Find Wilkes County Jail Mugshots
Wilkes County jail mugshots are kept by the Sheriff's Office in Washington, Georgia. The county has a population near 9,800 and is located in eastern Georgia, not far from the South Carolina border. The jail processes all local arrests. Booking photos are taken as part of standard intake. Under Georgia's Open Records Act, these records are available to the public. This page covers the search methods, state databases, and legal framework for accessing Wilkes County jail mugshots.
Wilkes County Quick Facts
The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office
The Sheriff's Office in Washington handles all jail operations for Wilkes County. Every arrest in the county goes through this office. Deputies bring people to the jail. Staff take the mugshot, log charges, and enter the booking into the records system. This is the standard process across Georgia.
Wilkes County is not large. The booking volume reflects that. But each booking creates a record that falls under Georgia's open records laws. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 says that public agencies must make their records available upon request. The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office is no different. You can ask for mugshots and booking records, and the office has three business days to respond.
Contact the office in Washington by phone or in person. Staff can confirm whether a booking record exists. For copies, you may need to put your request in writing. Include the name of the person you are looking for, their date of birth if known, and any details about when the arrest happened.
Searching for Booking Records
Wilkes County does not offer a public online jail roster. You need to go through the sheriff's office for local records. A phone call can tell you if someone is currently in the jail. For past bookings, a written records request is usually needed.
State databases are another resource. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you look up anyone in state prison. This free tool covers inmates from all Georgia counties, including those convicted in Wilkes County. Search results show mugshots, sentences, and current facility assignments.
The GDC search portal is open to anyone and is free to use.
Just enter a name and hit search. You do not need to create an account. Results load quickly. If the person has been transferred to state prison from Wilkes County, they will show up here.
GBI and Statewide Records
For a broader search, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GCIC holds criminal history data from all 159 counties. A check through this system covers Wilkes County and every other county in the state.
The GBI background check is not free. There is a fee that varies depending on the type of check. But it gives you the most complete look at a person's criminal record within Georgia. If someone has arrests in Wilkes County and also in Oglethorpe or Lincoln County, the report shows everything together.
Apply for a GBI check through their website. They accept online and mail requests. Give yourself a few weeks for processing, though some requests move faster.
How Georgia Law Handles Mugshots
Georgia has specific rules about mugshot access. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 restricts law enforcement from posting booking photos online unless certain conditions are met. This law also requires that anyone who gets a mugshot from the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office (or any Georgia agency) sign a written statement. The statement must confirm the photo will not end up on a website that charges money for removal.
O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 is the Open Records Act. It makes jail booking data accessible to the public. Fees for copies are capped at 10 cents per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. These rules apply to Wilkes County the same as they do to Fulton or any other Georgia county. The law does not differentiate based on county size.
If your case ended without a conviction, you might qualify for record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. Dismissals and not-guilty verdicts are the most common grounds. Once restricted, the record will not come up in normal public searches. This does not erase the record. It limits who can see it.
Mugshot Removal Protections
Commercial mugshot websites that demand payment to remove booking photos are a known issue. Georgia law addresses it. O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 gives you the right to demand removal. Send a written request. The site has 30 days. If they refuse, go to the Georgia Consumer Protection Division.
The Consumer Protection Division enforces this law. File a complaint through their website. Include the URL where your photo appears, a copy of your removal request, and proof that the 30-day window has passed. The Division takes it from there.
Record restriction can work alongside a consumer protection complaint. If you qualify under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, apply for restriction at the same time. Cutting off public access to the record and pursuing enforcement against the website are two separate but complementary steps.
Making a Records Request
Reach out to the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office in Washington. Be clear. State the person's full name. Add any other identifying details. A date of birth and arrest date are the most helpful. If you do not know the exact date, an approximate range still helps narrow the search.
You can visit in person, call, or send a letter. In-person visits are fastest. The office can check their system right away. Written requests by mail add some time for delivery. Georgia's three-business-day response rule starts when the office gets your request, not when you send it.
Copy fees under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 are capped at 10 cents per page. A single mugshot request will cost very little. Staff time charges can apply for complicated or large requests, but a standard booking photo request should not trigger those.
Nearby Counties
Wilkes County is in eastern Georgia. Several neighboring counties share borders and similar rural characteristics. Booking records stay with the county where the arrest happened, so check these counties if needed.