Fingerprints on file

Dunno bout America, but here in England we've got a "Spent Conviction" rule which means that after 7 years you don't have to say you've been convicted of something when you fill in job application forms and stuff, because the conviction is regarded as "spent" (ancient history).

If your friend was ever convicted of anything whatsoever, chances are that his prints are on file in the FBI data base. Come to think of it, he need not even have been convicted. If he was fingerprinted by any law enforcement agency, including local police, in this country, the prints are routinely forwarded to the FBI lab in Washington, D.C. where they remain on file indefinitely.

I'm pretty sure prints taken at military enlistment are still available, too. Many just in the US though.

Travel to America and your fingerprints are taken on arrival, I imagine it's the same for American citizens.

20 years ago I got a speeding ticket in CT. I mailed in the fine but the next day I was contacted by the local police and was informed that CT had a warrant with my name on it for murder. It took less than a day to clear things up and it turned out that the data entered into the system was moved around and when who ever was entering the information ended up entering the charges off the next sheet down on rather than my speeding violation. I like to think I might be an isolated case but I doubt that I am. I'm sure that in some data base there is a file that still has me listed as being wanted for murder. Computers are great for storing information but if that item for me had / has been released I that it was never corrected or removed completely.
I have had both Q and Top Secret clearances but not in the past 3 decades.

It would be great to talk to a criminal lawyer. In most of the cases finger prints plat significant role....

Yes, the things will never change. The past will follow you as a shadow even you stop all those things which was done by you in past. It takes times to get things changes, makes sure that the things won't repeat it again, the only things which saves.

There's no denying that fingerprints still be on file even though there is no criminal record...