Search Freeborn County Booking Reports
Freeborn County Booking Reports are public records created by the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office each time someone is booked into the county jail in Albert Lea, Minnesota. These records document who is in custody and what charges have been filed. Minnesota's Data Practices Act makes this arrest data available to the public. This page explains how to access Freeborn County Booking Reports, what they contain, and which statewide tools extend your search.
Freeborn County Booking Reports
Freeborn County Sheriff and Booking Records
Sheriff Ryan Shea runs the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office and oversees the county jail at 411 Broadway S in Albert Lea. All local arrests are processed here. Booking records created at intake are public under state law. The Sheriff's Office is the primary place to request Freeborn County Booking Reports.
The best first step is to call the jail directly at (507) 377-5267. Staff there can tell you whether a specific person is in custody right now. For general questions about the office or about records requests, the main line at (507) 377-5205 connects you to Sheriff's Office staff. If you are calling after hours or in a non-emergency situation, use (507) 377-5200.
Note: If the county website links to an online inmate roster, it will be found on the Sheriff's department page. Check there first before calling, as some details may be available online.
Freeborn County Sheriff's Office Contact Information
| Address | 411 Broadway S, Albert Lea, MN 56007 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff Phone | (507) 377-5205 |
| Jail Phone | (507) 377-5267 |
| Non-Emergency | (507) 377-5200 |
| Sheriff | Ryan Shea |
| Public Record Basis | Minn. Stat. § 13.82 |
| County Website | co.freeborn.mn.us |
For written records requests, mail to the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office at 411 Broadway S, Albert Lea, MN 56007. Include the subject's full name, the approximate date range you are asking about, and the specific record type you need. Staff can advise on fees before you send a formal request. Copies typically carry a per-page cost, while inspecting records on-site is free.
What Freeborn County Booking Reports Show
Booking reports record the facts of an arrest at intake. Under Minn. Stat. § 13.82, the public fields in any booking record include the person's name, the charges, the booking date and time, and the arresting agency. Bail information may also appear if bond was set at that stage.
The booking report reflects what was known at the moment of arrest. It does not update as the case moves through the courts. A charge listed on the booking record might later be dismissed, reduced, or end in a not guilty verdict. The jail's record will not show those outcomes. To find out how a case ended, you need to search the court record separately.
Freeborn County falls under the Third Judicial District. Case filings, hearing dates, and disposition records from that court are all free to search through Minnesota Court Records Online. Court records and jail records come from different agencies, so they are not always in sync. A dismissal entered by a judge may not immediately appear in the jail's booking database.
Data Practices Law and Your Rights
Minnesota law treats arrest data as public by default. The Freeborn County Sheriff cannot refuse a request for basic booking information. The data the Sheriff must release includes names, charges, booking dates, and the arresting unit. That is set by Section 13.82 of the Minnesota Statutes.
Some data in a booking file is private and will be withheld. Medical history, mental health information, and juvenile records are protected. If the Sheriff's Office denies any part of your request, it must tell you which statute applies. You have the right to know exactly why data is being withheld. Minn. Stat. § 13.87 covers criminal history data held by criminal justice agencies and governs how the Sheriff stores and shares that information with other agencies and the public.
If you believe a request was improperly denied or ignored, you can contact the Minnesota Department of Administration's Data Practices Office for guidance. That office handles disputes about access to government data across the state.
Freeborn County Booking Reports and Statewide Databases
Freeborn County booking data covers only arrests at the local jail. For a broader search, Minnesota offers several statewide tools. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a statewide criminal history database that draws on records from all 87 Minnesota counties. One BCA search can show records from Freeborn County alongside data from other jurisdictions where the same person may have been arrested.
If someone from Freeborn County was sentenced to state prison rather than held locally, they appear in the Minnesota Department of Corrections' offender locator. The DOC system shows current incarceration status and supervised release information for people in state custody. It is entirely separate from the county jail roster and will not show people held only at the local jail.
Note: The BCA criminal history search has a fee for public requests. Government and criminal justice agencies can access it without cost. Check the BCA website for current fee information before submitting a request.
VINE Victim Notification Service
Anyone who needs ongoing custody alerts can register with VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday). The service sends automatic alerts by phone, text, or email each time the registered person's custody status changes. VINE covers both the Freeborn County jail and Minnesota state prisons. Registration is free. Call 1-877-664-8463 to sign up by phone or visit the VINE website directly.
Nearby Counties
Freeborn County is in southern Minnesota along the Iowa border. It borders Mower to the east, Steele and Dodge to the north, and Faribault and Martin to the west.