Tuolumne County Arrest Records

In Tuolumne County, peace officers are authorized to arrest individuals under any of the following circumstances:

• When the individual commits an arrestable offense in the officer's presence
• When an arrest warrant specifically authorizes the arrest of the person
• When the peace officer has sufficient probable cause to believe that the suspected individual committed a crime or about to do so

Tuolumne County arrest records are documents created after arrest incidents within the county borders. They contain the personal information of arrestees, reasons for the arrests, and other facts of the incidents. Individuals apprehended by peace officers in the county may be booked at the Tuolumne County Jail. The Sheriff’s Office runs the county jail and is also responsible for generating and maintaining arrest records. However, the county’s arrest records may also be accessed in Tuolumne County Court Records or the criminal history records of arrestees.

Are Arrest Records Public in Tuolumne County?

Yes. Arrest records are public in Tuolumne County in accordance with the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Under this Act, interested persons may access arrest records preserved by government agencies if the records are not exempt from public disclosure.

Unless authorized by court orders, the CPRA provisions prohibit custodians from disclosing the following arrest information to the general public:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Information that may jeopardize an individual's safety
• State and local summary criminal history information
• Sealed arrest information
• Personal information of victims and witnesses, including:

1. Identification cards/documents
2. Residential address, phone numbers, and email addresses
3. Date of birth and social security numbers
4. Employment details
5. Financial details, such as bank account numbers and credit/debit card details

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Tuolumne County public arrest records contain the following information:

• Names, aliases, and date of birth of arrestees
• Physical description of arrestees
• Arrestees’ occupation
• Date and time of arrest
• Location of arrest
• Booking details
• Bail amount
• Charges
• Mug shots

Tuolumne County Arrest Statistics

The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office reported 1,067 arrests throughout the county in 2023 via the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Of the arrestees, 713 were male, and 354 were female. Additionally, 17% of male and female arrestees fell within the age range of 30 to 34.

Find Tuolumne County Arrest Records

Generally, arrest-related information in Tuolumne County may be contained in inmate records maintained at the county, state, or federal level.

Arrest records maintained by the Sheriff’s Office’s Records Section may be obtained by sending a completed report request form by mail to:

Sheriff's Record Section

28 N Lower Sunset Drive
Sonora, CA 95370
Phone: (209) 533-5855

Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office offers an online portal for the public to look up individuals arrested and detained at the Tuolumne County jail by their first and last names.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) provides inmate records containing arrest-related information on the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) tool. Users can search for inmates in CDCR custody by name and narrow search results further by age range or by choosing Tuolumne as the commitment county.

Interested persons may also look up inmates serving time in federal correctional facilities managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) on the BOP inmate locator search tool. This online resource enables users to perform searches based on inmates’ names or prison identification numbers, providing them with arrest information.

Free Arrest Record Search in Tuolumne County

The following are free online resources that interested persons may use to conduct arrest record searches in Tuolumne County:

• Tuolumne County Sheriff Portal
• CIRIS Inmate Search Tool
• BOP Inmate Locator

Additionally, individuals may search for arrest records in Tuolumne County using third-party websites that offer record search services. While these sites may offer this service at no cost, it's important to note that they do not serve as the primary sources for these records.

Tuolumne County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Tuolumne County, arrest records differ from criminal records despite containing similar information. Arrest records are generated only after peace officers apprehend and detain individuals suspected of committing crimes. These records contain information concerning the arrest incidents but do not indicate whether the individuals arrested were found guilty. Moreover, arrest records do not include information about subsequent legal proceedings arising from such incidents.

In contrast, Tuolumne County criminal records contain a more comprehensive history of individuals’ criminal activities and their interactions with the justice system. They may include convictions, sentences, and court case details. Unlike arrest records, criminal records may confirm if individuals were found guilty of the alleged crimes for which they were apprehended or detained.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Tuolumne County, an arrest record will remain on a person’s record indefinitely unless legal action is taken to remove them.

Expunge Tuolumne County Arrest Records

Tuolumne County arrest records cannot be expunged, but there are options to seal them if certain conditions are met. Unlike expungement, record sealing does not permanently delete a record but limits access to the general public.

Under California’s Penal Code section 851.91, anyone may request to seal records of arrests that did not result in a conviction if any of the following applies:

• The arrest resulted in no charges
• If the charges filed after the arrest were dismissed
• If the court dismissed the charges after the arrestees completed a diversion program
• If the charges were dismissed upon a deferred entry of judgment
• The arrestee was found not guilty after trial

Eligible individuals may request sealing by completing the Petition to Seal Arrest and Related Records (Form CR-409). The completed form should be submitted alongside other requirements in person or by mail to the Tuolumne County Superior Court. Also, petitioners may need to send a copy of the petition to the law enforcement agency responsible for the arrest at least 15 days before the hearing.

The court may grant the petition to seal the arrest record during the hearing based on the petitioner’s eligibility and other relevant factors in the interest of justice. Arrest records sealed by court orders in Tuolumne County are only accessible to criminal justice agencies and the arrestees.

Additionally, individuals may petition the law enforcement agency or court in Tuolumne County to seal or destroy their arrest records under California’s Penal Code Section 851.8. To qualify for record sealing under this law, petitioners must prove they are factually innocent of the alleged offense. To apply, submit a completed Petition to Seal and Destroy Adult Arrest Records (BCIA 8270) form to the arresting agency or court of jurisdiction. Note that this form can only be used if the charges were dismissed before trial or there were none.

Arrestees found not guilty at trial or with their convictions set aside because they were factually innocent may also request the court to seal and destroy the records. However, the court does not offer official forms to petition for record sealing under these circumstances.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) may review and automatically seal the arrest records of eligible persons in Tuolumne County under California’s Penal Code Section 851.93. This relief does not require the submission of petitions or motions. Individuals must meet any of the following conditions to be eligible:

1. The arrest was for a misdemeanor, and the charge was dismissed
2. A year has passed since the arrest for a misdemeanor or 3 years for a felony where:

• No criminal proceeding was initiated
• There was no conviction
• The arrestee was acquitted of any charges filed following the arrest

1. The arrestees completed any of the following programs:

• A pre-filing diversion program
• A drug diversion program or deferred entry of judgment program
• A pretrial diversion program
• Other eligible diversion programs

Tuolumne County Arrest Warrants

In Tuolumne County, arrest warrants are legal documents that authorize law enforcement officers to arrest anyone named on the warrants. A judge or magistrate is responsible for issuing arrest warrants based on sworn written or oral statements by peace officers showing probable cause for the arrest or upon a grand jury indictment.

A valid Tuolumne County arrest warrant must include the following details:

• The name of the individuals to be arrested
• The time of issuance
• The city/county where it was issued
• Signature and title of the issuing judge/magistrate
• Name of the court where it was issued

Arrest warrants may also contain other information about the person to be arrested, such as race/ethnicity, gender, date of birth, physical attributes, type of crime, and bail amount.

Do Tuolumne County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Tuolumne County arrest warrants do not expire. They remain active indefinitely until they are executed by peace officers or quashed by the court.