Hennepin County expands expungement program to include youths

MINNEAPOLIS — The Hennepin County Attorney's Office will now accept applications for expungement in youth criminal offense cases. 

"After a community member has been held accountable for their actions, it's in all of our interest to remove unnecessary obstacles that prevent them from contributing to society," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a press release Thursday. "Prosecutor-led expungement is an important tool that removes barriers to jobs, housing, and advancement in life that makes our communities stronger and safer."  

Individuals under the age of 18 can apply for expungement at no cost through the Help Seal My Record portal. If the attorney's office determines the application meet the criteria for expungement, the Office will file an agreement to expunge any records with the court. 

According to the office, roughly 20 motions are filed per month for youth expungement. 

In the past, Moriarty has been called out for sentencing practices with youths. One such case involved a teenager, Foday Kamara. He was sentenced to 130 months in prison for murder. A cousin of Kamara believes Moriarty was not hard enough on the teenager, saying the punishment was a "slap on the wrist." 

Examples of offenses eligible for expungement include but are not limited to property cases, fourth and fifth-degree drug cases, forgery and financial transaction card fraud. More serious crimes including sexual conduct, domestic violence and gun cases are not eligible for this program. Additionally, individuals must satisfy a "waiting period" where they did not commit a crime. Depending on the initial offense, that waiting period can range from no time at all to three years. 

This new development comes after Minnesota's Clean Slate Act went into effect. This act offers expungement for "lower-level, non-violent crimes." DFL Rep. Jamie Long says the act "[offers] people second chances and an opportunity for redemption."