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Arrest records and mugshots posted online can create long-lasting reputational and financial harm. Even if charges were dismissed or never filed, a single image published by a sheriff’s office or scraped by a mugshot website can follow someone for years on Google, social media, and background search platforms. For Louisiana residents, however, there are effective methods—and in some cases legal rights—to remove these images.
Whether you’re seeking removal due to employment concerns, privacy reasons, or the need to reclaim control over your online presence, this guide explains everything required to handle Louisiana mugshot removal efficiently and lawfully.
Why Mugshots Exist Online—and Why They’re Hard to Remove
Mugshots are considered public records under many state laws, including Louisiana’s. This means law-enforcement agencies may release them upon request. Once they appear publicly, third-party websites can copy, republish, and monetize them, often without notification or consent.
Common reasons mugshots continue appearing online
- Public records laws permit release of booking information
- Mugshot sites scrape sheriff and jail databases
- Search engines index images shared on public servers
- Background check companies continuously refresh public data
- Mugshots may remain online even after expungement
Some mugshot sites charge removal fees, which Louisiana attempted to regulate through consumer-protection laws. A few have shut down or changed practices, but many still operate offshore or outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Louisiana Laws Related to Mugshot Publication
Louisiana does not have a dedicated mugshot removal statute like Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19) or California (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.99.80). However, Louisiana residents may still use a combination of existing laws to pursue removals.
1. Louisiana Expungement Law — La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971–999
If your charges qualify for expungement, you can request that state agencies remove or restrict access to your information. While expungement does not automatically require third-party websites to delete records, it strengthens removal requests.
Learn more:
Louisiana expungement basics from the Louisiana State Legislature:
https://legis.la.gov
2. Louisiana Right of Publicity — La. R.S. § 51:470
This law prohibits unauthorized commercial use of a person’s likeness. Some mugshot sites profit from pay-to-remove schemes, which may qualify as unauthorized commercial exploitation.
3. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
If a background check company lists inaccurate or outdated arrest information, you can dispute it under federal law.
4. Consumer Protection and Defamation Laws
Residents may claim:
- False light
- Defamation
- Unfair trade practices
These laws apply when mugshot publishers distribute incorrect, misleading, or outdated information.
Where Louisiana Mugshots Commonly Appear
Because sheriff’s departments, jails, and city police systems publish information on public portals, mugshots often spread to:
Law-enforcement websites
- Parish sheriff booking logs
- Jail inmate rosters
- Police department arrest lists
Search engines
- Google Images
- Bing Image Search
- Cached pages
- Archived content
Private mugshot databases
- Arrest record aggregators
- People search websites
- Background screening services
Social media ecosystems
- Facebook crime-watch groups
- Community reporting pages
- Shared local news posts
Understanding where a mugshot is located is essential before beginning the removal process. Many people mistakenly assume one takedown solves the issue, but mugshots frequently appear on multiple platforms.
Step-by-Step Guide to Louisiana Mugshot Removal
The following process provides a comprehensive approach for discovering, requesting, and verifying removal of arrest information online.
Step 1: Identify Every Location Where the Mugshot Appears
Search for all variations of your name, including:
- First + last
- Middle initial
- Nicknames
- Previous last names
Also search Google using:
“First Last” arrest Louisiana
“First Last” mugshot
“First Last” booking
Check:
- Google Images
- Google News
- People search sites
- Social media groups
Document each URL in a spreadsheet so you can track removal progress.
Step 2: Request Removal from Louisiana Law-Enforcement Agencies (If Eligible)
Some Louisiana sheriff’s offices will remove mugshots under specific conditions:
- Charges were dismissed, dropped, or refused
- You were found not guilty
- Your case was expunged
- The posted information is inaccurate or outdated
Many departments do not publish mugshots but instead publish booking logs. Even these may be removable if a record is erroneous or improperly updated.
Example request template
Subject: Request for Removal or Correction of Booking Photo — [Your Name]
Dear [Agency Name],
I am requesting the removal or correction of my booking photo and arrest information posted on your public website. The associated charges were [dismissed/not filed/expunged], and the continued publication is causing reputational harm.
Case Number: [###]
Date of Arrest: [MM/DD/YYYY]
URL(s): [Insert Links]
Please confirm removal or provide the appropriate procedure to submit official documentation.
Thank you for your assistance.
[Your Full Name]
[Contact Information]
Send the request to the agency’s public records division or administrative email.
