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  1. Schuylkill County Court
  2. Schuylkill County Arrest Records

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Arrest Records

Schuylkill County arrest records are summarized documents that display that an individual was taken into custody and booked by law enforcement on suspicion of committing a crime. The details of an arrest record reflect the basic facts surrounding the arrest, such as the person’s identification, alleged crime, and booking and custody.

The Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office or the Pennsylvania State Police creates the arrest records in Schuylkill County as part of their official duties. Municipal law enforcement agencies such as the Pottsville Police Department and the Tamaqua Police Department (the two largest cities in Schuylkill County) also create arrest records in the county..

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Schuylkill, Pennsylvania?

Yes, arrest records in Schuylkill County are considered public information, and this is rooted in the provision of Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law (65 P.S. § 67.101). The statute establishes the general presumption that unless the record is exempted from public view, most government records held by law enforcement are accessible by the public.

Also, the Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement agencies in Schuylkill County follow the state’s Criminal History Record Information Act (18 Pa.C.S. § 9101) when handling criminal history information. This statute authorizes the collection, maintenance, and release of criminal history information by law enforcement upon request.

Note: The state of Pennsylvania does not impose a requirement to be a resident to access arrest records. Everyone can obtain and view arrest records even if they are not Schuylkill County residents. However, requesters must submit a valid ID when making a formal request to the Schuylkill County Clerk of Courts or the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office. Online search typically does not require any form of identification.

What Do Public Schuylkill County Arrest Records Contain?

Under Pennsylvania state law, the Schuylkill County arrest record contains basic identifying and overall case-related details surrounding the arrest incident:

  • Full name of the arrestee
  • Physical description, e.g., height, weight, hair, and eye color
  • Date of birth
  • Mugshot
  • Booking number
  • Charge description
  • Arresting officer(s)
  • Booking date and time

Not all arrest information is considered public as certain categories of information are redacted and withheld from the public eye. The following types of arrest information are protected:

  • Social Security numbers and financial account identifier exempt under RTKL § 67.708
  • Juvenile record protected under Pennsylvania Juvenile Act (42 Pa. C.S. 6307)
  • Information on an ongoing criminal investigation e.g., bodycam of arresting officer, pursuant to RTKL § 67.708(b)(16) 
  • Personal medical and mental health information
  • Identity of confidential informants
  • Records sealed or expunged by court order, as authorized under CHRIA § 9122

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Arrest Search

County-level resources aside, the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system serves as a statewide resource for criminal history information in Pennsylvania. It is maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police under the Criminal History Record Information Act (18 Pa.C.S. § 9101). The public can use the PATCH online to easily access criminal history records for a required fee of $22 per search.

Also note that there are charges for misspellings, duplicate submissions, and other forms of errors. Individuals can also send requests via mail with a certified check or money order.

The federal resource available in Pennsylvania is the FBI Bureau of Prisons (BOP), which provides criminal history records of inmates housed in federal facilities via its National Inmate Locator website. Inmates can be searched by BOP register number or their full name and age.

Schuylkill County Inmate Locator

The Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office conducts arrests, record bookings, and manages county-level custody in the County Prison. However, the Sheriff’s Office and the County Prison do not currently host a public online inmate roster on their official website. Persons interested in looking up an inmate’s custody status in Schuylkill County can visit and contact the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office and the County Prison. Below is their respective address and directory:

Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office

401 North 2nd Street,

Pottsville, PA 17901

Phone: (570) 628-1440

FAX: (570) 628-1014

Email: sheriff@schuylkillcountypa.gov

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Schuylkill County Prison

230 Sanderson Street,

Pottsville, PA 17901

Phone: (570) 628-1450

Both facilities have staff on standby to confirm inmate custody and information on bail and bond, attend to any other enquiries.

Active Warrant Search in Schuylkill County

An arrest warrant is a document that is issued by a court for the arrest or the apprehension of an individual based on a concrete probable cause. An arrest warrant is usually issued by a judge. In Schuylkill County, they are issued by the judges of the Court of Common Pleas or Magisterial District Court judges after the submission of a sworn affidavit by a law enforcement officer. Arrest warrants usually contain the person’s full name, the alleged crime, and certain arrest conditions laid out by the judge.

The Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office executes active warrants in the county, and it hosts a public online Warrant List on the county’s official website. The Sheriff’s Office updates the list regularly and users can search by name. An active warrant being public does not compromise an ongoing investigation, pursuant to Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law(65 P.S. § 67.101). 

Active warrants can be searched using the following search criteria:

  • Full name or aliases
  • Date of birth 
  • Case number

Offline inquiries can be done if an online search does not yield results. Interested persons can visit the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office, contact by phone (570) 628-1440, or via mail.

Agency/Resource

Purpose

Search Methods

Notes

Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office 

Serves bench and arrest warrants 

Via phone, online warrant list, and in-person

The bench warrant list is available on the county website.

Schuylkill County County Clerk of Courts

Issues warrants the Court of Common Pleas

In-person and via phone 

Handles felony and misdemeanor criminal cases

Pennsylvania State Police (PATCH)

State-based criminal history and warrant repository 

Online via record request

$22 fee per search

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Schuylkill County 

Schuylkill County Arrest Records can be obtained at no cost through the following channels:

1. Visit the Schuylkill County Courthouse. It maintains court records that are open to the public for inspection at:

Schuylkill County Courthouse

401 North 2nd Street

Pottsville, PA 17901

Phone: 570-628-1380

Also, the Clerk of Courts' office makes provision for public access computer terminals at the Schuylkill County Courthouse for free.

2. The Sheriff’s Bench Warrant List maintained by the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office is a free method of finding arrest records through a list of persons with active bench warrants.

3. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Web Portal provides basic case information at no cost through the PA UJS Portal. However, fees may apply for certain documents. 

4. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections provides an Inmate Locator portal and a parolee search tool for free for interested searchers.

It is worthy of note that some agencies may charge a fee for copies, certification or extra search, pursuant to Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law.

Schuylkill County Arrest Report

An arrest record and an arrest report perform different functions in the justice system, even though they appear similar. When a person is arrested and taken into custody, an arrest record is immediately created to document key data like the arrestee’s identity, the date of arrest, booking number, charges faced, and custody status. Arrest records are maintained with custodial criminal history systems, such as those managed by the Schuylkill County Clerk of Courts or the Pennsylvania State Police. However, an arrest report describes in detail the circumstances and facts that led to the arrest and the officer and eyewitness statements. Its public disclosure is regulated differently under the Right-to-Know Law, as certain facts are exempt for privacy.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Schuylkill County

There are only two options available to get an arrest record removed or restricted in Schuylkill County, and they are expungement and sealing. Expungement removes completely, while sealing restricts access for only law enforcement viewing and recording.

18 Pa.C.S. §9122 (CHRIA) allows for expungement in Schuylkill County, giving courts the authority to order the complete removal of criminal history records under the following conditions:

  • A person who has not been arrested or prosecuted for five years after the conviction of a less serious crime
  • If the case was no longer pursued by the prosecutor in the circumstance of withdrawn or dropped charges.
  • A 70-year-old defendant or older who has remained crime-free for at least ten years

On the other hand, Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law (Act 56 of 2018) regulates sealing of records in Schuylkill County. It allows certain records to be sealed from the public gaze. However, unlike expungement, the records would remain accessible to law enforcement. Anyone with a non-violent misdemeanor conviction can petition for sealing after 10 years if they have not committed another crime. A defendant with a non-conviction case can also petition for record sealing.

How Do You Remove Schuylkill County Arrest Records From the Internet

Eligible persons can petition the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas under 18 Pa.C.S. §9122 (CHRIA), and sealing under Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law (Act 56 of 2018). Individuals interested in expunging or sealing their record can visit or contact:

Schuylkill County Clerk of Court

401 North 2nd Street

Pottsville, PA 17901

Phone: (570) 628-1380

After getting a record expunged, persons can then go ahead to put forward the court order as legal basis for their request for the removal of published arrest records. This means the Pennsylvania State Police are authorized to remove the official record from government databases.