Roanoke Busted Mugshots

Roanoke busted mugshots and arrest records come from the Roanoke Police Department, the Roanoke Sheriff's Office, and the city jail. The City of Roanoke is an independent city in western Virginia. It is not part of Roanoke County. If you want to find booking photos, check charges, or look up someone who was recently arrested in Roanoke, you have several options. You can go through the city police, the sheriff, or use the state's online case search. This page explains where those records come from, how to get them, and what the law says about access.

Roanoke Police Department Arrest Records

The Roanoke Police Department is the main law enforcement agency for the City of Roanoke. Officers make arrests, process people into the jail system, and create the initial records. When police book someone, the booking process creates a record that includes the person's name, date of birth, charges, and a booking photo. Those photos are what people call mugshots. The Records Division handles requests for these records.

Under Virginia Code §2.2-3706, adult arrestee photographs taken during initial intake must be released to anyone who asks. This is not a gray area. Law enforcement must hand them over unless doing so would hurt an active felony investigation. Once that concern is gone, the mugshot goes public. You submit a FOIA request in writing, and the agency must respond within five working days. The Roanoke Police Department accepts FOIA requests for incident reports, arrest logs, and mugshots.

Arrest records from Roanoke PD include more than just a photo. They also document the date and time of arrest, the location, the arresting officer, and each charge. If bail was set, that amount is part of the record too.

Roanoke Sheriff's Office and City Jail

The Roanoke Sheriff's Office runs the Roanoke City Jail. People arrested by Roanoke police are typically brought here for booking and holding. The jail houses people awaiting trial and those serving short local sentences. Booking information, including charges and mugshots, is maintained at the facility. You can contact the Sheriff's Office directly to ask about current or recent inmates.

The state also offers a tool called VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday), which is the official statewide service for local jail custody status. You can search by name or offender ID to find out if someone is in custody, where they are held, and when they might be released. VINE is free to use and is updated regularly. You can also sign up for notifications if you want alerts when a person's custody status changes.

If someone from Roanoke was convicted of a state offense and sent to a state prison, they will show up in the Virginia Department of Corrections Offender Locator. That tool lets you search by name or VADOC offender ID. It shows facility location, release date if available, and offender photographs.

Roanoke Circuit Court and Case Records

Felony charges in Roanoke go to the Roanoke Circuit Court. This court maintains criminal case records that include case filings, charge information, and case outcomes. These court records are separate from the jail's booking records, but both are public under Virginia law. If you want to see what happened to a case after the arrest, the circuit court is the place to look.

Misdemeanor cases go to the Roanoke General District Court. That court handles less serious charges and maintains its own set of records. You can search many of these records through the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System. The system lets you search by name or case number across courts statewide. It shows case status, hearing dates, and charge information. It does not show mugshots, but it gives you a good picture of what was charged and how the case went.

The Virginia Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23 governs the Central Criminal Records Exchange. This is the state-level repository where all arrest and criminal records are sent. Law enforcement agencies in Roanoke submit fingerprints, photos, and criminal history data to the CCRE. The Virginia State Police runs this system and it is the most comprehensive source for statewide criminal history.

Note: Court records reflect charges, not guilt. An arrest does not mean someone was convicted.

How to Get Roanoke Mugshots and Arrest Records

Virginia law gives the public the right to see arrest records. The process is not complicated, but you need to know who to ask. For Roanoke arrests, start with the Roanoke Police Department or the Sheriff's Office. You submit a FOIA request in writing. The agency has five working days to respond. They can provide the record, deny it with a reason, or ask for more time if the request is complex.

What you can get without a FOIA request is also worth knowing. Many agencies publish daily arrest logs or inmate rosters on their websites. These are updated regularly and often include recent booking information. The state database at virginia.arrests.org aggregates mugshots and booking information from participating jurisdictions. It is a third-party site, not official government data, but it pulls from public records and can be a fast way to check recent bookings.

For a formal criminal history background check, the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange is the official path. Name-based searches cost $15. You use the SP-167 form for individual requests. The turnaround time is typically around 15 days. Payment must be by certified check, money order, or credit card. Personal checks are not accepted.

Expungement of Roanoke Arrest Records

If you were arrested in Roanoke and the charges were dismissed or you were found not guilty, you may be able to get that arrest expunged. Expungement removes the record from public view. Under Virginia Code §19.2-392.2, only people who were acquitted or had their charges dismissed can file for expungement. It does not apply to convictions under current law.

To file, you petition the circuit court in Roanoke. A copy of your petition goes to the prosecuting attorney, who has 21 days to respond. You also need to provide fingerprints to a law enforcement agency. Those prints go to the Central Criminal Records Exchange along with your petition. The court reviews everything and holds a hearing. If approved, the clerk sends the expungement order to the Virginia Department of State Police, which handles removal of the record.

Virginia also passed new record sealing laws under sections 19.2-392.5 through 19.2-392.17. These apply to some convictions and take effect July 1, 2026. This is different from expungement, which only covers non-convictions. The sealing laws give people with eligible criminal convictions a path to have those records hidden from public searches. It does not mean the records disappear. They stay visible to courts and law enforcement.

The virginia.arrests.org database and similar third-party sites may still show old booking data even after an official expungement. You may need to contact those sites directly to request removal. The state has no law that forces private websites to remove records that were lawfully published.

Note: The FOIA Advisory Council at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov can answer questions about your rights under Virginia's open records law.

Virginia State Resources for Mugshots

The Virginia State Police offers several tools for checking criminal history across the state. The Virginia State Police Criminal Background page shows how to request a name-based criminal history search through the CCRE. This is the most complete official source for statewide arrest and conviction data.

The CCRE holds records submitted by Roanoke law enforcement and every other agency in Virginia. Booking photos, fingerprints, and criminal history go into this system after each arrest.

The Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System is another strong option for looking up Roanoke criminal cases without making a formal request. Search by name to see what cases exist, what was charged, and how the case resolved.

The OCIS covers circuit court cases across Virginia, including Roanoke, and is free to search. It does not replace official records but gives a useful starting point.

Nearby Cities

These independent cities are near Roanoke and each handles its own arrest records through city police and sheriff offices.