Mecklenburg County Arrest Records

Arrest records in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, contain information about individuals who have been apprehended by law enforcement within the county. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office is the central law enforcement agency in the county. The Sheriff's Office arrests offenders and generates Mecklenburg County arrest records through its booking process.

The Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies remanded offenders in custody at the Mecklenburg County Jail, which is responsible for the custody of individuals detained by local law enforcement agencies in the county. Arrest records may include Mecklenburg County court records in instances where arrests result in the prosecution of the arrestee.

Are Arrest Records Public in Mecklenburg County?

By the Virginia Public Records Act, Mecklenburg County arrest records are generally considered public information. Consequently, the public has the right to access these records. Nonetheless, the Act exempts certain types of arrest records from public disclosure. Such records include:

• Criminal investigative files.
• Juvenile records.
• Confidential informants' identities.
• Law enforcement tactical or operational records.
• Identities of victims, witnesses, or undercover officers.
• Extensive arrest or investigative records linked to the sexual offenders registry.

The contact details of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office are as follows:

911 Madison Street
Boydton, VA 23917
Phone: (434) 738-6171
Fax: (434) 738-6449
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Mecklenburg County Arrest Statistics

According to a 5-year analysis of figures from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office reported 1,012 arrests between 2020 and 2024. This figure comprised 75.40% (763) males and 24.60% (241) females.

A breakdown of the types of offenses law enforcement officers detained offenders for during the period showed that all other offenses aside from traffic were the most prevalent, with 58.71% (593), followed by simple assault at 10.59% (107) and driving under the influence at 5.54% (56). Offenders arrested for unspecified larceny theft comprised 3.86% (39), while assault accounted for 3.17% (32).

Find Mecklenburg County Arrest Records

Requesters searching for information on Mecklenburg County inmates at the state level may find them using the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) Inmate Locator tool.

To search, interested parties must enter at least the first letter of the inmate's name and their complete last name or an inmate's seven-digit Inmate ID Number. They may also refine their search results by entering more criteria such as the inmate's middle name, alias, release date, location, age range, sex, and race. The search application returns results, including the inmate's name, age, sex, inmate number, location, and release date.

At the national level, interested parties may use the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator tool to find an offender detained by federal law enforcement agents.

Mecklenburg County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Mecklenburg County arrest records and criminal records are not the same thing.

Arrest records are generated when law enforcement officers take someone into custody for an alleged offense. These records usually contain details of the arrest incident, including date, location, arresting agency, charges filed, and booking information (e.g., mugshot, fingerprints). Having an arrest record is not an indication of guilt. It only documents a person's arrest and the alleged offense. Such an individual may be cleared of the charges later. Searchers may access Mecklenburg County public arrest records through the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office or the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

In comparison, a criminal record is an extensive documentation of an individual's criminal history. Such records comprise arrest details, charges filed, court proceedings and outcomes (e.g., guilty pleas, convictions, dismissals), and sentencing details. Criminal records are a lifelong record of an individual's criminal history. These records reveal that law enforcement agencies brought formal charges against such individuals and the outcome of these cases. The Virginia State Police manages criminal records in Virginia, which may be accessed through the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE).

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Whether they are misdemeanor or felony offenses, an individual's conviction records will remain on their record indefinitely unless they meet the requirements for expungement or sealing. The Virginia Code provides relief for criminal records, including expungement, sealing, and marijuana expungement.

Only individuals who were not convicted, acquitted of charges, or received pardons are eligible for expungement. Under Virginia laws, sealing of records will be available for specific misdemeanour convictions as of July 1, 2025.

Expungement Process

• Petitioners must carefully review Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2 before initiating the process.
• Petitioners must prepare a petition for each charge. The petition package should contain the petitioner's personal information, the charges to be expunged, and all other relevant details concerning the charges. They must clearly state each charge and the corresponding dates to be expunged.
• Petitioners must attach certified copies of warrants or indictments showing the disposition of the case to the petition.
• After recording the petition, the petitioner will be given a date/time-stamped copy. They must take the copy to the Police Department, where the applicant will be fingerprinted. The applicant's fingerprints and the petition will be forwarded to the Virginia State Police for a criminal history background check.
• The Virginia State Police will send the criminal background history and the set of fingerprints to the Circuit Court Clerk's Office under seal. Subsequently, the Court will forward a letter to the applicant informing them of their court date and time.
• After the order is entered on the hearing date, the applicant will be given one certified copy. The Clerk's Office will send a copy to the VSP. The VSP thereafter notifies all agencies to expunge the applicant's record. This process typically takes 3 - 6 months.

Mecklenburg County Arrest Warrants

In Virginia, an arrest warrant is an official order issued by judicial officers, including magistrates and judges, that grants law enforcement the authority to apprehend someone suspected of committing a crime.

Before a warrant is issued, a magistrate conducts a probable cause hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to believe the accused committed the crime. The complainant, who may be a law enforcement officer or a private citizen, submits an affidavit explaining the facts of the alleged offense.

A typical Mecklenburg County arrest warrant may contain information on the subject of the warrant, details of the alleged crime, a directive to appropriate law enforcement officers to take the accused into custody, the town or city where the offense was committed, and the signature of the issuing officer.

Do Mecklenburg County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Mecklenburg County arrest warrants generally do not expire. Once issued, they remain active until the offender is arrested or the court revokes the warrant. Arrest warrants are not subject to a statute of limitations, meaning peace officers may enforce them at any time. Additionally, the court may revoke a warrant if law enforcement fails to make a concerted effort to execute it.