Sometimes, law enforcement releases mugshots soon after someone is booked. To find mugshots online, you can look on the website of the sheriff’s office or the police department where the person was arrested or resides. You can also try searching their name on websites such as RecordsFinder.com or mugshots.com or check the local papers for information about their crime.
If you have a photo of the person, you can also do an image search. If their mugshot is online, it will yield matches, which can be an effective search strategy if the person was arrested under another name. You can also run a federal inmate search to find a mugshot if the person committed a white-collar crime.
Further, you can search the website of the prison or jail they were sent to after sentencing. You’re also entitled to file a request with the police department that arrested them under the Freedom of Information Act.
Mugshots are Public Information
Louisiana is the only state that doesn’t treat mugshots as public records. Obtaining a copy of the mugshot is another matter. It depends on the arrested party and the agency involved. The media might request to make a mugshot public record so members of the community can see if the police are doing their job. It’s up to the law enforcement agency to decide whether to approve such a request or not.
How Difficult Are They to Find?
It’s easier to find a mugshot of someone who has committed a serious crime or of a celebrity. Less serious charges are more difficult to trace through a mugshot online. If the person is not an adult, their mugshot will not be available. When they reach legal age, the record will be permanently sealed. If they commit a serious crime after turning 18, this will result in further charges, and law enforcement may publicly release their mugshots.
Why Can’t I Find a Mugshot Online?
There are several reasons why you may not be able to find someone’s mugshot online. These include dropped charges, sealed convictions, or a case of mistaken identity. It’s also possible that the police department needs a valid request to release the person’s mugshots in that jurisdiction. Alternatively, the person has done their time, or the mugshot is too old.
Combating Extortion
Now that most information is available online, police authorities have started exercising discretion when it comes to releasing mugshots of everyone who has been arrested. Once uploaded, a photo can live on the Internet forever. A mugshot can be a perpetual source of embarrassment and, what’s more, can thwart a person’s chances of employment or of getting decent housing. This is decidedly unfair if they were never actually convicted. Some states have sued companies for extorting people attempting to remove their mugshots from sites after a successful appeal or after charges were dropped.
Getting Mugshots Removed
If you want a website to remove your mugshot, the first step is to send copies of your dismissal or expungement records. These documents should suffice to have your photo removed. To remove your mugshots, you should contact the website and politely request this action.
People can also get their mugshots removed from Google. They must provide the city and state where they were arrested, the URL of the site with the image, and their full name and email.
