(1) five years ago, and no other criminal activity has occurred since then.
• The defendant was convicted of a first offense, non-aggravated violation, for failing to stop when signaled by a law enforcement vehicle. The person also had no other convictions for any crime for three years following the completion of all terms and conditions of the sentence (SC Code §56-5-750).
• A youth offender convicted of a first offense can request expungement five years after the conviction date (SC Code §22-5-920).

Individuals who want to expunge arrest records in York County must submit an Expungement Application Form online or by mail to the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office. The mailing address is:

16th Circuit Solicitor's Office
Expungement Coordinator
1675 York Highway
York, SC 29745

The Solicitor's Office charges a non-refundable administrative fee of $250. Payments must be made via money order. After application and payment of the necessary fees, the Solicitor's Office will contact the inquirer by phone, email, or mail at the provided phone number, email address, or residential address. Afterward, the requester must prepare and type a proposed Order acceptable to SC Court Administration. The requester must submit a proposed order to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for confirmation. A $25 fee must be sent to the SLED to confirm that the criminal charge is legally eligible for expungement. Obtain the approval and signature of a Circuit Court Judge and file the original signed Order in the Office of the Clerk of Court. A $35 Clerk of Court filing fee may apply. Note that the SLED and the Clerk of Court do not charge for dismissed expungement. The requester can obtain certified copies of the Order from the Clerk of Court and deliver or mail them to relevant agencies. The expungement process typically takes between 6 and 8 weeks to complete.

York County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a court order authorizing law enforcement officers to make an arrest. This warrant is issued by magistrates or municipal judges as a result of sworn testimony given by an affidavit by a law enforcement officer who states a violation of county or state law has occurred. The judicial officer will issue a courtesy summons when an arrest warrant is sought by someone other than a law enforcement officer (SC Code §22-5-110).

Upon receiving the affidavit, the magistrate or municipal judge will determine if there is probable cause to believe that the accused committed the alleged offense. York County arrest warrants contain information like the full name or detailed description of the person to be arrested, warrat number, a description of the offense, offense date, name of the affiant, date sworn, and signature of issuing official. Per SC Code §22-5-210, a person arrested based on an arrest warrant must be given a copy of such warrant and the affidavit upon which the warrant was issued.

York County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals can conduct arrest warrant searches at the local Municipal Courts and County Sheriff's Office. Arrest warrant requests can be made by phone, email, or in person at Municipal Courts. For example, inquiries concerning arrest warrants issued in the Town of Clover can be directed to the Municipal Court at (803) 222-4084.

The York County Sheriff's Office lists the Top 10 Wanted Individuals with active outstanding warrants on its website. The wanted person's mugshot, full name, age, height, weight, eye and hair color, and charges are public information. Requesters can contact the Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer (PIO) online or by phone at (803) 620-2015 to get copies of executed arrest warrants. The PIO will get the requested arrest warrant from the detective or deputy in charge of the case. Requesters can also obtain copies of executed arrest warrants from the York County Clerk of Court Office.

Do York County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Issuing officers are expected to execute arrest warrants within a reasonable time, but no statute of limitations exists. An arrest warrant only expires when it is executed or withdrawn.