Step 3: Remove Mugshots from Third-Party Websites
Louisiana does not explicitly prohibit mugshot website pay-for-removal schemes, but many sites voluntarily honor government documentation.
Common documentation accepted
- Expungement order
- Dismissal paperwork
- Court minutes
- Prosecutor’s refusal letter
- Proof of mistaken identity
Examples of removal justification
- Wrong person listed
- Charges never filed
- Arrest expunged
- Information outdated
- Publisher using image for monetization
If a site refuses to remove an image, you can escalate removal requests through:
- Hosting providers
- Search engine reporting tools
- Legal claim letters
Step 4: Request Removal from Search Engines
Even after a website deletes your mugshot, Google may continue displaying it for weeks or months.
To speed up the process, use:
Google Remove Outdated Content Tool:
https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content
You may also report violations under:
- Google defamation policy
- Non-consensual imagery policy
- Personal information removal policy
Google will remove:
- Exposed personal data (addresses, phone numbers)
- Financial harm risks
- Explicit extortion-based content
Step 5: File Expungement (If Eligible)
Expungement strengthens takedown requests and prevents future republishing.
Louisiana expungement eligibility includes:
- Acquittals
- Dismissed charges
- Completed diversion programs
- Certain misdemeanors
- Some felonies after waiting periods
Learn more from the Louisiana expungement statute:
https://legis.la.gov
Expungement does not erase the public record from private databases automatically—but it gives you legal leverage in takedown requests.
Step 6: Monitor for Republishing
Mugshots often reappear because:
- New aggregators scrape old sites
- Background check companies refresh databases
- Cached pages reindex
- Social posts continue circulating
To protect yourself long-term:
- Set up Google Alerts
- Regularly check people search websites
- Audit your online presence every 60–90 days
This is where professional monitoring becomes extremely beneficial.
How Mugshot Websites Monetize Your Arrest Information
While some operate as public record archives, many monetize harmfully through:
- Pay-to-remove schemes
- Subscription databases
- Ad revenue from high-ranking arrest pages
- Affiliate partnerships
Your arrest information becomes a revenue stream, incentivizing continued publication.
This is why relying solely on voluntary removal is often insufficient.
How Remove Online Information Helps With Louisiana Mugshot Removal
Remove Online Information offers comprehensive support that includes:
- Mugshot discovery across the entire web
- Removal from mugshot publishers
- Removal from people search and background databases
- Search engine cache clearing
- Long-term monitoring
- Online reputation rebuilding
Why many Louisiana residents choose professional help
- Mugshot sites often ignore consumer requests
- Legal documentation can be complex
- Search engines require precise submissions
- Mugshots tend to reappear without monitoring
- Faster and more reliable results
If your arrest information is harming employment, housing, licensing, dating, or personal relationships, a professional removal service provides efficient and private assistance.
How to Protect Your Reputation After Mugshot Removal
Once your arrest photos are taken down, strengthen your online presence so outdated information doesn’t define you.
Recommended strategies
- Publish positive content about yourself
- Build LinkedIn and professional profiles
- Use social media intentionally
- Create a personal website
- Register for Google’s personal information protection tools
Online reputation is an ongoing process—not a one-time fix.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes. Mugshots are considered public records in Louisiana, but commercial misuse may violate publicity or consumer-protection laws.
If the charges were dismissed, expunged, or incorrect, some sites and agencies remove images at no cost.
Not automatically. Expungement helps justify removal requests but does not force private websites to delete content.
This varies by parish. Some keep archives permanently; others remove them after a set period.
Sometimes, depending on:
*Defamation
*Inaccuracies
*Harassment
*Personal data exposure
Anywhere from 48 hours to several months, depending on:
*Number of websites
*Response time
*Search engine indexing
Yes. Employers and landlords routinely Google applicants, and arrest records can negatively influence decisions.
If your arrest photo is harming your personal or professional life, you don’t have to navigate the process alone. Remove Online Information specializes in mugshot takedowns, record suppression, and online reputation restoration.
Contact us today for a confidential case review.
We’ll identify where your mugshot appears, remove it efficiently, and help you rebuild a clean and trustworthy online presence.
MLA Citations
Louisiana Legislature. Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 971–999: Expungement Laws. https://legis.la.gov.
Louisiana Revised Statutes. Right of Publicity – La. R.S. § 51:470. Louisiana State Legislature, https://legis.la.gov.
United States Congress. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681. govinfo.gov.
Google. Remove Outdated Content Tool. https://search.google.com/search-console/remove-outdated-content.