Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Mugshot Websites: Exploiting Public Records for Profit
- 1 Mugshot Websites: Exploiting Public Records for Profit
- 2 Legal Foundation: When Is a Lawsuit Viable?
- 3 Grounds for Suing a Mugshot Website
- 4 Real Cases That Made a Difference
- 5 What You Need to Sue a Mugshot Website
- 6 Legal Alternatives to Lawsuits
- 7 The Role of SEO Suppression in Civil Recovery
- 8 When to Involve Remove Arrest
- 9 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The mugshot industry thrives on shame and visibility. These websites scrape arrest photos from public databases and monetize them through:
- Advertising
- Pay-for-removal schemes
- Subscription background checks
Even if charges were dropped or expunged, your mugshot may remain online indefinitely. Many individuals ask: Can I sue these websites for the harm they’ve caused?
The answer: sometimes. And often, you have more leverage than you think.
Legal Foundation: When Is a Lawsuit Viable?
While publishing public records isn’t illegal, the way mugshot sites use your information could trigger civil liability under:
- Defamation law
- Right of publicity statutes
- Consumer protection law
- Extortion and blackmail statutes (in certain states)
- Invasion of privacy torts
Each potential cause of action depends on how the mugshot was presented, what state you live in, and whether false or misleading information was published.
Grounds for Suing a Mugshot Website
1. Defamation
You may sue for defamation if:
- The mugshot is accompanied by inaccurate details (false charges, conviction status)
- It implies guilt when charges were dropped
- Statements damage your reputation with third parties
Elements to Prove:
- False statement of fact
- Published to a third party
- Causes harm to your reputation
- No applicable privilege (i.e., not protected reporting)
2. False Light Invasion of Privacy
Applicable when:
- True information is used misleadingly to portray you in a negative way
- A reasonable person would find the portrayal offensive
For example, placing your mugshot next to violent crime headlines when your arrest was non-violent.
3. Right of Publicity Violations
If the site uses your name or likeness for commercial gain (especially in ads or promotions), you may have a claim under your state’s right of publicity law.
4. Extortion-Like Behavior
Many states have outlawed pay-to-remove practices:
| State | Law or Regulation |
|---|---|
| California | Penal Code § 529.5 prohibits mugshot profiteering |
| Georgia | O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 bans paid removals |
| Texas | B.C.C. §109.002 restricts mugshot charges |
| Oregon | ORS 646.608 includes mugshot removal in consumer fraud |
If a website demands money to remove a mugshot, you may have grounds to sue for consumer fraud or unfair business practices.
Real Cases That Made a Difference
Sexton v. Mugshots.com (2016)
Plaintiffs sued for extortion, invasion of privacy, and RICO violations. The court found that repeated demands for money in exchange for removal constituted coercion.
People v. Sahar Sarid (2018)
The operator of Mugshots.com was arrested and charged with extortion and money laundering. This resulted in site seizures and legal precedent for victims.
These cases proved that mugshot publishers can be held accountable when their actions go beyond lawful record sharing.
What You Need to Sue a Mugshot Website
1. Document the Harm
- Screenshots of the listing
- Google rankings
- Reputational damage (emails, job denials, housing rejections)
2. Preserve Legal Evidence
- Takedown request emails
- Payment requests or receipts
- Site terms and screenshots
- Expungement or dismissal records
3. Hire an Experienced Attorney
Choose one with experience in:
- Internet law
- Defamation
- Privacy rights
Some attorneys will work on contingency if the damages and publicity justify the case.
Lawsuits may also lead to injunctions, court orders requiring sites to de-publish your content.
Legal Alternatives to Lawsuits
Litigation is not always necessary or affordable. Other civil remedies include:
Cease and Desist Letters
Formal notice demanding the site stop using your likeness or remove false content. When drafted by a legal professional, this can resolve many disputes without court involvement.
DMCA Takedown Notices
If your photo is used without permission, and you can assert ownership, a DMCA notice to the site’s host or domain registrar may force removal.
Google De-Indexing Requests
Using the Google Removal Tool, you can:
- Request removal of outdated or defamatory content
- Submit legal documentation of expungement
Host & Registrar Complaints
Websites hosted in the U.S. must comply with certain service agreements. Filing a complaint with:
- Hosting provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, etc.)
- Domain registrar via ICANN Lookup
can result in content takedown or suspension.
The Role of SEO Suppression in Civil Recovery
Even with a successful lawsuit, search engines may still display cached results. That’s where search engine suppression steps in.
What Is Suppression?
Publishing positive, high-authority content that pushes negative results (like mugshots) down in search engine rankings.
Suppression Tactics Include:
- Building a personal website using your name as the domain
- Creating LinkedIn, About.me, Crunchbase, and Medium profiles
- Publishing blog posts, videos, and press releases
- Using schema markup and alt tags with your name
SEO suppression helps reclaim your online image while legal cases progress.
When to Involve Remove Arrest
Remove Arrest combines legal tactics and reputation management. Our services include:
- Sending cease and desist notices
- Filing DMCA and privacy complaints
- De-indexing search results via Google
- Full-scale SEO suppression
- Reputation monitoring and long-term strategy
We work with attorneys and hosting providers to take action—fast.
Request your free mugshot removal evaluation and get expert help navigating your civil remedies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
It’s possible, but not recommended. These cases involve complex jurisdictional and internet law issues. Legal representation improves your chances.
It depends on damages. Plaintiffs have won settlements ranging from a few thousand to six figures, depending on documented harm.
To an extent, yes. But using them for profit, misrepresentation, or without legal justification can waive those protections.
Even truthful content can be actionable if misleading, harmful, and no longer relevant—especially after an expungement.
Google may voluntarily de-index URLs with sufficient proof of legal harm, falsehood, or privacy violation, but they cannot be forced unless a court order is obtained.
MLA Citations:
“Your Right to Privacy and Publicity.” Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, www.privacyrights.org.
“Expungement and Sealing of Criminal Records Statutes.” National Conference of State Legislatures, www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/expungement-and-sealing-of-criminal-records-statutes.aspx.
“Remove Information from Google.” Google Search Help, support.google.com/websearch/troubleshooter/3111061.
“Mugshots.com Owners Arrested for Extortion.” New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/18/business/mugshots-extortion-case.html.
“Privacy Torts: Defamation and False Light.” Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, www.law.cornell.edu/wex/defamation.
“Using DMCA to Remove Personal Content.” Electronic Frontier Foundation, www.eff.org/issues/intellectual-property/guide-to-file-dmca.