Obtain Free Stark County Arrest Records (Ohio Lookup Resource)

Look up free Stark County arrest records efficiently by utilizing the linked databases and search methods covered in this resource.

The steps laid out in this article help citizens find past and present arrest records in Stark County, Ohio; it also explains how to find details of charges, convictions and imprisonment records, if any. Following the guidance below, anyone can run a public record search effectively and gain insight into any arrest made in Stark County.

How To Search Up-to-Date Stark County Arrest Records & Mugshots (Free)

As per Section 149.43 – Ohio Revised Code, arrest records are generally public records.¹ This includes the information of the individual arrested, charged, or issued a formal warning.

However, in certain cases, someone with a history of arrests or even convictions can have their records expunged or sealed and as a result, have it removed from public view.² Moreover, the state’s criminal history information compiled by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are not public.

The same is applicable for records of probation and parole proceedings. So, it depends on the arresting agency whether to allow the general public to access arrest records online or otherwise.

To find an arrest record, the requester may begin with basic details such as the name of the detained person and the location where they might be held.

Recent arrests and mugshots in Ohio can typically be found on the websites of law enforcement agencies. However, the Stark County Sheriff’s Office does not host any arrest log or mugshot database on its official website. Interested parties may submit a police record/incident report request online or visit the Stark County Sheriff’s Office to obtain information about prisoners confined in the county jail.³

Stark County Sheriff
4500 Atlantic Blvd., North East,
Canton, OH 44705

Phone: 330-430-3800
Fax: 330-451-3937
Email: [email protected]

The Stark County Jail is built in the same location and is operated by the sheriff’s office. It is the central booking facility used by all law enforcement agencies in Stark County. This means if an arrest occurs in the cities of Massillon or Canton, the Stark County Jail will be the place to hold the accused.

To request police records (e.g., the recent arrest logs of persons apprehended by police officers), Stark County residents may contact their nearest department:

Massillon Police Department
2 James Duncan Plaza, SE Ste. 1
Massillon, OH 44646

Phone: (330)830-1739

Canton Police Department
221 3rd Street SW
Canton, Ohio 44702

Phone: (330)489-3127
Fax: (330)489-3264

Alliance Police Department
470 E. Market St.
Alliance, OH 44601

Phone: (330)823.5324

Louisville Police Department
1150 West Main St. 
Louisville, OH 44641

Fax: 330-875-1820
Email: [email protected]

The public record request pages (linked above) contain the addresses, phone numbers and email IDs of the respective department.

Another method is to use third-party services such as VINELink. There is an option to search a person by name who might appear in the state’s inmate records, current jail rosters and changes in custody status.

Note that arrest logs show only recent lists of inmates and their custody status change. To find if a person has any former arrest records, a background check may be required.

How To Acquire Details of Prior Arrests & Charges in Stark County Ohio

Arrest and conviction records of Stark County, Ohio can be located through its Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) portal.

This website allows the public to search through all databases provided by all clerks of court in the Stark County judicial system. Users can either register for free or even “continue as a guest” to have access to court case dockets without paying any fees. The Smart Search option can be used by filling out any of the required fields:

• Case number
• Last name, first name, or both
• Social security number
• The date of filing the case

The search result will show a matching list with a brief overview of each case, the name of the parties, the docket number, court, case type, filing date etc.

If you click on a specific case, you can access details such as the type of the case, case status, sentences, name and address of the defendant, attorneys and judge assigned etc. The docket entry details at the bottom of the page will indicate if there were any arrests, summons or citations (“tickets”) involved in the case.

Note that arrests are common when the “criminal misdemeanors” or “criminal felonies” (high-level offenses) are selected as Case Type. “Mugshots” or police photographs taken during booking are not included in the court records database.

To confirm the status of the case, to find out if the defendant is currently in police/judicial custody or their release date, contact the relevant court directly. For example, the Canton Municipal Court can be reached if the case is heard there.

The city’s municipal court website directs residents to use the same online case docket search option as explained above (Stark County’s Criminal Justice Information Systems). To inspect or copy public records related to a specific case filed in the city of Canton, it is advisable to contact the municipal court.

Canton Municipal Court
218 Cleveland Ave South West
Canton, OH 44702

Phone: 330-489-3203 (Clerk of Court)
Business Hours: 8 am–4 pm | Monday Through Friday

Make sure you visit the clerk’s office during regular business hours and provide sufficient information to assist the record custodian in identifying and retrieving the requested record.

Sometimes the defendant may not reside in the same city/county where the original case was filed or the offense occurred. For example, an accused person may be arrested during an investigation and then discharged and released later. In that case, a statewide arrest record check may be necessary to find if a person has any past criminal history.

There is no single website to look up arrest records in Ohio. Instead, a criminal background check may reveal if there are any previous arrests, probation or prison records.

To run a statewide background check on yourself, follow the procedures to submit fingerprints and other required information as instructed by the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).⁶ The mailing locations and contact information for submitting your request are provided on the same page (linked above).

The BCI does not provide an online criminal case search option. A request can be mailed or submitted in person.

