Search Fillmore County Booking Records

Fillmore County recent bookings are processed through the Sheriff's Office in Preston, in southeast Minnesota near the Iowa border. The jail log records each arrest as it comes in, noting the person's name, charges, and intake date. These records are public under Minnesota law. Whether you are checking on a current inmate or looking into a past arrest, this page explains how to access Fillmore County booking data, what information is available, how long records are held, and what legal options exist if you want to address an old arrest on your record.

Fillmore County Jail Records and Recent Arrests

Fillmore County sits in the bluff country of southeast Minnesota, bordered by Iowa to the south and Wisconsin not far to the east. The Sheriff's Office in Preston handles all jail intake for the county, booking people arrested by county deputies and municipal officers from cities like Spring Valley, Harmony, and Chatfield. Each booking is entered into the county's jail management system with the person's name, charges, and booking date. Because Fillmore is a rural county, the roster is smaller than urban jails, but it operates under the same legal framework.

Minnesota Statute section 13.82 classifies booking and arrest data as public government data. This is part of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, and it applies to every law enforcement agency in the state, including the Fillmore County Sheriff. Under this law, the Sheriff must disclose certain booking data to anyone who requests it. The information that must be made public includes the name of the person arrested, the charges at intake, the date and time of booking, and the arresting agency. The Fillmore County website lists Sheriff's Office contact information for those who want to request records in person or by phone.

For a small county like Fillmore, the quickest way to confirm a booking is often a direct call. Online rosters are not always available for smaller jails, and the information at the front desk is current and accurate.

What Fillmore County Booking Data Shows

When someone is booked into the Fillmore County jail, the record that gets created includes the person's full name, the date and time they were processed, the charges written by the arresting officer, the name of the arresting agency, bail or bond information if applicable, and current custody status. Case or arrest numbers are also part of the record and can be used to search court files later. Fields like home address and date of birth are treated as private data under the Government Data Practices Act and are not part of the public-facing record, even though they exist in the system.

A booking record is not a conviction record. It captures what was happening at the time of arrest: the charges as the officer understood them, the initial bail decision, and where the person was held. After that point, the court takes over. Charges can change. Cases can be dismissed. A person can be found not guilty. The booking record does not update to reflect those outcomes, which is why it is useful to check the Minnesota Courts public access portal for case status after looking at a booking. The Third Judicial District handles Fillmore County cases and can be reached through the MN Courts site.

Cases involving juveniles are not part of the public booking record. Sealed proceedings are also excluded. These restrictions apply statewide, not just in Fillmore County.

Fillmore County Sheriff's Office

The Fillmore County Sheriff's Office manages the county jail, handles booking intake, and oversees inmate operations in Preston. The office works with local police departments across the county and coordinates with state agencies on warrant enforcement and prisoner transport. For questions about who is currently in custody, a recent booking, or how to obtain records, the Sheriff's Office is the right point of contact. The county website provides department listings and additional public service information.

Accessing Fillmore County Booking Records

The most direct way to check on a booking in Fillmore County is to call the Sheriff's Office at 507-765-3874. Staff can confirm custody status, provide charges from the booking record, and note any scheduled court dates. For a broader search that goes beyond current bookings, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension runs a statewide criminal history search. It costs a fee and requires a name plus date of birth, but it pulls records from across the state rather than just one county's current roster. The BCA is part of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

For victim notification, VINELink is available across all Minnesota counties. You can register for alerts tied to a specific inmate's custody status and receive a call, text, or email when there is a change. This is free to use and does not require you to be an official victim of a crime. It is particularly helpful in a rural county where calling the jail every day to check on status is not practical. Setup takes just a few minutes online, and you can cancel alerts at any time.

Court records for Fillmore County cases are available through the Minnesota Courts public access system. Once charges are formally filed, case details, hearing dates, and outcomes are searchable there. The jail booking record and the court record are separate systems, but both are part of the public record in most circumstances.

Minnesota State Resources for Booking Lookups

Several state-level tools supplement what the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office provides locally. The Minnesota Department of Corrections offender search covers people serving sentences in state prison or on supervised release. If someone was convicted after a Fillmore County arrest and is now in the state system, the DOC viewer will show their current status and location. This is separate from jail records, which reflect people held locally before trial or sentencing.

The Minnesota State Records site aggregates public data from various state agencies. It can be a useful starting point when you are not sure where to look or which agency holds the record you need. For legal guidance on what records are available and how to request them, LawHelpMN has plain-language guides covering data practices, expungement, and related topics. These resources are free and do not require a lawyer to use.

Retention Rules, Booking Fees, and Expungement in Fillmore County

Fillmore County keeps booking records according to state-mandated retention schedules established under Minnesota Statute 138.17. The retention period for law enforcement records runs longer than the short public window most people see when searching current or recent bookings. Even after a case is closed and a person is released, the booking file stays in the county's records system for the required retention term. This applies regardless of how the case ended, whether by conviction, dismissal, or acquittal.

A booking fee is assessed when someone enters the Fillmore County jail. This fee is authorized under Minnesota Statute 641.12, which gives counties authority to collect intake processing costs. The fee is charged at the time of booking and is not refundable if charges are later dropped or the person is found not guilty. It covers administrative intake costs and is standard practice across Minnesota counties.

For people who want to seal or remove a Fillmore County booking record, expungement under Minnesota Statute 609A is the available legal path. A successful expungement seals the court file and, where it applies, the law enforcement record. Not every arrest qualifies. Eligibility depends on charge type, case outcome, and time elapsed since the arrest. LawHelpMN has detailed guides on how to evaluate eligibility and file a petition without an attorney if needed.

The Minnesota Courts public access portal covers the Third Judicial District, which handles all Fillmore County criminal and civil cases after a booking leads to formal charges.

Using state tools alongside local Sheriff's Office records gives a fuller picture of a case, from the initial booking through the court process and any eventual state corrections involvement.

Nearby Counties

Fillmore County borders several southeast Minnesota counties and is close to Iowa and Wisconsin state lines. If a booking happened near a county border, verify which agency made the arrest to find the correct record.