Red Lake County Criminal History Records
Red Lake County criminal history records are held by the Sheriff's Office in Red Lake Falls and the 9th Judicial District Court. One of Minnesota's smallest counties by both area and population, Red Lake County is in the northwest part of the state. Criminal matters for the county are handled through the courthouse in Red Lake Falls. This page covers how to access criminal records, court case data, and state background check tools for Red Lake County, whether you are searching online or contacting a local office directly.
Red Lake County Overview
Red Lake County Sheriff and Arrest Records
The Red Lake County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. The office is located at 124 N. Main Ave., Red Lake Falls, MN 56750. The main phone is (218) 253-2996 and the fax is (218) 253-2656. For questions about a specific person or incident in Red Lake County, calling the Sheriff is the right place to start. Staff can tell you what records are available and how to request them.
Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, arrest data is public in Minnesota. The Sheriff's Office must release names, arrest times, charges, and arrest locations when asked. Some information may be withheld if it would harm an active investigation or if a court has restricted access. Those exceptions are narrow. In most cases, basic arrest records are available to anyone who asks.
Red Lake County is one of the few counties in Minnesota with no online jail roster or inmate lookup tool. For current custody status, you will need to call the Sheriff directly. Red Lake County is also served by Tri-County Community Corrections, which handles supervision services across Norman, Polk, and Red Lake Counties. If you are looking for probation or supervision records rather than jail or court records, that regional office may be the right contact.
| Office | Red Lake County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 124 N. Main Ave., Red Lake Falls, MN 56750 |
| Phone | (218) 253-2996 |
| Fax | (218) 253-2656 |
| District Court | Red Lake County Courthouse, Red Lake Falls, MN 56750 |
The Red Lake County District Court page on the Minnesota Courts website shows court hours, contact information, and local resources for those looking up criminal history in the county.
Visit mncourts.gov/Find-Courts/Red-Lake for Red Lake County court details and contacts.
District Court Records and MCRO
The Red Lake County District Court is part of the 9th Judicial District and is located at the Red Lake County Courthouse in Red Lake Falls. The court handles all criminal filings for the county and maintains official case records. If someone was charged with a crime in Red Lake County, the case file is at this courthouse. Court staff can take records requests during business hours. Because the county does not have a large online presence for court records, calling the courthouse directly is often necessary for specific information.
Minnesota Court Records Online, known as MCRO, gives free public access to court cases across the state including Red Lake County. Search by name or case number at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. The results show party names, charges, case status, and docket entries. Juvenile records, sealed cases, and some files tied to active investigations are not shown. Most adult criminal cases are accessible at no cost. MCRO is often the easiest way to check whether someone has a criminal case in Red Lake County without calling or visiting the courthouse.
Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, certain criminal justice data is public. MCRO makes that data searchable online. For a small county like Red Lake, where local online tools are limited, MCRO is a particularly valuable resource.
The MCRO search interface is shown below. This is the tool you will use to search Red Lake County court records online.
Use Minnesota Court Records Online to search Red Lake County criminal cases at no cost.
BCA Background Checks and State Records
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension manages the official state criminal history database. The BCA collects records from courts and law enforcement across Minnesota, Red Lake County included. Two tools are publicly available. The free access site at cch.state.mn.us shows conviction data for most adults with a Minnesota criminal record. A certified background check costs $15 and is processed through dps.mn.gov. Certified checks use fingerprints and return more thorough results than a name-only search. For a small rural county like Red Lake where local online tools are limited, the BCA is the most complete option for a comprehensive criminal history check.
Under Minn. Stat. § 13.87, criminal history data held by law enforcement is classified as private in most cases. The BCA can release a person's own record on request. Third-party access follows stricter rules. The Minnesota Department of Corrections Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us is free and covers people in state prison or on DOC supervision, which is different from the county jail. Both tools are available to the public at no charge.
Expungement of Criminal Records in Red Lake County
Minnesota law allows people to petition to seal certain criminal records. Minn. Stat. § 609A.02 sets out who can apply and which charges or convictions are eligible. Expungement does not wipe a record. It limits who can view it. Law enforcement can still access sealed records in many cases, but the public view through systems like MCRO is removed. That matters for people who want to put an old case behind them and move forward.
To start the process in Red Lake County, you file a petition with the District Court in Red Lake Falls. The court looks at the charges, how long ago the case was resolved, and whether sealing the record is in the interest of justice. Waiting periods vary by offense type and must be satisfied first. Under Minn. Stat. § 609A.015, some cases qualify for automatic sealing without a formal petition. The court clerk in Red Lake Falls can help you figure out which path applies to your situation.
Legal aid organizations serve northwest Minnesota and can assist residents with expungement questions. The Minnesota Courts self-help center at mncourts.gov also has guides and forms for people handling the process on their own. For a small county like Red Lake, reaching out to a regional legal aid group early in the process is often a smart move.
VINE Link Custody Notifications
VINE Link is a free national service for tracking inmate custody status at county jails and state facilities across Minnesota. You can search by name at vinelink.com to check whether someone is in custody in Red Lake County. VINE also allows you to register for automatic alerts when an inmate's status changes, such as a release or a transfer to a different facility. For a small county with no public online jail roster, VINE is often the easiest way to check custody status without calling the Sheriff directly.
The VINE interface for Red Lake County is shown below. This is what the site looks like when you search for inmate status or sign up for notifications.
Use VINE Link to search Red Lake County inmate status or register for custody change notifications.
Cities in Red Lake County
Red Lake County is one of Minnesota's smallest counties. The county seat is Red Lake Falls. Other small communities in the county include Plummer and Brooks. All criminal cases in the county are filed at the Red Lake County District Court in Red Lake Falls.
No cities in Red Lake County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All county residents use the same county-level courts and Sheriff's Office listed above.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Red Lake County. If you are not sure which county holds a particular case, check where the incident occurred or where the person was living at the time.