Arrest Records in Washington County
An arrest record shows that law enforcement took a person into custody. In Washington County, that data comes from the Sheriff's Office, which runs the jail and books people after an arrest. Arrest and booking data are law enforcement records under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. They are separate from the court file, which holds the charges, hearings, and outcome.
After an arrest, the County Attorney decides on felony and many township charges. Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson leads that office from the Law Enforcement Center at 15015 62nd Street North in Stillwater. The office prosecutes adult felonies and misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors that happen in townships; city attorneys handle many city cases.
The County Attorney does not represent private individuals and cannot give legal advice. To report a crime, contact the law enforcement agency where it happened.
How to Search Washington County Arrest Records
Start with the jail. The Washington County Jail publishes an active inmate roster that lists people currently in custody, with name, jail ID, booking date and number, and days held. The roster does not show charges, bond, or mugshots, so it works best to confirm a current booking. The inmate records page covers the roster in full.
For the charge and case outcome, move to the court file. Search the person's name in MCRO Case Search to find a Washington County criminal case, then read the Register of Actions and disposition. Remember that a pending criminal case with no conviction will not return by defendant name, so use a case or citation number when you have one. State law on arrest-record handling appears in Minn. Stat. § 299C.11.
- Check the Washington County Jail roster for a current booking.
- Search the name in MCRO Case Search and filter to Washington County.
- Open the criminal case to read charges, level, hearings, and disposition.
- Use the state BCA system for a full public conviction history.
- Contact the Sheriff's Office for an arrest report through a county data request.
Arrest Records vs. Criminal Court Records
An arrest record and a criminal court record answer different questions. The arrest record says a person was booked. The court record says what the state charged and how the case ended. They sit in different systems and follow different access rules.
| Feature | Arrest Record | Criminal Court Record |
|---|---|---|
| Held by | Sheriff's Office and jail | Washington County District Court |
| Shows | Booking, custody status, arrest data | Charges, hearings, plea, disposition, sentence |
| Search through | Jail roster and Sheriff data request | MCRO Case Search |
| Governing rules | Data Practices Act, § 13.82 | Rules of Public Access |
The County Attorney's Criminal Division prosecutes the case once charges are filed. Its page explains Minnesota offense levels and how prosecutions move forward.
Minnesota offense levels run from petty misdemeanor, with a fine up to $300, through misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony, which carries a year or more in prison.
Charges vs. Convictions
A charge is an accusation. A conviction is a finding or plea of guilt entered by the court. The two are not the same, and an arrest record alone does not prove guilt. The County Attorney's public information page explains the steps from first appearance to sentencing in plain terms.
| Stage | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Arrest | Law enforcement takes a person into custody. |
| Arraignment | First appearance for a petty or misdemeanor charge; rights given, plea may be entered. |
| Rule 5 / First Appearance | First appearance for a gross misdemeanor or felony; no plea is taken. |
| Conviction | A guilty plea or guilty finding entered by the court. |
| Sentence | Penalty set after conviction, guided by the Sentencing Guidelines for felonies. |
A defendant may apply for a public defender at the arraignment or Rule 5 hearing. The County Attorney lists the Washington County Public Defender contact on its helpful contacts page.
Important: An arrest does not mean guilt. A person is innocent until a court enters a conviction.
Sealed vs. Expunged Records
People often use these words to mean the same thing, but they differ. A sealed record still exists; it is hidden from public view. An expunged record is sealed by court order or statute under Chapter 609A. The Judicial Branch Criminal Expungement help topic walks through the petition steps and eligibility.
| Term | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Sealed | The record still exists but is hidden from public access. |
| Expunged (full) | Court seals the case and records held by agencies like police and the BCA. |
| Expunged (partial) | Court seals only the court record when it lacks authority over agency records. |
Chapter 609A also includes automatic expungement, prosecutor-agreed expungement, mistaken-identity expungement, and cannabis expungement. Expungement is never allowed in a case that requires predatory offender registration.
If a person seeks to seal only an arrest record and has no felony or gross misdemeanor in any state in the past 10 years, the Attorney General notes they may contact the arresting agency or the BCA under section 299C.11.
Mugshots and Booking Photos
Washington County does not publish mugshots on its public jail roster. The active roster lists names and booking data only. Booking photos are law enforcement data, and access is set by the Data Practices Act rather than by the court. That is different from some counties that post photos online.
To ask for a booking photo or arrest report, file a data request with the Sheriff's Office. The county may charge for the cost of materials or staff time. Do not rely on third-party mugshot sites; they are not official and often hold stale or wrong data.
Statewide Criminal Records Search
For a full public criminal history, use the state, not the court portal. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs the public criminal history system. Its public records page explains what the system covers and how to request a record.
The public search itself runs at the BCA's Minnesota Public Criminal History Search site. It returns public conviction history statewide, but it is not a complete background check and does not include every arrest, dismissed case, or sealed matter.
MCRO may show court activity that the public BCA history does not, and the BCA system is the right tool when MCRO warns against using court records for background checks.
Background Check Considerations
The BCA public site separates a record pulled for personal use from one pulled for use by others, such as housing, employment, licensing, or a name change. Pick the right path so the result fits the purpose. The County Attorney's office, led by Kevin Magnuson since January 2023, focuses on prosecution and victim services, not background checks for the public.
This site is not a consumer reporting agency, and its data may not be used for FCRA-regulated decisions. For a formal background check, use the BCA or a properly authorized provider.
Restricted Criminal Records in Washington County
Some criminal records stay closed. Juvenile delinquency files are limited by statute. Active criminal investigative data can be not public under section 13.82. Arrest warrant indices are confidential until a person is in custody, served, or appears, unless the agency finds a public purpose for release. Sealed and expunged cases drop out of public view.
The predatory offender registry is more restricted than many people expect. The full registry is not public under Minn. Stat. § 243.166.
Public disclosure is limited to certain categories, such as risk-level community notification under Minn. Stat. § 244.052 and some noncompliant registrants.
The BCA Predatory Offender Registry FAQ explains what the public can and cannot see.
A public registrant page shows only the information Minnesota law allows for that registrant category.