Ohio County Arrest Records

Ohio County arrest records provide comprehensive details of arrests within Ohio County, KY. These documents detail the individuals taken into custody by law enforcement, the reasons for such arrests, and the conditions for their freedom.

Law enforcement officers make arrests when they witness crimes or have probable cause to believe that identifiable individuals committed arrestable acts.
After processing, local law enforcement agencies in Ohio County may transfer arrestees to the Ohio Detention Center. This facility holds pre-trial detainees and convicts serving short-term sentences.

The primary custodian of arrest records in Ohio County is the Ohio County Sheriff's Office. However, these documents may also be accessible as part of Ohio County court records or through other local law enforcement agencies.

Are Arrest Records Public in Ohio County?

Yes, Ohio County arrest records are public. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes (Section 61.870 to 61.884), members of the public have general access to government records (including Ohio County arrest records). Nevertheless, there are some exceptions. In Ohio County and the rest of Kentucky, the public cannot view or make copies of arrest records relating to:

• Juveniles
• Ongoing criminal investigations
• Confidential informants
• Law enforcement safety
• Sealed or expunged records.

Under Kentucky law, access to exempted arrest records is limited to law enforcement agencies, the subjects of the documents, prosecutors and defense attorneys, judges and court personnel, authorized government agencies, and employers in sensitive fields (with written consent of the record owners).

310 S Main Street,
Hartford,
KY 42347
Phone: (270) 298-4444

Ohio County Arrest Statistics

Ohio County law enforcement agencies reported over 1,900 arrests to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting database between January 2021 and January 2025, comprising 1,450 male and 475 female arrestees. Drug/narcotic violations were the most common arrests, with 195 incidents. Other notable incidents were DUI (118), simple assault arrests (115), and non-violent family offenses (88). There were also 1,409 arrests for other incidents within the period.

Find Ohio County Arrest Records

Ohio County arrest records can be searched using several options. Inquirers can search for Ohio County arrest records by name through the Ohio Detention Center JailTracker Portal. Ohio County arrests are also accessible as part of Ohio County criminal case records through the Kentucky Court of Justice's CourtNet 2.0 system.

For mail-in or in-person access to Ohio County arrest records, interested individuals should visit or send mail requests to the Ohio County Sheriff's Office at:

301 South Main Street,
Hartford,
KY 42347
Phone: (270) 298-4444

Record seekers can also access Ohio County criminal case-related arrest records through the Ohio County Circuit Court Clerk at:

130 East Washington Street,
P.O. Box 67,
Hartford,
KY 42347
Phone: (270) 298-3671

Ohio County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest and criminal records are related but distinct documents with differing roles. Ohio County arrest records are law enforcement documents describing the apprehension and detention of individuals for arrestable offenses. Contrariwise, Ohio County criminal records are comprehensive details of criminal acts and their prosecutions under the Ohio County criminal justice system.

Arrest records contain personal information (including names, dates of birth, gender, and ethnicity), the reasons for the arrests, and the conditions for releasing the arrestees. By comparison, criminal records are comprehensive histories of convictions and their legal consequences. These documents detail criminal actions, prosecutions, and their outcomes within the limits of the law.

Ohio County arrest records are not a confirmation of guilt. Arrestees are innocent of the allegations against them until the courts find them guilty. In contrast, an Ohio County criminal record confirms a guilty verdict.

Additionally, an Ohio County arrest record may not significantly impact the owner if it does not result in a sentence. Ohio County courts will automatically expunge arrest records after 30 days if they do not result in convictions. Ohio County criminal records are permanent unless the courts expunge them. They negatively impact job opportunities, housing, and social status.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest information will remain permanently on a record unless the court seals or removes it. Chapter 431 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes grants owners of Ohio County arrest records the right to petition to seal or expunge their arrest information if they fulfill the qualifying conditions. In Kentucky (including Ohio County), the court will automatically expunge an arrest 30 days after acquittal or dismissal with prejudice. Furthermore, Ohio County arrest information may be eligible for expungement if:

• The arrest is for a misdemeanor or Class D felony
• The owner of the record has no pending criminal trial and has observed a five-year waiting period after completing the sentence for the crime
• The arrest record is not for a sex offense
• The underlying offense did not result in serious injuries or death.

Ohio County Arrest Warrants

Ohio County arrest warrants are legal documents issued by judges and magistrates of the Ohio County Circuit and District Courts, authorizing law enforcement to take named individuals into custody. To obtain an arrest warrant, law enforcement must approach the court with evidence that a suspect committed an arrestable act. The courts may also issue an arrest warrant for domestic violence or if an individual disobeys court orders, violates parole or probation, or plans to flee the jurisdiction to avoid trial for an offense.

Ohio County Arrest warrants contain the following information:

• Full name, known aliases, and physical description of the subject
• Allegations against the wanted individual and sections of Kentucky Statutes allegedly violated
• Date of issuance of the warrant
• A statement authorizing law enforcement to take the individual into custody
• Details of how law enforcement should execute the arrest
• Name and signature of the issuing judge/magistrate.

Do Ohio County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Ohio County arrest warrants do not expire; they remain active indefinitely until the issuing court or a higher court with appellate jurisdiction cancels or revokes them. The only exception is if the subject passes away. At this point, the warrant becomes inactive. However, several factors can influence the validity of Ohio County arrest warrants, including:

• Statute of limitations
• Clerical errors
• False information
• Improper execution of the warrant.

For a crime with a statute of limitations, prosecutors must present the case before the court within the specified time frame to get an arrest warrant. If they miss the deadline, the court cannot issue arrest warrants.

Expunge Ohio County Arrest Records

According to Chapter 431 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes, an Ohio County arrest record may be eligible for expungement if:

• The arrest does not result in a conviction
• The underlying crime is a misdemeanor, violation, traffic infraction, or a Class D felony
• The applicant completes the sentence for the crime (including probation or parole) and has no pending trials or subsequent convictions
• The owner of the arrest record observes the applicable 5-year waiting period after serving the sentence for the crime.

The following steps may be helpful to individuals seeking to expunge Ohio County arrest records:

• Confirm eligibility for expunging the arrest record (there is automatic expunction for cases resulting in dismissals or acquittals on or after July 15, 2020)
• Obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Kentucky State Police through the Kentucky Court of Justice Expungement Certification Process if the arrest results in a conviction. The Certificate of Eligibility has a validity of 30 days from the date of issuance
• Depending on the type of arrest record, download and complete any of the following forms:
  • Non-Conviction Cases:
    Petition for Expungement Form
  • Misdemeanor Convictions:
    Petition for Expungement Form
  • Felony Convictions:
    Petition for Expungement For
• File a petition with the Ohio County Circuit Court through the Court Clerk's Office at:

  130 East Washington Street,
  Hartford,
  KY 42347

• Pay the applicable filing fees ($100.00 for a misdemeanor and $300.00 for a felony) or apply for a fee waiver if eligible.
• Attend the court hearing to demonstrate eligibility and answer questions
• Wait for the court's decision
• Confirm expungement through background checks of the petition is successful. If not, contact the Ohio County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.