Yates County Warrant Records
Yates County warrant records are tracked by the Sheriff's Office and the local court system in Penn Yan, New York. The county sits in the Finger Lakes region and handles arrest warrants, bench warrants, and search warrants through its courts. You can search for warrant information by contacting the Yates County Sheriff's Office at (315) 536-5100 or by submitting a FOIL request for specific records. The Sheriff's Office has a history of working with state and federal agencies on warrant executions, including cold case investigations that span years.
Yates County Warrant Records Overview
Yates County Sheriff Warrant Records
The Yates County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for warrant records in the county. The office is at 417 Liberty Street, Penn Yan, NY 14527. Call (315) 536-5100. Sheriff Ron Spike has led the office and overseen warrant executions for various cases including Supreme Court arrest warrants. The Sheriff's Office works with other agencies including the New York State Police and the FBI for warrant work.
The Sheriff's Office maintains a record of all active warrants and processes warrant arrests through the local court system and the Yates County Jail. When someone is brought in on a warrant, they are held at the jail until they can appear before a judge. The office enters warrant data into the New York State warrant system so that other law enforcement agencies can see active Yates County warrants during routine stops or investigations across the state.
In 2020, the Yates County Sheriff's Office arrested Kelly L. Anderson, age 42 of Dundee, on a Yates County Court warrant for the 2002 death of her 16-month-old son, Ethan M. Eslick. She was charged with 2nd degree murder after the Yates County Grand Jury returned a sealed indictment on June 27, 2020. Anderson was arrested without incident in Dundee after her return from Florida and was placed on $250,000 cash bail or $500,000 bond. The Sheriff's Office worked with NY State Police Troop E and the FBI on this cold case. This shows the office's ability to execute court warrants even on cases that are many years old.
Yates County Court Warrant Records
Yates County Court handles felony criminal cases and issues arrest warrants and search warrants. The court is in Penn Yan. Bench warrants are issued when a person fails to show up for a scheduled court date. The court clerk keeps records of all warrants the judges issue and can provide information during business hours.
Town courts in Yates County also issue warrants for local cases. Towns like Dundee, Benton, and Milo have their own courts that deal with misdemeanors and violations. If you need information about a warrant from a specific town court, contact that court directly. All warrant data feeds into the state system regardless of which court issued it.
The Sheriff's Office has executed warrants for failure to comply with psychiatric treatment, drug-related charges, and other offenses. Some warrant executions have involved multi-department investigations and standoff situations. The courts work closely with the Sheriff's Office to make sure warrants get served in a timely manner across the county.
Yates County FOIL Warrant Requests
The Yates County FOIL Request form is available online. When requesting records, be specific about what you are looking for. If you want arrest records or warrant information, say so clearly in your request. The county address is 417 Liberty Street, Penn Yan, NY 14527.
Under New York's Freedom of Information Law, government records are presumed accessible unless a specific exemption applies. The agency must respond within five business days of getting a written request. If records are exempt, the agency must cite the specific provision that allows them to withhold the information. You can appeal a denial to the head of the agency or to the Committee on Open Government.
Citizens can also use the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services online portal to perform arrest records searches. DCJS keeps the state's official criminal history records. You need to submit fingerprints to get your own record through that system.
Yates County Warrant Search Tools
The Yates County FOIL Request page shows the online form you can use to submit records requests to the county.
This form lets you submit your request directly to the county without mailing a letter. Be specific about the records you need, especially if you are asking about warrants or arrest records. The county processes FOIL requests during business hours.
The DOCCS Incarcerated Individual Lookup tool lets you search for people in state correctional facilities. This can help if you need to check whether someone with a Yates County warrant is already in state custody.
The lookup is available around the clock. You can search by name or by the Department Identification Number. Records go back to the 1970s for individuals in state prisons.
Warrant Laws in Yates County
Three types of warrants exist under New York law. Arrest warrants come from CPL 120.80 and can be served any day at any time. Bench warrants fall under CPL 530.70. Search warrants are covered by CPL Article 690 and need probable cause plus a judge's signature.
Once a warrant is served, the officer must bring the defendant before the local court without unnecessary delay. Per CPL 120.90, the officer has to finish fingerprinting and other tasks first. The defendant gets a phone call. Sealed case records fall under CPL 160.50 and CPL 160.55. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 2024, allows automatic sealing of some conviction records after waiting periods.
Note: Active warrants in Yates County do not expire and stay in effect until the person is arrested or the court recalls the warrant.
Nearby County Warrant Records
Yates County is in the Finger Lakes region surrounded by several other counties. If a warrant was issued in a neighboring county, you will need to check with that county's Sheriff's Office or court.