Are you listed on a commercial “mugshot” site? If so – there is a way to get off in Florida.
The parent company of Mugshots.com, a website that pulls arrest photos from local police departments, publishes them on the internet and then attempts to charge a fee to have the images removed, was sued in a Broward County court, after extorting the man for money in order to remove the image.
This is just one of a long line of cases in which the company has been sued. More bad news for the owners; they’ve been charged with extortion in California and two are already in custody.
In the past few years, a new business has emerged; online companies who post embarrassing information, such as arrests, and then charges victims a fee to remove them.
In 2018, the Florida legislature enacted a new law that says:
34 (2) A person whose arrest booking photograph is published 35 or otherwise disseminated, or his or her legal representative, 36 may make a request, in writing, for the removal of an arrest 37 booking photograph to the registered agent of the person or 38 entity who published or otherwise disseminated the photograph. 39 The written request for removal of the arrest booking photograph 40 must be sent by registered mail and include sufficient proof of 41 identification of the person whose arrest booking photograph was 42 published or otherwise disseminated and specific information 43 identifying the arrest booking photograph that the written 44 request is seeking to remove. Within 10 days of receipt of the 45 written request for removal of the arrest booking photograph, 46 the person or entity who published or otherwise disseminated the 47 photograph shall remove the arrest booking photograph without 48 charge.
This law goes into effect.on July 1, 2018.
That means, beginning this July – you can write to the website owner and demand that your information be removed from their site.
We are still determining whether the law will impact sites such as http://www.bustedoffenders.com/, https://www.homefacts.com/offenders.html, whose business model is not to charge for removal, but to charge for a background check service or notifications.
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ON Florida FDLE are the same to mugshot.com they charge for removal dismissal case,it inlegal in florida not law said Fdle have to show in criminal record ,dismissal case….Fdle are doing laundry money…I asking Fdle where in the Florida law said,,,that the arrest have to show…you are violated the law for decades…Why do I still have a criminal history record when the charges against me were dropped/dismissed/no action filed/abandoned/ nolle prossed?
On July 19th rapsheets.org had three mugshots of me on Google I contacted my lawyer that defended me on these cases. They are misdemeanors I am not a sex offender they were domestic cases telephone harassment to be exact. And they were from 2014 to 2015. As of today I can only find one picture and it’s not the first thing that comes up anymore on the Google search. I can still find it on Yahoo and Bing but hopefully in 10 days they will be gone. I don’t know how rapsheets.org stays in business if owners in California were arrested this man should be arrested as well. Also how can you stay in business if you can’t extort people anymore. And why would Google Yahoo or Bing support an illegal business?
Because at least Google is an evil entity. Been trying to deal with Google for almost a year now. They are completely wicked and unreasonable. Rapsheets.org is completely malicious too. If you you’ve got the money you can get off. If not, your screwed. That’s the reality.
How much do they want to get off
Why did you not post the whole law. Omitted the portion that states it does not apply to entities that do not charge for removals.
Has anyone successfully had their pictures removed from rapsheets.org by sending in documents that say you were not convicted since July 1st? I was looking to do try this but was hesitant to send over more of my information.
No I send all my information and my profile was never removed
The judge has granted my petition to be removed from the registry in FL. My lawyer also sent the letter to FDLE just last Friday and as of today I can’t find myself on any registry which is awesome. But 2 links show up when i type my name in google, one rapsheets.org with my picture and another that has me as a sex offender still but it’s definitely a commercial, can I use the judges order to remove all my information from the public to get these removed?
Has anyone tried the guaranteed removal services? There are also 3 pictures that come up from different sites under google search. I would really like to be completely gone from the internet, I’m grateful that it’s only 2 links and 3 photos in images but I would happily pay for the service if it’s not a scam to scrub the last little bit.
Try writing to them first. It’s free.
Also, how did you get off the FL registry? Are you no longer in FL and off in your home state?
More info on this please. Are you still in Fla? How long were you “off paper” before filing?
WHO is the attorney?
HOW MUCH??
Sorry, probably should have went over that before. My charge was from 1998 when I was 18, it was a lewd fondling charge out of Lee County FL. I was originally put on probation which I then violated on 3 different occasions, somehow I got out the last time on ROR, I knew I was going to prison so I took off at 21 at come back at 26 and turned my self in. I ended up doing about 4 years in DOC (this is what Rapsheets.org has for me, my DOC info and photo) starting the end of 2007.
Before I was released I heard about the Romeo Juliet law they had passed a few months after I was in Prison, I finally got stable enough about 1 year ago to pay a lawyer and make the petition for me. I had to notify FDLE 21 days prior to filing the petition (I’m glad I didn’t do it myself like I planned from prison), I went to court once, the prosecutor claimed the birthday of my victim was hearsay because it was only mentioned from the officer’s affidavit. My lawyer requested all evidence be judicial review so we couldn’t know call her as a witness, but he did find that she filed for child support and it is considered a court document so the judge accepted that as evidence, 2 weeks letter my lawyer called me and said he is accepting to vacate my registration requirement and that my lawyer would have to write a formal acceptance.
All in all it took about a year and cost $7500 but he did say he has some money coming back to me since we didn’t have to go to court the second time since we didn’t go to court again since the judge accepted the evidence and mad a ruling on his own. I’m guessing around $1000 to $1500 since I’m pretty sure he just filed the acceptance and then the letter to FDLE.
I still live in Florida, Palm Beach County, charge was originally from Fort Myers. Florida.
