Allegany County Criminal History Search
Allegany County criminal history records are maintained by several offices in Belmont, the county seat. The County Clerk keeps felony case files from the County Court and Supreme Court. The Sheriff's Office holds arrest records, incident reports, and jail data for the county. You can search active criminal cases online through the NYS Unified Court System's WebCrims portal at no cost. For a full statewide criminal history search, the Office of Court Administration provides access across all 62 New York counties. This page covers how to find and request criminal history records in Allegany County, including fees, office contacts, sealing rules, and online tools.
Allegany County Overview
Allegany County Criminal History Records
The Allegany County Sheriff's Office sits at 4884 State Route 19 South in Belmont. You can call them at (585) 268-9202 or reach them by email at sheriffsoffice@alleganyco.com. The office runs patrol services throughout the county, handles criminal investigations, and operates the county correctional facility. Towns and villages without their own police departments rely on the Sheriff for patrol coverage. Arrest records and incident reports are available through a FOIL request to the Records Division. The Sheriff's Office also processes pistol permit applications and serves civil process throughout Allegany County.
The Allegany County Clerk's Office is located at 48 Court Street in Belmont. Phone is (585) 268-9275. The Clerk serves as the Clerk of the Supreme Court and County Court. That means felony case records, civil court filings, and related court documents are all maintained here. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can visit in person during those hours to inspect records at no charge. Copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first four pages and $1.25 for each page after that. If you don't have an index number, the office charges a $5.00 search fee per name.
| Sheriff's Office | 4884 State Route 19 South, Belmont, NY 14813 Phone: (585) 268-9202 |
|---|---|
| County Clerk | 48 Court Street, Belmont, NY 14813 Phone: (585) 268-9275 |
| County Court | 7 Court Street, Belmont, NY 14813 Phone: (585) 268-9270 |
| District Attorney | 7 Court Street, Belmont, NY 14813 Phone: (585) 268-9345 |
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the state's centralized fingerprint-based criminal history database. The DCJS website is the starting point for statewide criminal history record requests and identity review.
DCJS records are not public and cannot be obtained through FOIL. Access requires a formal identity review process with fingerprints, handled through IdentoGo.
Search Criminal Records in Allegany County
There are a few ways to look up criminal history in Allegany County. Online tools show basic case data at no cost. Visiting the courthouse in Belmont lets you review full case files and get copies the same day.
The eCourts system runs WebCriminal, often called WebCrims. It shows open criminal cases with upcoming court dates in Allegany County courts. You search by case number, defendant name, or court calendar. The service is free. Public terminals are also available at the courthouse for anyone who prefers to search on-site. For a full statewide search, the OCA Criminal History Record Search covers court records from all 62 New York counties for a fee of $95. That search checks name-based records across the state and is useful when you need to look beyond one county.
For people currently held in state custody, the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup is a free online tool. It includes inmates from 1982 forward. You can search by name or Department Identification Number. Results show conviction charges, sentence length, and release status. The tool does not cover local jail stays at the Allegany County correctional facility.
The Sex Offender Registry maintained by DCJS under the Sex Offender Registration Act is another public resource. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders are searchable online. For Level 1 offenders, call 800-262-3257 with the person's name and one additional identifier such as a date of birth.
Note: Allegany County falls within the 8th Judicial District, which also includes Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.
Allegany County Courts and Case Access
The Allegany County Court at 7 Court Street in Belmont handles felony criminal cases and major civil matters. It operates as part of the 8th Judicial District. The District Attorney's Office is at the same address. You can reach the DA at (585) 268-9345. Town and village courts across the county handle misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and small claims matters. Those courts are separate from the County Court and operate on their own schedules.
Case information for the County Court and Supreme Court is accessible through the NYS Unified Court System's online tools. WebCrims shows pending criminal cases. WebCivil covers civil filings. Both are available through the eCourts portal. In-person access to full case files is available at the Allegany County Clerk's Office during regular business hours. Bring the case index number if you have it. Without it, a $5.00 search fee applies per name searched. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first four pages, then $1.25 for each additional page.
The Allegany County District Attorney's office works with local law enforcement agencies and the Sheriff's Office to investigate and prosecute criminal cases. Active investigation files are generally not subject to FOIL disclosure while a case is open. Once a case closes, certain records may become accessible through the Clerk's Office or a FOIL request to the relevant agency.
The OCA screenshot below shows the statewide court criminal history record search portal, which covers Allegany County along with all other New York counties.
The OCA Criminal History Record Search runs a name-based check across New York court records for $95 and returns results from all 62 counties including Allegany.
FOIL Requests in Allegany County
New York's Freedom of Information Law, found in Public Officers Law Article 6, gives the public the right to request records from government agencies. To get arrest records or incident reports from the Allegany County Sheriff's Office, submit a written FOIL request to the Records Division. You can mail your request to 4884 State Route 19 South, Belmont, NY 14813, or contact the office directly at (585) 268-9202 to ask about their preferred submission method.
Agencies must acknowledge your FOIL request within 5 business days. After that, they have 20 business days to provide the records or explain in writing why more time is needed. Paper copies cost $0.25 per page. Electronic records are sent by email when available. Some records are fully or partially exempt from release. Police records involving ongoing investigations, personal identifying information, or confidential informants are commonly withheld. If a request is denied, you have the right to appeal within 30 days to the agency's records access appeals officer.
Court records held by the County Clerk are a separate matter. Most filed court documents are public under New York Judiciary Law. You can view them in person at 48 Court Street or request copies directly from the Clerk's Office.
Note: Criminal history records maintained by DCJS at the state level are not available through a FOIL request, regardless of which county the arrest occurred in.
Sealing Criminal Records in Allegany County
New York law provides several paths for sealing criminal records. Under CPL 160.50, records are sealed when a case ends in favor of the defendant. That covers acquittals, dismissals, and adjournments in contemplation of dismissal under CPL 170.55. When that happens, the court sends sealing orders to the arresting agency and DCJS. The records become off-limits to the public and most employers. CPL 160.55 covers partial sealing for cases reduced to a violation. CPL 720.35 seals records for youthful offenders charged with crimes committed between ages 16 and 18.
The Clean Slate Act, signed into law and effective November 16, 2024, creates a system for automatically sealing eligible convictions over time. Misdemeanor convictions become eligible three years after the sentence ends. Felony convictions become eligible eight years after the sentence ends. The Office of Court Administration has up to three years to build and launch the automatic sealing system. Sex crimes and non-drug Class A felonies are excluded. Until that system goes live, DCJS records will still show convictions that may later qualify for Clean Slate sealing. People in Allegany County with questions about sealing can contact the District Attorney's office or seek help from local legal aid services.
CPL 160.58 also allows sealing for people who complete drug treatment programs under certain court orders. Those records are sealed at the court level and also at DCJS once the sealing order is processed.
Cities in Allegany County
Allegany County has no cities that meet the population threshold for individual records pages. Criminal history records for all towns and villages in the county are handled through the Allegany County Clerk and Sheriff's Office in Belmont.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Allegany County. If you are unsure which county handled a case, check where the arrest or court filing took place.