Mugshots, or booking photos taken by law enforcement agencies during the arrest process, are often made available online through public records websites. While these mugshots serve a purpose in identifying individuals who have been arrested, they can also have serious consequences for those whose charges were dropped or dismissed.
Having a mugshot appear on the internet can be damaging to one's personal and professional reputation. It can make it difficult to secure employment, housing, or even relationships. Fortunately, there are ways to remove these unwanted images from the internet.
The first step in removing an online mugshot is to contact the owner of the website where it is published. This may be a public records website or a news outlet that has published the photo. Look for their contact information and send them a polite email requesting that they take down your mugshot. Be sure to include any relevant details such as your name and date of arrest.
While some websites may comply with this request voluntarily, others may require additional steps.
In cases where your charges were dropped or dismissed, you may be eligible for expungement of your criminal record. This means that all records related to your arrest will be sealed or destroyed, including your mugshot. However, expungement laws vary by state and not all charges are eligible for expungement.
It is important to consult with an attorney who specializes in criminal law in your state to determine if you qualify for expungement and how to go about pursuing it.
If contacting website owners or pursuing expungement is unsuccessful, another option is to enlist the help of an online reputation management service like Defamation Defenders or Remove-Arrests.org, that is specifically focused on removing mugshots and arrest information from the internet and search engine results. These services work by using specialized techniques such as search engine optimization and legal removal requests to push down negative search results containing your mugshot and replace them with positive ones.
There are also some do-it-yourself methods that can be effective in removing mugshots from the internet. These include creating and maintaining social media profiles, blogging, and submitting press releases with positive information about yourself.
However, it is important to note that these methods require time and effort, and may not always be successful in completely removing your mugshot from the internet.
Having an online mugshot can have serious consequences for your personal and professional life. By taking action through contacting website owners, pursuing expungement, or enlisting the help of a reputation management service, you can successfully remove these images from the internet and protect your reputation.