Hendry County Arrest Records

Hendry County arrest records are kept by the Hendry County Sheriff's Office in LaBelle, Florida. The sheriff handles all bookings and runs the county jail where arrest data is processed and stored. Hendry County sits in south-central Florida, and its arrest records are public under the state's Sunshine Law. You can search for current inmates online or contact the jail for booking details. The county covers a large rural area, and the sheriff's office is the sole agency that manages detention and arrest record storage for Hendry County. Whether someone was picked up in LaBelle or Clewiston, all arrest records flow through one system.

Hendry County Sheriff's Office Arrest Data

The Hendry County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail at 101 South Bridge Street in LaBelle. This is where all arrests in Hendry County get processed. When someone is brought in, jail staff take a booking photo, log the charges, and enter the record into the system. That booking record becomes a public arrest record under Florida law. The jail phone number is 863-674-5600. You can call this number to check on a person in custody or ask about recent Hendry County arrest records.

Hendry County does have an online inmate search tool. The system lets you look up people who are currently held at the jail. You can search by name and view charges, bond amounts, and booking dates. This is the fastest way to check on a recent arrest in Hendry County without making a phone call. The data updates on a regular cycle, but there may be a short gap between when someone is booked and when the record shows up online.

Arrest Records Access in Hendry County

Florida's public records laws are broad. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes gives anyone the right to view government records. That includes arrest records in Hendry County. You do not need a reason to look them up. Section 119.07 says the custodian of records must let you see them. An arrest record shows that a person was taken into custody. It is not the same as a conviction. The record lists the arrest date, the agency involved, what charges were filed, and booking details for Hendry County.

Under Section 943.053, criminal history records in Florida are public unless they have been sealed or expunged by a court. This applies to all Hendry County arrest records held by the sheriff or by FDLE at the state level. Some categories do have limits. Juvenile arrest records are not open to the public. Victim names may be kept out. Active investigation files can be held back until the case closes in Hendry County. Personal data like Social Security numbers gets stripped from any public copies.

The FDLE criminal history check page is one tool for finding Hendry County arrest records through the state system.

This state portal pulls arrest data from all 67 Florida counties, including Hendry County.

Statewide Search Tools for Hendry County

Beyond the local sheriff's search, several state databases can help you find arrest records tied to Hendry County. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement runs the Public Access System. This is a name-based criminal history check. It costs $24 plus a $1 online fee. Results come back right away. You need the person's full name, and adding a date of birth helps get better matches. If someone was arrested in Hendry County, the record should show up here unless it was sealed or expunged.

The Comprehensive Case Information System is another resource. CCIS has over 150 million court cases from every Florida county. It covers criminal charges, court events, and sentencing data for Hendry County. Real-time data feeds from all 67 county clerks keep the system current. If an arrest in Hendry County led to a state prison sentence, the FDC Offender Search tracks that person through the corrections system. FDLE also keeps a Wanted Persons database through the Florida Crime Information Center that covers outstanding warrants in Hendry County and the rest of the state.

Note: FDLE name searches cost $25 total and show results from all Florida counties, not just Hendry County.

Hendry County Arrest Record Sealing

If you have an arrest record in Hendry County and the case did not end in a conviction, you may be able to get it sealed or expunged. The process starts with FDLE. You apply for a Certificate of Eligibility. The fee is $75, and processing takes about 12 weeks. FDLE handles these in the order they come in. There is no way to speed it up.

Once you have the certificate, you file a petition with the court in Hendry County where the arrest happened. Sealing a record under Section 943.059 hides it from public view, though some government agencies can still see it. Expunging under Section 943.0585 means most agencies must destroy their copies. FDLE keeps one confidential copy. The certificate is good for 12 months from the date it is issued. Administrative expungement under Section 943.0581 covers arrests that were made by mistake. Juvenile diversion expungement under Section 943.0582 applies to minors who finished an approved program in Hendry County.

The FDLE seal and expunge page has the application forms and steps for Hendry County residents.

Applications are also available from the Hendry County Clerk of Court.

Hendry County Jail and Corrections

The Hendry County jail in LaBelle holds people who are waiting for trial and those with short sentences. If a person gets a state prison sentence after an arrest in Hendry County, they transfer to a Florida Department of Corrections facility. The FDC processes public records requests under Chapter 119 and Section 945.10 of the Florida Statutes. You can look up state inmates on the FDC Offender Search page by name or DC number.

For questions about someone currently held at the Hendry County jail, call 863-674-5600. Staff can confirm if a person is in custody and share basic booking data. For older arrest records no longer in the active online system, submit a public records request to the Hendry County Sheriff's Office. Be specific in your request. That helps the office find what you need faster and can cut down on costs for copies.

Cities in Hendry County

Hendry County includes the cities of LaBelle and Clewiston along with unincorporated areas. No cities in the county meet the 75,000 population mark. All arrests in these areas go through the Hendry County Sheriff's Office, and the same jail and booking system handles every case.

Nearby Counties

Hendry County borders several other counties in south Florida. If you are unsure where an arrest took place, check which agency made the booking. The arresting agency tells you which county holds the record.