Madison County Arrest Records

An arrest happens when a person is remanded in police custody. In Madison County, arrests are vital law enforcement tools that help prevent crime and maintain public safety. The Madison County Sheriff's Office, the primary law enforcement agency in the county, is tasked with this responsibility in collaboration with other local police agencies. When a person is arrested, they are detained in the Madison County jail or a Juvenile Detention Center if they are under 18.

Law enforcement agencies create arrest records to document details about their arrests. Arrest records are useful during criminal trials and when investigating a person's background. Researchers can also access Madison County court records to determine a case's outcome.

Are Arrest Records Public in Madison County?

Yes, Madison County arrest records are public records. The New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) governs the disclosure of these records. The law requires arrest record custodians to disclose how the public may obtain such records and any associated charges (not more than 25 cents per copy).

Certain Madison County arrest records are protected by statute and not publicly available. An arrest record may be restricted if its disclosure will:

• Interfere with active law enforcement investigations
• Deprive a person of their right to a fair trial
• Reveal a confidential informant
• Endanger the safety of an individual

The arrest records of youthful offenders are also withheld from public inspection. These records are protected by Criminal Procedure Law Section 720.35 and Family Court Act Section 381.3. Only those authorized (by statute or court order) can obtain such records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Individuals can generally find the following information in a Madison County arrest record:

• The personal details of the arrestee, such as their full name, aliases, age, gender, and race
• The arresting department
• The charges
• The arrestee's custody status, booking date, booking ID number, and mugshot
• Bail information

Madison County Arrest Statistics

The New York Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) receives and compiles law enforcement arrest statistics from all 62 counties. These statistics are compiled annually and released to the public online.

The arrest data for Madison County shows that 1,133 adults and 89 juveniles were arrested in 2023. There were 783 adult arrests for misdemeanors and 350 for felony offenses. Juvenile arrests for the year were predominantly for non-index offenses, accounting for 60 arrests. Meanwhile, the number of juvenile arrests made for index crimes was 29, with motor vehicle theft being the most frequent arrest, resulting in 10 incidents.

Find Madison County Arrest Records

The Madison County Sheriff's Department and local law enforcement agencies maintain arrest records. To obtain one, an inquirer must identify and contact the agency holding the record (usually the arresting agency). The requester may be required to pay a fee to receive a copy of an arrest record. Individuals looking to obtain the records of an inmate in the county jail can also query the Sheriff's Office at:

138 N Court Street
Building 7
Wampsville, NY 13163

The New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) preserves the records of state inmates, which can be requested by those seeking such information. The department's public inmate records are accessible through the Incarcerated Lookup portal with an inmate's Department ID Number (DIN) or name. Note that juvenile offender records are protected by statute and cannot be accessed on the portal.

The federal inmate database is also accessible to those looking for persons transferred to federal custody. The system can be accessed on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website. Users can search for an inmate using their name or a federally assigned identifier, such as a BOP, FBI, INS, or DCDC number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Madison County

Researchers may view arrest records for free from local law enforcement agencies. Arrest records of persons incarcerated in the county jail can also be accessed for free online through the Sheriff's Inmate Lookup portal.

While criminal justice agencies are the official custodians of arrest records, arrest records can also be accessed through third-party vendors. However, only public arrest records can be accessed through these parties. The first and last name of a record's subject is usually used to perform a search on a third-party website. These third-party resources are advantageous as they provide access to a broad range of public information. However, the researcher may receive only a limited amount of arrest information, with full access requiring a fee.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest records are retained permanently in Madison County. However, if these records are sealed, they can be made inaccessible to the public. In New York, certain arrest records are eligible for automatic sealing. This means eligible individuals do not need to file a petition to seal the record. Other arrest records are not eligible for automatic sealing but can still be sealed under certain conditions. In such cases, an individual must file a petition in the court.

Expunge Madison County Arrest Records

Madison County arrest records cannot be expunged but may be eligible for sealing. Depending on the circumstances of a case, sealing can occur automatically or require a manual process. Some records, however, are ineligible for sealing.

CPL Section 160.57 governs the automatic sealing of arrest records in New York where an arrest led to a dismissal, acquittal, or plea to an infraction or violation. The following arrests that led to a conviction are also eligible for automatic sealing:

• Driving under the influence offenses after three years post-conviction.
• Misdemeanor convictions three years after the completion of any imposed sentence.
• Non-sexual or Class A felonies (as defined in the Penal Law), provided eight years have passed from the completion of the sentence.
• Convictions when the party was a youthful offender and five years have passed without prior felony convictions.

An eligible arrest may be automatically sealed provided the following conditions are met:

• The defendant is under any probation or parole department supervision
• The conviction was not sexually related
• The defendant does not have any pending felony charges in another jurisdiction

Certain convictions not eligible for automatic sealing may still be sealed under CPL 160.5. Individuals with up to two eligible convictions, including a maximum of one felony, can petition the court for sealing under this law. Persons with more than two convictions may still qualify if the offenses are related to the same incident. An offense will be ineligible for sealing if:

• The offense requires registration as a sexual offender or was a sexual performance by a child offense
• The offender has an open criminal case
• It was a violent, Class A, or homicide felony
• It was a felony attempt or conspiracy to commit any ineligible offense
• It is an out-of-state or federal offense

A petition to seal a record can only be filed after ten years of completing any imposed sentence for the last conviction. To begin the sealing process, the petitioner must request a Criminal Certificate of Disposition from the court and then complete and submit the Sealing Application.

Conditional sealing occurs under CPL 160.58 for certain drug-related convictions. These records are sealed provided the offender has completed their sentence, a substance abuse treatment program, and has no pending charges. A conditionally sealed arrest record will be unsealed if the offender is freshly arrested for a misdemeanor or felony offense.

If a sealing application is approved, the court will remove the arrest and related records from the public space. Sealed records still remain accessible to law enforcement, certain employers, courts, and the FBI, however. Individuals ineligible for an arrest record sealing can request a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities or a Certificate of Good Conduct from the court. Both certificates may remove certain employment or licensing restrictions they may have as a result of their record.

Madison County Arrest Warrants

Per CPL Section 120.10, an arrest warrant is a formal document issued by the local criminal court demanding the arrest of an individual named in an accusatory instrument. An accusatory instrument is a formal complaint or indictment that charges an individual with a criminal offense. The presence of probable cause, stated in a complaint or affidavit, is mandatory for issuing an arrest warrant.

When an accusatory instrument is filed against a defendant in a local criminal court, the judge reviews it to assess if it is satisfactory and dismisses it if not. For an accusatory instrument to be satisfactory, facts or evidence supporting the offense charged must be provided (otherwise called probable cause).

An arrest warrant issued in Madison contains the following information:

• The name of the issuing court
• The date the warrant was issued
• The offense charged in the accusatory instrument
• The name of the defendant or a reasonable description they can be identified with if the name is unknown
• An order directing that the defendant be arrested and brought before the court

After serving an arrest warrant, the executing officer is required to return it to the issuing court. Members of the public can find active warrants in Madison County on the Sheriff's Warrants page.

Do Madison County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Although the timeline for execution may be prolonged, Madison County arrest warrants are active until served and returned. However, the issuing court may recall and quash an arrest warrant anytime. Quashing an arrest warrant makes it inexecutable even if the accusation against the defendant remains.