James City County Arrest Records

Law enforcement officers in James City County have an essential role in maintaining public safety. One of the ways they exercise this function is by apprehending individuals suspected of committing a crime and facilitating their journey through the criminal justice system. Below is a breakdown of what this entails:

• The law enforcement officer arrests a suspect upon probable cause or based on a duly issued arrest warrant
• The arrestee is transported to a detention facility (typically the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail) for booking
• The suspect is brought before a judge or magistrate to determine bail, after which they are arraigned, tried, and sentenced if guilty.

During the booking process, a law enforcement officer obtains and records information about the suspect and collects their fingerprints and mugshots. The documented details are called arrest records, which form one of the primary documents individuals search for while conducting a background check. James City arrest records may also be found in a James City County court record when transmitted to a court to facilitate a suspect's prosecution.

Are Arrest Records Public in James City County?

Yes, to a certain degree. Virginia's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), indexed in § 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, grants the public liberty to request records maintained by public bodies, employees, or officials, including law enforcement divisions. Consequently, anyone can query a police agency within James City County for an arrest record, whether it involves inspecting or retrieving copies of the record.

However, the FOIA limits the release of specific categories of records or information. For example, under § 2.2-3706, juvenile arrest records, the identity of victims or witnesses, and records related to active investigations are closed to public inspection.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

James City County public arrest records contain a wealth of information relating to the suspect and criminal justice agencies involved in the case, such as:

• The arrestee's name, race, and age
• Place and date of arrest
• The arrestee's mugshot
• Charges
• Court information (court type and name)
• Case status
• Arresting agency

James City County Arrest Statistics

Arrest data made available by Virginia's Uniform Crime Reporting-Incident Based Reporting System through 2023 (the last published year) reveals that law enforcement agents in James City County executed

Find James County Arrest Records

Members of the public can look up James City County arrest records or inmate information through various resources, depending on the arresting agency. Suppose the arresting agency is a federal parastatal such as the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). In that case, searchers are advised to query the BOP (Federal Bureau of Prisons) responsible for housing federal inmates nationwide. This can be done by submitting an FOIA request to the Bureau in person or online after filling out an Electronic FOIA Request Form. Alternatively, requesters can use the BOP's online Inmate Location to obtain information about a federal inmate by inputting the subject's name or BOP registration number.

Members of the public should note that FOIA requests can also be sent to the specific federal arresting agency, which is duty-bound to provide information regarding public documents held in their custody. Specific federal law enforcement agencies, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), may also provide online detainee locator tools for interested parties.

On the other hand, the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) maintains records of inmates arrested in James City County and detained in state-owned detention facilities. Individuals can request these records from the Department by sending a FOIA request by U.S. mail, fax, email, over the phone, or in person during regular work hours. Alternatively and more conveniently, they can obtain inmate information online using the VADOC's Inmate Locator tool to conduct a detainee lookup by name or inmate ID.

For local James City County arrest records, individuals have 3 options:

• Query the Relevant Local Police Department

Members of the public can request James City County arrest records from the local police department that conducted the arrest. While some police departments may provide additional means for accessing these records, interested parties can always send a FOIA request to the relevant police department to obtain copies of arrest records.

• Contact the James City County Sheriff's Office

As the chief law enforcement officer in the county, the James City County Sheriff's Office maintains records of detainees within its jurisdiction. These records are publicly available via an in-person FOIA request at the location below:

101 Mounts Bay Road
Building D (Administration)
Williamsburg, VA 23185

FOIA requests can also be sent online or via U.S. mail. Detailed information on this is available on the county's FOIA portal. Additionally, the James County Sheriff's Office provides a publicly accessible daily bulletin of arrests.

• Query the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail

Members of the public can obtain records of inmates held in the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail (VPRJ) through the agency's jail tracker tool. The tool can be searched by the inmate's first and last name. Individuals may also send FOIA requests to the VPRJ.

Free Arrest Record Search in James City County

Interested parties can obtain free arrest records from the official resources above by limiting their requests to document inspection alone. Copying and reproducing documents will attract reasonable fees per the state's Freedom of Information Act.

Individuals may also utilize third-party vendors who offer arrest records search services to members of the public. While private repositories are often commercial, searchers may encounter vendors that offer price concessions, including limited free searches.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. In James City County, arrest records remain a permanent part of a person's criminal record until they are expunged. Expungement is the proceeds of taking specific records away from public view, to the effect that the expunged information will not appear on background checks.

Expunge James City County Arrest Records

Individuals can expunge their James City County arrest information if they:

• Were acquitted by a judge after pleading "not guilty"
• Did not get prosecuted
• Had their charges dismissed without sufficient evidence to find them guilty
• Charged with assault, battery, or any misdemeanor for which the injured person gives a written statement admitting to have received satisfaction for the injury
• Were a victim of identity fraud
• Pardoned for a crime they were convicted of

Eligible parties shall begin the expungement process by petitioning the James City County Circuit Court. However, if the subject was convicted based on mistaken identity, the petition should be filed in whatever court that decided the case. Petitioners are also expected to obtain a fingerprint card from law enforcement as their valid means of identification and serve a copy of their petition to the James City County Commonwealth's Attorney.

A court date will be set to hear arguments for and against the expungement. If the court decides that sufficient grounds exist to have the record expunged, the judge will sign an order to that effect.

James City County Arrest Warrants

James City County arrest warrants are issued when:

• Law enforcement has gathered enough evidence to prove that someone is a crime suspect
• The subject of the warrant failed to appear in court, pay child support, or flaunt a requirement of their probation

Do James City County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. There is no statutory expiration date for arrest warrants issued in James City County. Consequently, law enforcement agents can execute an active arrest warrant at any time without legal liability.