Montgomery County Arrest Records

An arrest may occur in Montgomery County, Illinois, when a person is observed breaking the law, caught at a crime scene, or suspected of a criminal offense after an investigation. When arrests take place in Montgomery, police officers book the suspects at the station and create records that explain the arrest circumstances. These arrest records serve different purposes within the criminal justice system, including facilitating the filing of criminal cases and ensuring police enforcement actions remain transparent.

While local law enforcement agencies are the primary custodians of arrest records in Montgomery, they may share records with other criminal justice agencies as an alleged offender's case goes through the justice system. As such, arrest information may be found in the Montgomery County court records and statewide criminal history files.

Are Arrest Records Public in Montgomery County?

Yes, arrest records are publicly accessible in Montgomery County. Illinois's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) grants broad access to records of law enforcement agencies, except where a particular record is exempt from access by law, court order, court rule, or privilege. Records that may be confidential to the public include:

• Records tied to active or related police investigations
• Records that, if disclosed, would endanger a person's life or safety
• Records linked to juvenile offenders

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

5 ILCS 140/2.15 outlines the contents of public arrest records in Montgomery County to include the following:

• The full name (first, middle, last), age, and last known address of the person accused or suspected of a crime
• The suspect's photograph (when available)
• The arrest time and location
• The investigating or arresting police agency
• The suspect's booking time and date
• The suspect's date of release from custody, if applicable

Per the law, law enforcement agencies are mandated to provide the above information no later than 72 hours after an arrest.

Montgomery County Arrest Statistics

Different local law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County report arrest statistics to the Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI's data is more recent and may be relevant when researching current timelines. However, because the data is presented by agency, it may be necessary to specify the particular jurisdiction within Montgomery County that one wishes to research.

For instance, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the county's primary law enforcement agency, recorded 882 arrests in 2024, 602 of which were male arrests and the remaining 279 female arrests. Drug/Narcotic Offenses (95), Driving Under the Influence (36), and Simple Assault (35) were the most prevalent arrests.

On the other hand, the Litchfield Police Department, serving one of the most populous municipalities in the county, made 1,311 arrests, 831 of which were male arrests and 480 female arrests. Larceny (233), Drug/Narcotic Offenses (187), and Simple Assault (102) were the most common offense arrests.

The Crime in Illinois publications provide earlier county arrest totals (up to and including 2021).

Find Montgomery County Arrest Records

Members of the public can find Montgomery County arrest records by querying local law enforcement departments, like the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. This may mean visiting a police department during normal business hours to request arrest information from the records division/unit. Alternatively, they can call (or email) an agency's records unit to obtain arrest records. Police departments usually require a suspect's name, date of birth, or an arrest date to find responsive documents or information.

It should be noted that a fee may apply if the requester needs copies of records. Further, local law enforcement does not maintain information about those transferred to state or federal custody. To find information about persons imprisoned in Illinois correctional facilities, one may access the Individual in Custody Search platform provided by the Illinois Department of Corrections. Meanwhile, federal inmates can be located using the Bureau of Prisons' Federal Inmate Locator. These databases are free of charge and typically require a person's name or inmate number to produce matching results.

Free Arrest Record Search in Montgomery County

Free arrest record searches in Montgomery County can be conducted by submitting a record inspection request to a local law enforcement agency under the state's FOIA. At the same time, members of the public can access third-party databases that furnish public records. These independent sites can be searched with a person's first and last name, and they facilitate arrest searches across multiple jurisdictions. However, a fee or subscription may be required to see or print comprehensive information.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely, Arrests are permanent components of a person's criminal history. As a result, unless such records are destroyed by agency retention schedules, they remain open to the public throughout the subject's lifetime. However, Illinois law provides relief through record expungement or sealing.

Expunge Montgomery County Arrest Records

Any person who wants to expunge or seal their arrest record(s) in Montgomery County must ensure the record qualifies under the applicable statutes. Generally, Illinois law permits expungement (physical destruction) or sealing (suppression) of arrests that did not result in a conviction and certain charges or sentences, like when a conviction was vacated, reversed, or pardoned. However, in addition to meeting the state expungement/sealing requirements, the defendant should not have any pending charges or incomplete sentences, and any waiting periods imposed by law for their offense or case should have lapsed.

Expungement or sealing requests in Montgomery County are heard in the circuit court. However, individuals may also qualify for automatic expungement or sealing, in which case, no court petition is necessary.

Those petitioning the Montgomery County Circuit Court are expected to complete and file the appropriate expungement/sealing forms. Parties will also need to obtain their court disposition from the circuit court and request their criminal records from a local police department, the Illinois State Police, or a licensed fingerprint vendor. It is important to note that a court clerk cannot produce a court disposition if an arrest did not lead to a court case. Further, if one has arrests in other Illinois counties, they will need to file expungement/sealing forms in each county where they were arrested, charged, or convicted.

Individuals who file an expungement/sealing petition in the Montgomery County Circuit Court may be asked to appear for a hearing to determine if the petition should be granted or rejected. It is advised to collect all evidence that can support one's arguments or case. If the judge finally approves an expungement/sealing order, all government agencies that possess the record will be directed to remove or delete it from the public record. Subsequently, the record owner can state, without risk of perjury, that they have never been arrested for the related offense.

Montgomery County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants in Montgomery County are written directives ("writs") from a court permitting the arrest of persons suspected of breaking the law. These orders are issued to law enforcement officers upon their requests and after a judge concludes that probable cause for an arrest exists. Such warrants identify the accused, state their offense, mention the issuing date and county, include the issuing judge's title of office and signature, state any pretrial release conditions, and specify the geographical limitations on the warrant (725 ILCS 5/107-9).

Do Montgomery County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, In Montgomery County, Illinois, arrest warrants do not expire. These writs follow their subjects until executed by law enforcement or cleared (withdrawn) by a judge. For this reason, individuals who become subjects of Montgomery County arrest warrants are advised to promptly resolve their warrants to avoid a public arrest or other adverse outcomes.