Upson County Mugshot Lookup

Upson County jail mugshots are created at the county jail in Thomaston, Georgia. The Upson County Sheriff's Office manages all bookings and jail operations for the county's roughly 26,300 residents. Located in west-central Georgia between Macon and LaGrange, Upson County processes arrests from both local law enforcement and the Thomaston Police Department. Every arrest goes through the county jail for booking. A mugshot is taken as part of that process, and the record becomes accessible under Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. Here is how to find these records.

Upson County Sheriff's Office

The Upson County Sheriff's Office is headquartered in Thomaston. The sheriff leads a team that covers patrol, criminal investigations, civil process, and jail operations across the county. Upson County also has the Thomaston Police Department, which patrols within city limits. But all arrests from both agencies go through the same county jail for booking.

At the jail, staff follow a set booking procedure. They photograph the person. They log personal details and list the charges. Bond is set by a magistrate based on the offense. The entire record, mugshot included, enters the system and becomes part of the public file. Upson County's jail sees moderate activity. It is not as busy as the larger metro jails but handles more bookings than the smallest rural counties in the region.

You can call the Upson County Sheriff's Office for basic inmate information. Staff will tell you if someone is in custody and what the charges are. For formal records, put your request in writing. The office processes records requests under state law.

Searching for Upson County Mugshots

Check whether the Upson County Sheriff's Office has an online inmate search on their website. Some mid-size Georgia counties offer this feature while others do not. If a digital tool is available, you can search by name to find current inmates and their booking details.

If no online tool exists, phone and mail are your next options. Call the jail to ask about a specific person. For a copy of the actual mugshot, submit an open records request to the Sheriff's Office. Include the person's name, date of birth, and any other identifying details you have.

For people who have moved from the Upson County Jail to state prison, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is the right tool. It covers all state inmates.

The GDC offender query portal shown below lets you search for any inmate in the Georgia prison system, including those originally booked in Upson County.

Results from the GDC search include a current photo, facility assignment, sentence details, and projected release date. The tool is free and does not require registration.

GBI Criminal Records

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GCIC holds criminal history records from every county in the state. An Upson County arrest will show up in a GCIC background check along with any other records tied to that person from anywhere in Georgia.

Two check types are available. A name-based search is cheaper but less thorough. A fingerprint-based search is the gold standard and picks up records that might be filed under aliases or misspelled names. The GBI charges fees for both types. Results cover arrest records, charges, and court outcomes when available.

For a full picture of someone's criminal history in Upson County, a GBI check complements what the local sheriff's office can provide. It catches records the county may not have in its own files, especially if the person has a history in other parts of Georgia.

Requesting Records from Upson County

The Open Records Act gives you clear rights. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 says the Upson County Sheriff's Office must respond within three business days. You can ask for mugshots, booking logs, arrest reports, and incident records. Most of these are public documents.

Write a focused request. Name the person. Give dates. Specify what you want. Broad requests like "all arrests from last month" take longer and may cost more because of staff time. A targeted request for one person's booking record is quick to process. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the maximum copy fee is 10 cents per page. Some offices waive fees for very small requests.

Submit your request by mail or in person at the Thomaston office. Ask if email submissions are accepted. Keep a copy of what you sent and note the date. If three business days pass without a response, follow up. The law is on your side.

Mugshot Privacy and Removal

O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 restricts how the Upson County Sheriff's Office distributes mugshots. They cannot share booking photos with anyone who intends to upload them to a pay-for-removal website. A signed statement is required with every mugshot request. This applies regardless of who is asking or why.

Record restriction offers a path for people whose cases ended without a conviction. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows restriction when the arrest led to a dismissal, acquittal, or similar qualifying outcome. Once restricted, the record is hidden from public databases. The mugshot comes down from any state-run search tools.

If a commercial website has posted your Upson County mugshot and demands payment for removal, Georgia law is on your side. O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 requires these sites to remove photos within 30 days of receiving a written request. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division accepts complaints when sites refuse to comply.

Upson County Courts

Upson County is part of the Flint Judicial Circuit. Superior Court in Thomaston handles felony trials and major civil cases. Magistrate Court covers warrants, bond hearings, and small claims. State Court deals with misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic violations.

After a booking at the Upson County Jail, the case moves into the court system. Jail records capture the arrest. Court records capture the legal process and outcome. To find out what happened with a case after the booking, contact the Upson County Clerk of Court. They can provide case status updates, sentencing details, and other court documents that add context to the booking record.

Nearby Counties

Upson County shares borders with several counties in west-central Georgia. People sometimes get arrested in one county while living in another. Check these neighbors if your search comes up empty in Upson.