How to Find Recent Bernalillo Arrests
Recent arrests in Bernalillo County show up first on the MDC custody portal, run by the Metropolitan Detention Center. The portal lists three views: the live custody list, the arrest list for the past seven days, and the release list for the past two weeks. The custody portal sits behind a Turnstile bot check and an I Agree disclaimer. Once past that gate, a Bernalillo County arrest record search can be run by name, booking number, person ID, or arrest date. The records pull from the MDC booking database, not from the courts, so a brand-new arrest will appear before any case file has opened in Metro Court.
The official portal lives at viaintfacep2.bernco.gov/custodylist. The page warns that the data is reference only and that commercial use is barred. Bernalillo County does not warrant accuracy and tells users to confirm any booking detail with MDC directly. The arrest list is the closest thing the county offers to a daily blotter, and it is the right starting point for a recent-arrests check.
- Open the MDC custody portal and clear the Turnstile bot check.
- Click I Agree on the data use disclaimer.
- Pick the Arrest List view for new bookings, or use the search box.
- Enter Last Name, First Name, Inmate ID, or Arrest Date to narrow.
- Click Search to load matching booking rows.
- Open a row to view the full booking detail, charges, and bail.
- Call MDC inmate info at 505-839-8700 if the online status looks stale.
If the person has already moved to a state prison, the trail picks up on the NMCD Offender Search. For federal arrests in the District of New Mexico, the search shifts to the federal BOP locator.
Bernalillo County MDC Booking Records
The Metropolitan Detention Center is the county's only adult jail. It sits on the West Mesa, far from downtown Albuquerque. Every adult arrest by Albuquerque Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff, UNM Police, New Mexico State Police, or any other local agency in the county routes through MDC intake. Booking creates a person ID, a YY-NNNNN booking number, an admission date and time, and a housing assignment if the person stays in custody. The booking record is the source of truth for what the public arrest record will show in the first hours.
The Inmate Custody List shows everyone in MDC right now. The Inmate Release List shows everyone released in the past two weeks. The Arrest List, per indexed official text, shows bookings from the past seven days. The portal text matches what shows on the booking-detail screens linked from each row. Records remain available on the live system for the windows above; older booking data must be requested from the county.
A direct booking detail link gives a real-world view of how each arrest record reads on screen. The example record at viaintfacep2.bernco.gov displays the case number, arrest agency, and charge statute together.
The booking detail is the page most searchers actually want when they look for a recent Bernalillo County arrest record.
Metropolitan Detention Center
100 Deputy Dean Miera Drive SW
Albuquerque, NM 87151
505-839-8700
Inmate Info Line
What a Bernalillo Arrest Record Shows
A booking record from MDC has more than just a name and a charge. The detail screen shows the full intake snapshot plus the live court and bail status. The county redacts the full date of birth and shows only year of birth and age. Sensitive flags like medical status, suicide watch, or protective custody do not appear in sampled public records.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Booking # | Format YY-NNNNN, unique to this arrest event |
| Person ID | Long numeric ID that follows the person across bookings |
| Name | Last, First, Middle as recorded at intake |
| Year of Birth / Age | YOB and calculated age; full DOB is redacted |
| Booking Date | MM/DD/YYYY date of intake |
| Admission Time | Time the person was logged into MDC |
| Housing | Unit name when in custody; blank after release |
| Active Holds | Yes or No flag for any pending hold |
| Arrests | Case number, agency, date/time, and location |
| Charges | Case number, charge type, count, statute, description |
| Warrants | Linked warrant case numbers, type, and description |
| Bail Details | Case number, type, amount, paid date, release type, release date, judge |
Each row in the Charges table links a statute citation to a count. Sample data shows statutes such as 30-07-04(A)(1) printed in the same column as the plain description. The Bail Details table is where release type appears: ROR for release on recognizance, third-party release, release to DOC, case consolidation, or other release codes.
Note: MDC custody data updates as bookings and releases happen, but the county warns that the user, not the county, is responsible for confirming accuracy.
Arrest Record vs Criminal Court Record
People often ask whether the MDC booking and the case file are the same thing. They are not. The arrest record is a jail booking entry created at intake. The criminal court record is the case file opened by a court after the prosecutor files charges. The two records overlap on case number once charges are filed, but they live in different systems and follow different rules.
| Arrest Record | Criminal Court Record |
|---|---|
| Created by MDC at booking | Created by Metro Court or District Court at filing |
| Held in the county custody portal | Held in Case Lookup and the court clerk's file |
| Shows agency, charge, bail, housing | Shows pleadings, motions, orders, disposition |
| Drops off the public list after release or two weeks | Stays open until the case ends and stays in archive after |
| Updated as MDC records move | Updated as the court enters docket events |
| Subject to expungement under NMSA 29-3A | Subject to sealing under Rule 1-079 NMRA and 29-3A |
The full criminal court file lives on the Bernalillo County court records page, with the search portal at Case Lookup. For pending warrants tied to a recent arrest, the warrant records page covers the lookup steps.
