Big Stone County Busted Mugshots

Big Stone County busted mugshots and arrest records are available through online search tools and the Sheriff's Office. This is one of the smallest counties in Minnesota, sitting on the western border next to South Dakota. The county seat is Ortonville. Sheriff Mark Brown runs the office and oversees the jail. Even though the population is small, arrests still happen, and those records are public. If you need to look up who got booked in Big Stone County, this guide shows you where to search and what to expect.

Big Stone County Sheriff's Office

The Big Stone County Sheriff's Office is at 20 Second St. SE in Ortonville, MN 56278. Sheriff Mark Brown leads the department. The phone number is (320) 839-3558. The office handles everything from patrol to jail operations. When someone gets arrested in Big Stone County, they go through booking at this facility. Staff take a photo, record the charges, and log the person into the system.

Big Stone County is rural. The population is under 5,000 people. That means the jail is small and bookings are not as frequent as in metro counties. But when someone does get arrested, the same rules apply. Mugshots and basic arrest data are public records under state law. You can call the Sheriff's Office to ask about someone or submit a formal written request.

How to Find Big Stone County Busted Mugshots

Big Stone County does not have its own inmate search portal on the county website. For online searches, you have two main options. First, try VINELink. Select Minnesota and pick Big Stone County. Enter a name and search. VINELink shows custody status and basic booking info. It covers all Minnesota counties, so Big Stone is included even though it is small.

Second, you can check jailrosters.org for Big Stone County. This third-party site pulls jail roster data and shows who has been booked recently. The data comes from public sources and may include mugshots, charges, and booking dates. It is not an official county tool, but it can fill in gaps when VINELink does not have what you need.

Here is the VINELink search page set up for Big Stone County.

Search for inmates in Big Stone County at VINELink.

VINELink also lets you set up custody alerts for any inmate in the system.

For court case records, use the Minnesota Court Records Online system. Search by name or case number to see charges, hearing dates, and outcomes for Big Stone County District Court cases. It does not have mugshots, but it covers the court side of things in detail.

Big Stone County Mugshot Laws

Mugshots are public in Big Stone County. The rule comes from Minnesota Statute 13.82, subdivision 26. It says booking photographs are public data. The Sheriff's Office has to make them available when someone asks. The same statute covers other arrest data. The date, time, place of arrest, and the charges are all public information.

Criminal history records work differently. Statute 13.87 says conviction data is public for 15 years after the sentence is fully served. Arrest data that did not result in a conviction is private. So a mugshot from an arrest might be public, but the broader criminal history record from that same incident might not be if the charges were dropped.

People can petition to have records sealed through Chapter 609A. The waiting period varies by offense type. Petty misdemeanors take two years. Misdemeanors also need two clean years. Gross misdemeanors need three. Certain felonies need four or five years. If a judge grants the petition, the records come out of public databases. But not all offenses are eligible.

Note: The Big Stone County District Court handles expungement petitions for cases filed in this county.

Busted Mugshots and Statewide Tools

Small counties like Big Stone sometimes have limited online tools. That is where state databases come in. The Minnesota DOC Public Viewer shows state prison inmates and people on supervised release. If someone from Big Stone County got sent to a state facility, they show up in this system. It includes photos, offense data, and release status.

For criminal history checks, the BCA background check page has info on how to run a search. The free public search at cch.state.mn.us covers conviction data from all Minnesota counties. It is a good starting point if you want to know about past convictions tied to Big Stone County or anywhere else in the state.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch website is another useful resource. It links to court records, forms, and contact info for every county's District Court. Big Stone County is part of the 8th Judicial District, which covers a group of western Minnesota counties. You can find hearing schedules and filing info there.

Under Statute 13.03, inspecting public data is free. Copies cost up to 25 cents a page for black and white. If you want records from the Sheriff's Office, send a written request to 20 Second St. SE, Ortonville, MN 56278. Include the person's full name and any details that help narrow the search.

Big Stone County Arrest Records

Even in a county this size, arrest records pile up over time. DUI stops, drug charges, warrants from other counties, and assaults all come through the system. Each arrest creates a record. That record includes the person's name, mugshot, charges, and the date and time of booking. It stays on file at the Sheriff's Office.

If you need older records, call ahead. Small offices sometimes take longer to dig through archives. But the data is there. Minnesota law requires law enforcement agencies to keep booking records and make public data available on request. Big Stone County is no different in that regard, even if it processes fewer arrests than the bigger counties do.

Nearby Counties

Big Stone County borders these western Minnesota counties. If you are looking for someone who may have been arrested nearby, try these areas.