Story County Arrest Records

Story County arrest records are official details of the circumstances surrounding the arrest of individuals by the county's law enforcement agencies. An arrest becomes necessary when there is legal reason to believe that an individual has committed an arrestable offense, poses an immediate risk to the public, or flouts a court order.

The Story County Sheriff's Office, Ames Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and other local and federal law enforcement agencies conduct arrests and generate documents that may become part of Story County court records. In Story County, law enforcement agencies detain persons they arrest within the county at the Story County Jail. Individuals serving long-term sentences may be transferred to state prisons, and minor offenders may serve their punishment at the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center (CIJDC) in nearby Eldora in Hardin County.

Are Arrest Records Public in Story County?

Yes, Story County arrest records are public documents. According to the Iowa Open Records Law, every individual has the right to examine and copy public records (including Story County arrest records) from their custodian agencies unless the law exempts access to such documents. While arrest records are generally public in Iowa, there are restrictions on public access to some Story County arrest records due to privacy rights and legal reasons. The public cannot access Story County arrest records if it relates to:

• Minors
• Sealed or expunged records
• Ongoing investigations
• Victims and witnesses
• Medical or mental health information
• Confidential informants information
• Sensitive national security records.

Access to these exempted arrest records is open to authorized entities, persons with court orders, and the subjects of the records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A public arrest record contains details of a person's arrest. Generally, this information includes:

• Full name, aliases, date of birth, gender, race, physical description, and last known address of the record owner
• Date, time, and location of the arrest
• Name of arresting officer and agency
• Charges against the arrestee and the statutes allegedly violated
• Booking date and number
• Mugshots
• Bond and bail information
• Court appearance details (if applicable).

Story County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI crime data, there was a rise in the number of arrests incidents within Story County between 2021 and 2023. Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Report show 1,385 arrests for various crimes within Story County in 2021. This figure rose to 1,716 in 2022 and 1,740 in 2023.

Between 2021 and 2023, 3,599 males and 1,242 females were taken into custody for various offenses by the local law enforcement agencies in Story County. Also, within this period, DUI, larceny crimes, and simple assaults were the most consistent arrest incidents in Story County. There were 761, 447, and 409 DUI, larceny, and simple assault arrests within Story County between 2021 and 2023.

Find Story County Arrest Records

Story County public arrest records are accessible online and offline. Individuals interested in Story County arrest information should:

• Log in to the Story County Sheriff's Office Inmate Inquiry Portal and view arrest records of Story County Jail's current inmates.
• Visit the Iowa Department of Corrections Offender Search Webpage and use the online tools to find inmates' or parolees’ arrest records.
• Log in to the Iowa Courts Online Record Search and use names, case IDs, or citation numbers to look for Story County arrest records through the county's criminal records.

Also, interested individuals should visit the Story County Sheriff's Office and request access to the county's arrest records at:

1315 South B Ave.
Nevada
Iowa 50201.

Free Arrest Record Search in Story County

For free access to Story County arrest records, record seekers should log in to the Story County Sheriff's Office Inmate Inquiry webpage. Alternatively, inquirers may submit a public records request or visit the Story County Sheriff's Office or local police departments in person and request free access to Story County arrest records.

Also, Story County public arrest information may be available for free through third-party online repositories. Some private websites provide free access to Iowa law enforcement documents and information.

Story County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

There are several distinctions between Story County arrests and criminal records. These differences result from their contents, legal meanings, and how they are created.

Arrest records are law enforcement documents that provide details of arrests. These include the personal details of the record owners, the reasons for their arrests, and the conditions for releasing the arrestees. Under Iowa and U.S. laws, an arrest record does not imply guilt or innocence of a crime. An arrestee is innocent until proven guilty at the court. Also, arrest records may not significantly impact their owners unless the arrest results in criminal convictions.

In contrast to arrest records, Story County criminal records are court-generated documents that encompass Story County arrest records and documents relating to criminal trials, convictions, and incarcerations. These documents are legal evidence that the court finds their owners guilty of criminal offenses. Story County criminal records may negatively impact social status, employment, and other opportunities.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest information may remain indefinitely on a record if the owner does not petition the court to seal or remove it. In Story County, arrest record owners must fulfill the requirements of Iowa Code Chapter 901C to be eligible to seal or remove their arrest information.

Expunge Story County Arrest Records

Per Iowa Code Chapter 901C, an individual may be eligible to petition the Story County District Court to expunge an arrest record if the arrest leads to a dismissal or acquittal, is related to non-violent misdemeanor offenses, or the arrestee has completed all diversion programs. Additionally, an applicant must complete the sentence for the crime, have no pending criminal charges, and have not been granted more than one deferred prosecution.

Also, the following waiting period applies for the expungement of Story County arrest records:

• Dismissed charges or acquittal- 180 days from the date of dismissal or acquittal
• Deferred judgment cases - immediately after completing all conditions (including probation and restitution)
• Public Intoxication/minors possession of alcohol - 2 years after the conviction
• Juvenile prostitution - 2 years after the conviction
• Non-violent misdemeanors - 8 years after completing the sentence for the crime.

Eligible individuals seeking to expunge their Story County arrest records should follow these procedures:

• Download a DIC Criminal History Record Check Request Form from the Iowa Judicial Branch portal
• Gather supporting documents that will aid the petition
• Download the appropriate expungement form from the Iowa Judicial Branch Document Library
• Complete the applicable expungement form, attach a copy of the criminal history record form and other supporting documents, enclose a check/money order to cover filing fees, and file the petition to the Story County Clerk of Court at:
  1315 South B Avenue,
  Nevada,
  IA 50201
• Serve a copy of the petition to the Story County Attorney's Office
• Go for a court hearing if the judge schedules one
• If the court grants the expungement petition, the judge will pass an order to seal or remove the arrest record.
• Confirm that the relevant agencies in possession of the record adhere to the court order.

Story County Arrest Warrants

Story County arrest warrants are documents that authorize law enforcement to arrest individuals suspected of committing crimes within the county. A judge/magistrate of the Story County District Court may issue an arrest warrant if law enforcement presents evidence of a criminal offense. Also, the court may issue arrest warrants for several other reasons. For instance, if a person engages in domestic violence or abuse, flouts court orders, or intends to flee to avoid trial for an offense. A typical arrest warrant contains the following information or more:

• Name, aliases, gender, and physical description of the subject
• Charges against the individual and the section of Iowa law alleged violated
• Statement of probable cause
• Date and time of issuance of the warrant
• Name and location of the court issuing the warrant
• Name and signature of the judge/magistrate authorizing the arrest
• Bail or bond information
• The geographical area where the arrest is valid
• Instructions to law enforcement on how to execute the arrest.

Do Story County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Story County arrest warrants do not have expiration dates. An arrest warrant will remain active until law enforcement takes the subject of the warrant into custody or the court revokes it. Also, a Story County arrest warrant will become inactive if the subject of the warrant dies.