Access Houghton County Recent Arrests

Houghton County recent arrests are processed by the sheriff's office in the city of Houghton, located in the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This is one of the more remote counties in the state. The sheriff handles all jail bookings and arrest records. Criminal cases go through the 12th Circuit Court and 97th District Court. You can search for recent arrests using state tools like ICHAT and OTIS, or by reaching out to the sheriff directly. This page explains how to find and access Houghton County arrest records.

Houghton County Sheriff Arrest Records

The Houghton County Sheriff's Office is at 403 E. Houghton Avenue in Houghton. Call (906) 482-2121 for general questions or to ask about someone in custody. The sheriff runs the county jail and handles bookings from all arrests made in the county. That includes arrests by deputies and local police from Houghton, Hancock, and other small towns in the area.

Booking records in Houghton County include the person's full name, date of birth, charges filed, bond info, and the arresting agency. Under MCL § 28.242, all arrests must be reported to the state within 72 hours. Houghton County does not offer a public online inmate lookup tool. To check who is currently in the jail, call the sheriff's office. For written copies of arrest reports, you file a FOIA request. Under MCL § 15.231, the public has the right to access government records. The sheriff has five business days to respond to your request.

The county is home to Michigan Technological University, which adds a student population to the area. That can affect the types of arrests seen here. OWI offenses, drug charges, and minor in possession cases are common alongside the standard rural county booking activity. The Michigan State Police also patrol the Keweenaw area and make arrests that get booked into the Houghton County Jail.

Houghton County Court and Criminal Cases

The 12th Circuit Court handles felony cases for Houghton County. The courthouse is at 401 E. Houghton Avenue. Call (906) 482-5420 for the clerk's office. Felony trials, sentencing, and appeals are heard here. Under MCL § 600.1420, court records are public unless sealed by a judge. You can search Houghton County cases on the MiCOURT portal for free by name or case number.

The 97th District Court covers misdemeanors, arraignments, and preliminary exams. If someone is arrested in Houghton County on a misdemeanor, the case stays in district court. Felony cases move to circuit court. Both courts are part of the Michigan Courts system. Forms, schedules, and contact info are on the state court website.

The OTIS offender search page at mdocweb.state.mi.us is shown below.

OTIS lets you search for people from Houghton County who are under Michigan Department of Corrections supervision.

Find Houghton County Recent Arrests Online

ICHAT is the primary state tool for criminal record searches. Run by the Michigan State Police, it costs $10 per search. You need a full legal name and date of birth. ICHAT pulls felony and serious misdemeanor convictions from all 83 Michigan counties including Houghton. Traffic offenses and pending cases are not shown.

OTIS is the free search tool from the Michigan Department of Corrections. It tracks offenders in prison, on parole, or on probation. Anyone from Houghton County under MDOC supervision shows up in OTIS. The system also covers people discharged in the past three years. No account needed.

VINELink is free and sends custody alerts. Register to get notified when someone in the Houghton County Jail or a state facility is released, transferred, or escapes. Anyone can sign up for the service.

Expungement for Houghton County Records

Michigan's Clean Slate law under MCL § 780.621 allows many old convictions to be set aside. Two felonies can be expunged after 10 years. Four misdemeanors qualify after seven years. Some offenses get automatic expungement. For others, file Form MC 227 with the 12th Circuit Court in Houghton. The filing fee is $50. Waivers are available. Assaultive crimes and sex offenses are excluded.

Michigan Legal Help has free eligibility tools and guides. The Michigan Legislature website has the full text of MCL § 780.621. Under MCL § 28.243, arrest records that never led to a conviction may be destroyed. MCL § 445.1883 blocks commercial mugshot removal fees. After expungement, Houghton County records are removed from ICHAT and sealed at the local level.

Houghton County FOIA and Access

File a FOIA request to get copies of arrest reports from Houghton County. Send your request to the sheriff's office at 403 E. Houghton Avenue. Include the person's name, arrest date, and which records you want. Standard copies cost $0.10 to $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost more. The first $20 in fees may be waived if you get public assistance. The office must respond in five business days.

The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry is a separate tool for checking registered offenders in Houghton County. Run by the Michigan State Police, it lets you search by name, city, or zip code. The registry shows photos, addresses, and offense details.

Nearby Counties

These Upper Peninsula counties are near Houghton County.