Missouri Criminal Records

Missouri Criminal Records are legal documents showing what crimes people who have been guilty or convicted in the state have committed. Aside from information about convictions and arrests, criminal records in Missouri include information about dispositions, pleas, and sentences.

In Missouri, records like this are open to the public. It is due, in part, to the Missouri Sunshine Law, which mandates state and municipal law enforcement authorities to make public state criminal records available to the public.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) is in charge of keeping criminal history records, although courts and local law enforcement also keep copies.

Missouri Criminal Records include the following information:

• Subject's personal information (name, date of birth, sex, and race)
• Any aliases
• Fingerprints
• Mugshot
• Current and former addresses
• Current and previous charges
• Arrest history
• Conviction details
• Arrest report

Information in criminal records in Missouri, like in other states, differs depending on the committed crime. However, if you are wondering what crimes are in Missouri Criminal Records, here they are:

Felonies

In Missouri, felony records carry a sentence of more than a year of imprisonment. Missouri divides felony records into five classes for sentencing purposes, with Class A being the most severe and Class E being the least.

Class A Felony

Some examples under Class A felony records include first-degree murder and kidnapping. If someone commits this type of felony, they will go to prison for at least ten years, no more than 30 years, or for life.

Class B Felony

This felony gets you at least five years in prison and no more than 15 years. Class B felonies include voluntary manslaughter, first-degree assault, and burglary.

Class C Felony

If you commit a crime under this felony category, you will go to prison for at least three years and no more than ten. Class C felonies include selling an illicit narcotic (excluding less than 35 grams of marijuana) and involuntary manslaughter.

Class D Felony

Class D felony records include illegal gun possession, second-degree statutory rape, and second-degree assault, carrying a maximum jail sentence of seven years.

Class E Felony

Those who commit these crimes will get no more than four years in prison. Class E felonies include the first offense of first-degree stalking and a deceptive gun purchase.

How long do felony records last? In Missouri, a felony conviction becomes a permanent part of your criminal record unless expunged.

Misdemeanor

Misdemeanor records in Missouri entail less severe crimes. Like most other states, Missouri divides misdemeanor records into four classes, with Class A being the most severe and Class D being the least.

Class A Misdemeanor

This category is the most severe type of misdemeanor in Missouri. It includes offenses like possessing up to 35 grams of marijuana, third-degree domestic assault, and shoplifting worth less than $500. You will face up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine if convicted.

Class B Misdemeanor

Some examples of misdemeanors in this category are driving while intoxicated and trespassing in the first degree. This misdemeanor carries a maximum six-month jail sentence and a $1,000 fine.

Class C Misdemeanor

Class C misdemeanor crimes include stealing from a library worth less than $500, sexual misconduct in the third degree, and illegal gambling. These offenses have a maximum 15-day in jail and a $700 fine.

Class D Misdemeanor

Class D misdemeanor crimes include having less than 10 grams of marijuana or drug paraphernalia and stealing something worth less than $150. If you commit these crimes, you could get a fine of up to $500.

How long does a misdemeanor stay on your record? Misdemeanor records in Missouri are permanent unless expunged. When removing a misdemeanor record, you must wait at least three years from the day you completed any proper disposition.

Criminal Driving Violations

Criminal driving violation records in Missouri come with different punishments. A person could go to jail if the crime is severe or someone else is hurt. Common traffic violations in Missouri include speeding or continuing through a red light. However, there are many more, including:

Failing To Yield

In Missouri, a violation of failing to yield is a Class C misdemeanor. Depending on the situation, you could be guilty of careless and reckless driving, mainly if your driving causes an accident or injury to someone.

If someone dies because you failed to yield, you must:

• Stop driving for six months
• Pay a $1000 fine
• Be guilty of vehicular homicide

Careless and Imprudent Driving

Driving carelessly or recklessly is a Class B misdemeanor in Missouri. If convicted, you might spend six months in jail or pay a fine of $1,000. If this offense causes an accident, you might face a year in jail or $2,000 in fines.

Driving While Under the Influence (DWI)

DWI is a more severe crime than careless and reckless driving. However, each DWI is unique. The severity of a DWI depends on whether there was an accident, how extreme the driving was, and previous offenses.

First Offense DWI

DWI, for the first time in Missouri, is a class B misdemeanor that carries a punishment of six months in prison, a $500 fine, or both. Up to two years of probation, a 30-day license suspension, and a 60-day restricted hardship license are also possible.

Second Offense DWI

A second offense in five years is a class A misdemeanor. This offense may result in a $1,000 fine, ten days in prison, or 240 hours of community service. Depending on your prior DWI, you will get a 90-day, 1-year, or 5-year license suspension if you commit this crime.

Third Offense DWI

After the third offense, your DWI becomes a class E felony. In this offense, you might face up to four years in prison, a $5,000 fine, and at least 30 days in jail or extensive community service. You could lose your license for up to 10 years.

Fourth Offense DWI

This type of offense is a Class D felony and renders you an "aggravated offender", subject to seven years in jail and a $5,000 fine. A fourth offense of DWI might also result in permanent license loss.

Fifth Offense DWI

If you break the law five times a row, you are a "repeat offender" and will face ten years in prison. A repeat offender must serve two years in the Missouri Department of Corrections (MODOC) before being eligible for probation.