The fees may vary. A background check copy is available for $8, while the fee for an original BCI criminal background check is $22.^{7, 8}

Those who live in Ohio can request a BCI background check by finding a local provider through the Webcheck Locations Tool. Visit the provider in person to ask about the fees and request methods accepted by them. Print the form you need from the Lists of Forms for BCI Criminal Records & Background Checks.

The BCI department processes around a million requests every year. For more information, review the FAQ Page. For additional inquiries, call BCI at 877-224-0043 or contact their main office at:

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation
P.O. Box 365
1560 State Rt. 56 South West
London, OH 43140

Email: [email protected]

Note that this type of official criminal background search is usually done for employment or business purposes. Moreover, it is mandatory to obtain a signed consent from the subject whose records might appear on the BCI criminal history databases. Once obtained, a BCI background check report is valid for one year.

When performing a public record search for personal reasons, a convenient way to instantly search arrest records in Stark County, Ohio is by using a third-party information provider. Third-party search sites acquire data from various sources: public court records, social networking sites, media reports etc. So, they allow the users to find information beyond online public records made available by government agencies.

Another agency to consider when searching arrest records is the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction. It offers its offender search tool that provides a list of offenders who are currently imprisoned in an Ohio prison.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction
4545 Fisher Road, Ste. D
Columbus, OH 43228

Phone: (614)752-1161

According to the FBI arrest statistics, in 2022, 161,159 persons were arrested in Ohio. People can land in jail for minor offenses such as drunkenness, disorderly conduct etc.

Anyone can have an unexpected encounter with law enforcement, based on “suspicion”, rather than a proven criminal activity. So, it is essential to be prepared ahead of time and be informed how to bail someone out of jail in Stark County, Ohio.

How Do I Post Bail for Someone Arrested in Stark County?

When a person is accused of a crime and arrested, they may be allowed to opt for a bail or bond option in exchange for a temporary release from custody.

Arraignments (typically the defendant’s first assigned appearance before the judge) are held at the following address:

Stark County Courthouse
Rm. 203, 115 Central Plaza North
Canton, OH 44702

Phone: 330-451-7801
Email: [email protected]

Under Section 2937.011 of Ohio Revised Code, most defendants are entitled to pretrial release, if they can assure that they would appear at future court proceedings.¹⁰

You can either contact the Stark County Sheriff’s jail division at 330-451-1360 or the County Clerk of Courts (phone number provided above) to understand whether a charge is bailable, whether the accused can be released on bail, the amount, whether it can be paid in cash, card etc. There are different types of bonds in Ohio.

Own Recognizance Bond: The defendant may be released “on his own recognizance” by signing a personal agreement that they would show up on all scheduled court dates in the future.¹¹ This does not involve any cash bail bonds or monetary payments.

However, the accused may be put under house arrest, GPS tracking or electronic monitoring to make sure they do not flee the jurisdiction. If someone fails to appear in court as promised, it will make them subject to additional charges and penalties.

Cash Bond: The amount of bail, monetary bond or cash bond will be decided by the judge, magistrate, or clerk of the court, on a case to case basis.¹² If they are unavailable, the sheriff, police officer or other authorized persons can fix the amount of bail.

As long as the charges are pending, the bail amount is retained by the court. The deposit may be made by the accused or by another person on behalf of the accused.

Once the money is transferred, the release process will be initiated. At the end of the case, the money can either be refunded to the defendant or be forfeited.

Those wishing to make payment at the Stark County Clerk’s Office can pay in cash, checks (both personal and certified) and money orders. When a bond is posted, the clerk only accepts cash, money orders, and certified checks.

Surety Bond: The arrested person can opt for paying through a third-party bondsman/insurer. Third-party surety bond agents charge fees (generally 10 percent of the total stated bond amount) for posting the bond to release the defendant.¹³

They will later collect the amount from the defendant/their family. Note that only surety bail bond agents who are licensed by the Ohio Department of Insurance are allowed to post a surety bond.

An arrestee is presumed to be innocent until the charges against them are proven in court. However, in some cases, the court may deny bail or the alleged offense may not be bailable so the incarceration may continue until the case is resolved.

The Refund of Bond: Individuals who have posted and signed a bond for themselves or someone else can have their posted money back once a sentence has been filed with the clerk of the court.

At the end of the trial, when the sentence has been filed, the depositor will receive their bail deposit back by mail. If you have not received a bond refund and have questions, reach out to the bookkeeping department by calling 330/451-7977.

If someone you know is sentenced to county jail, they can be reached by onsite and video visitation. Visitation hours and rules are provided on the Star County Sheriff’s website. The defendant can be contacted by mail at the following address:

“Name of the inmate”
Stark County Jail
4500 Atlantic Blvd North East
Canton, Ohio 44705

To contact a lawyer to seek legal advice, use the Legal Assistance Resources as recommended by the Stark County Government.¹⁴ To ask for referrals, contact the Stark County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service by calling 330-453-0686 or submit a form online.

In Stark County, Ohio, neither the sheriff nor the police departments have released current arrest information on their websites. Citizens may utilize the step-by-step search methods described in this article to find Stark County arrest records in an efficient manner.