Charges vs Convictions
An arrest record shows what a person was booked for, not what they were guilty of. Plenty of arrest charges are later dropped, reduced, or never filed by the District Attorney. A conviction only exists after a plea or verdict. This is one of the most misread parts of any Bernalillo County arrest record search, and it matters for background checks, news stories, and personal reputation.
| Point | Charge | Conviction |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Allegation made at booking or by complaint, indictment, or information | Finding or admission of guilt entered by the court |
| Source | MDC booking sheet, Metro Court complaint, grand jury indictment | Plea entered in open court or verdict from judge or jury |
| Public Display | Shown on the arrest list and in the Charges table | Shown in the case disposition line on Case Lookup |
Felony cases in Bernalillo County usually start with a Metro Court first appearance, then move to the Second Judicial District after a grand jury indictment or a bind-over. Misdemeanors and DWI stay in Metro Court for the whole case. Until a disposition is entered, the only thing public is the charge, not the outcome.
DPS Statewide Criminal History Checks
The MDC portal only shows Bernalillo County bookings. For a statewide criminal history check, the records sit with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety's Law Enforcement Records Bureau. Under NMSA 29-10-6, a person can inspect arrest record information about themselves in person, through counsel, or through an authorized agent. DPS requires a notarized release form and a $15 money order or cashier's check.
DPS is the central state repository for crime incident data under NMSA 29-3-11. The Bureau also handles federal name-based and fingerprint-based checks for jobs and licensing. The full request process, address, and forms live on the DPS LERB site. Crash reports also live with DPS, under separate retention rules.
The next image points to the DPS expungements landing page, which sets the legal scope for what can be removed from a Bernalillo County arrest record. The DPS expungements page lists the act sections, effective date, and rule references.
The DPS expungements page is the single best starting point for the legal side of clearing a Bernalillo County arrest record.
Juvenile Arrest Records Are Confidential
Juvenile arrest records in Bernalillo County do not appear on the public MDC list and do not show on the regular court portal. Children's Court handles delinquency, abuse and neglect, adoption, and juvenile mental health matters. Under NMSA 32A-2-32, records pertaining to a child shall not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to the public.
That bar covers social records, behavioral health screens, psychiatric and medical reports, juvenile detention records, supervised release reports, and supervision histories. Access is limited to court staff, CASA, guardian ad litem, department personnel, corrections, law enforcement, district attorneys, and others named by law. A parent or attorney with standing can ask the Children's Court for permission to view a specific record, but no walk-in public lookup exists.
Juvenile detention in Bernalillo County is handled at the county's Youth Services Center, not at MDC. Parents trying to find a child who has been picked up should call law enforcement or the youth center directly, not the MDC inmate info line.
Sealing and Expungement of Arrest Records
The Criminal Record Expungement Act, NMSA 29-3A-1 through 29-3A-9, took effect January 1, 2020. The act lets a person petition the court that handled the case to remove an arrest record from public access. Different paths apply for cases that ended without conviction, for cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal, for eligible conviction expungement, and for automatic cannabis-related expungement. Sex offenses and other serious violent offenses are excluded from many paths. The Second Judicial District Civil Division lists criminal record expungements among the civil case types filed at the Civil Clerk's Office.
| Point | Sealed Record | Expunged Record |
|---|---|---|
| Court Authority | Rule 1-079 NMRA and a case-specific court order | Criminal Record Expungement Act, NMSA 29-3A |
| Effect on Public Access | Public access is barred by court order | Record is removed from ordinary public access |
| Law Enforcement View | Still visible to courts and law enforcement | May still be available to law enforcement in later proceedings |
| Petition Filed With | The court that holds the record | The court that handled the case |
| Effective Date | Long-standing court rule practice | January 1, 2020 |
A sealing order locks public access to a file that still legally exists. An expungement order goes further. It removes the records from ordinary public databases and forces holding agencies to keep the record out of public view. Both are court orders. Both require a petition. Both can be limited by statute.
Note: Sealing and expungement do not automatically clear third-party sites that already cached an old Bernalillo County arrest record, so a separate takedown effort may be needed.
Public Defender Help for Bernalillo Arrests
The Law Offices of the Public Defender runs the largest criminal defense office in Bernalillo County. The Albuquerque office handles indigent defense for adults charged in Metro Court and the Second Judicial District. The office page at lopdnm.us lists contact channels for new clients, family members, and existing clients. The Public Defender is not the prosecutor and not the court, so it does not handle expungement filings or fee questions for the public.
The District Attorney for the Second Judicial District prosecutes felony cases out of Albuquerque. The DA office is the right contact for victims looking for case updates and for VINE registration in felony cases. Anyone arrested who cannot afford a private attorney should ask the Metro Court or District Court judge at first appearance for a Public Defender appointment.