How long do criminal driving violations stay on your record? In Missouri, this will remain on your record for life unless expunged. You can clear your history in Missouri after ten years if you get a DUI.

Sexual Offenses

In Missouri, adults who contend in sexual activity with children under 17 are guilty of statutory rape, sodomy, or child molestation.

The following are the significant sex offense records in Missouri:

First-degree Statutory Rape and Sodomy

Those who commit this offense will go to jail for five or ten years if the child is under 12 years old.

Second-degree Statutory Rape and Sodomy

This crime can get you to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

First-degree Child Molestation

This sexual offense entails a sentence of 10 to thirty years or life imprisonment. It is a Class A felony and includes sexual contact with a child under 14 years old if the defendant:

• Severely harms the child
• Shows a weapon in a threatening way
• A family member

Second-degree Child Molestation

This crime carries a punishment of five to 15 years in jail. This violation involves a defendant of any age and a child under 12. It also consists of a child under 17 and a defendant more than four years older if:

• The defendant hurts the child badly
• Such a person shows a gun or knife in a threatening way
• The defendant is related to the child

Third-degree Child Molestation

Third-degree child molestation entails sexual contact with a child under 14 and a defendant of any age. Those who commit this crime will get a sentence of three to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Fourth-degree Child Molestation

Fourth-degree child molestation involves a child under 17 and a defendant more than four years older than the victim. If found guilty, you will get a punishment of up to four years in jail and pay a $10,000 fine.

In Missouri, anyone convicted of a sex crime against a child must register as a sex offender and must stay on the sex registry for 25 years.

If you want to know about sex offenders in Missouri, you can look at the Missouri sex offender registry. The MSHP runs this database with the names and offenses of registered sex offenders in the state.

Expungement is when a court seals a criminal record. In many cases, Missouri expunges or "closes" criminal records.

Criminal Records Eligible for Expungement in Missouri

If you have a criminal history in Missouri, you may remove that record if you meet the following:

Felony and Misdemeanor Criminal Records

In Missouri, many misdemeanor and felony records are eligible for expungement. After this process, the criminal history will only be available to the courts, law enforcement, and some employers. To apply for expungement, you must wait seven years after a felony conviction and three years after an arrest or misdemeanor.

However, Missouri law prohibits expunging the following offenses:

• Class A violent felonies
• Dangerous felonies
• Sexual offenses that need registration
• Intoxicated driving

Click here for the complete list of disqualifying offenses.

Criminal Records Based on False Information

If all of the following are true, your arrest record is eligible for expungement:

• You have never been guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony.
• No evidence linked you to the crime, so you weren't charged.
• You did not get a suspended sentence for the offense.
• No civil action is pending over your arrest or expunged records.

Closure of Arrest Records

If you were arrested and charged in Missouri and one of the following circumstances applied, your arrest record may be eligible for closure if:

• You weren't guilty
• There is a dismissal of the charge
• The charge will no longer prosecute

If you qualify, the court should have sealed your record. If not, consult a court clerk or criminal defense counsel for further steps.

How to File Expungement in Missouri?

Missouri law asserts that before someone can file for an expungement, they must have paid their fine and finished their probation or parole.

In Missouri, the following are the steps for expunging a criminal record:

• Create an Expungement Petition. Here you can find the Missouri Supreme Court's standard form for expungement petition.
• Pay the fee of $250.
• File your Petition.

Missouri Inmate Records give information about people who are in prison or jail in the state. On the other hand, Missouri Jail Records are official documents describing aspects of detention and correctional facility operations.

MODOC maintains state prisons, community supervision, and release programs. It is also in charge of programs for people on probation or parole and keeping most inmate and jail records.

For an inmate search, interested parties can use the MODOC website's Offender Search tool by entering the inmate's DOC ID or full name.

In Missouri, inmate records include the following:

• Inmate's personal information (name, date of birth, gender, and race)
• Any aliases
• Social security number
• DOC ID
• Booking photo
• Weight and Height
• Placed in charge
• Sentence summary

Missouri Arrest Records list people arrested in connection with investigations and crimes. While these documents reveal arrests, they don't prove guilt.

In Missouri, an arrest warrant has the signature of the court or magistrate who issued it. During the booking process, the arrestee is told about the charges against him and the bail amount, if set.

After an arrest, booking begins. This process is when all vital data about the suspect(s) and the crime are put into the database, creating the official police record.

The MSHP's Criminal Justice Information Services maintains arrest data throughout the state. In Missouri, interested parties can get free arrest records by visiting the clerk's office at their local county superior court.

Missouri Arrest Records include the following information:

• Arrestee's identifying data (name, gender, and birth date)
• Accused crime or reason for arrest
• When and where the arrest took place
• Arrestee's jail
• Name of the arresting officer
• Name of warrant's issuer

Obtaining Missouri Criminal Records serves many purposes. If you need to run a background check on a possible employee, Missouri is one of the top states in terms of ease, accessibility, and affordability.

The Missouri Automated Criminal History Site (MACHS) keeps the state's criminal history information. MACHS offers two search portals: by name and by fingerprint.

When compared to a fingerprint check, a name-based search is less formal. But for $14 plus any other processing fees, this can help anyone find criminal records. You can have a document notarized for an extra $2.

Background checks based on fingerprints are a confirmation of identification. For a State or FBI criminal background check, fingerprinting requires a registration number from an employer or licensing body.