Here is the important part from the paperwork I got from the judge:
(d) The exact variance in age is 3 years 121 days.
5.) The removal of the registration requirement does not conflict with federal law that the interaction be consensual.
a.) The police officers affidavit (Petition Exhibit #5) reflects no violence or coercion.
b.) Petitioner’s testimony reflects the victim invited him to her room.
Based upon these findings, the Petition is GRANTED and the requirement to register as a sexual offender is removed.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED the Petitioner shall provide the Florida Department of Law Enforcement [FDLE] a certified copy of this order and pursuant to F.S. §943.04354 FDLE “shall remove all information about the person [********] from the public registry of sexual offenders maintained by the department.”
Amazing! Thanks for sharing this.
Yes, Florida does have an opportunity for removal in Romeo and Juliet cases.
Ya, I’m still shocked to be honest. Now to get rid of the mugshot stuff. The only to things I find myself on now are homefacts.com and rapsheets.org. Now that I can have a facebook, linkedin and other social media, I’m thinking anything else will get pushed down the list. I really wish Google would just delist these types of sites, they should at least block them from using ad sense.
Have you tried writing to them, sending them the order that you’ve been removed and demanding they remove you?
I could not find a physical address for either rapsheets.org or homefacts.com. Homefacts.com has a “report an error” link which I did yesterday, they had the option for “not on registry”. Rapsheets.org has a contact form and phone number available.
I know the law goes into effect July 1, and it requires that you send the request by certified mail, I’m not sure what to do exactly if you don’t have the address.
HOMEFACTS, LLC
c/o THE CORPORATION TRUST COMPANY
CORPORATION TRUST CENTER 1209 ORANGE ST
WILMINGTON, DE 19801
RapSheets.org
3479 NE 163rd St. Suite# 618
North Miami Beach, FL 33160
Contact Us
RapSheets.org
3479 NE 163rd St. Suite# 618
North Miami Beach, FL 33160
(865) 255-4409
So homefacts.org has removed all my info but it still shows up on Google, but when you click the link it’s says page not found. I just sent out a letter and the court order to rapsheets.org so hopefully they are quick.
Now if I search thoroughly, there are few sites that have my info posted still but have the wrong picture. I feel I will be at this a while.
it just needs to propagate. Report the dead links to google.
They have a physical address however it’s a postal service and my profile was never removed after I sent all my information by certified mail.
Does anyone know the mailing address for florida.arrests.org and bustednewspaper.com it does not list the address on the sites.
Im looking for the same. Florida Arrests and Tri-Country Busts. Are they a registered businesses within the state? I have wrote for the past 4 days with minimal response back. They have tried to extort money for picture removal which is not in accordance with state statue 901.43 and violation of anti trust laws. My case was dissolved or dismissed. They still will not comply.
For information about removal of an arrest booking photograph, please write to: [email protected].
if they don’t remove you might need to hire an attorney – same company owns MANY of these extortion sites.
Wrote them a letter. May have fueled the fire. They posted a new page with my name, and 30 diff mugshots of other people.
Jane – if you have no conviction get an attorney to write a letter.
Am I correct in my understanding though, that the mugshot owners don’t have to take the mugshot down, even with a request in writing, unless you have been found not guilt and your record has been expunged?
Amen, Google should de list those sites, Google is aiding,and abetting, extortion, racketeering scams, they should be in federal prison along with the lawyers and politicians. Such a foul company.
I was arrested one time in my life last year for trespassing where i could’ve been given a notice to appear but instead was arrested. I was released one hour after my arrest on my own recognizance $0.00 My case was dismissed and my case record etc is being expunged. My mugshot is currently on muckshots.com. crimeinformer, palmbeachcountymugshots and rapsheets. My image comes up the first one on google as do each site. Even once my expungement has taken effect this is ruining my life. All you have to do is type in my name and its right there for everyone to see regardless of my dismissal expungement all of it. The only address i could find is rapsheets and i read somewhere it is a false address. I have my attorneys letter for removal done will they not remove it before july 1 if requested? I have reached out and nothing. A mugshot related to a crime I didn’t commit is ruining my professional life. any advice on how to get these removed as expeditiously as possible would be beyond appreciated.
I don’t know if they will remove it before July 1. FAC has no affiliation with any of these sites, so you would need to ask them if they will, or will require you to wait until they must remove it.
If you have an attorney, your attorney can help you with this.
My attorney is my fiancé a real estate attorney. He only wrote up the removal request for me to send. His area of law does not include the website issue discussed here. Has anyone had success in removing their photos without being exploited?
YES – Many have. With the new law, they must.
Stay in touch , you seem educated – I had a DWI 3rd – A felony – Thats it – Mo parole or probation its over – thus im working on Expungement etc- I contacted Mgshots.com and stayed on them and they removed the link- Rapsheets.org will not as of this moment – BUT – I have the time and will stay on it – My email is [email protected] – 682 432 2832 – I have a masters for Ole Miss and consult for the Govt on Credit Bureaus * So I may be ablt to get something done – If I have to Ill sue – All of them
Can you give me the name of your lawyer who helped you get off? MY charges are from 1992 way before registry existed
The new law says that you have to submit a registered written request to remove your picture but I don’t see a address only a person or company out of West Indies. Do you have a address?
This likely has no impact on us as our pictures from the registry are posted on these sites and the state is not likely to do anything about that. The law specifically says BOOKING photographs.
My pictures are taking at my local sheriffs department book-in facility, unsure of other counties.. if they are all taken at the sheriff’s book-in facilities, would it then be considered a book-in photo?