Sierra County 24 Hour Booking

Sierra County 24 hour booking records cover arrests in one of California's smallest and most rural counties, high in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Sierra County does not operate its own jail. Since 2015, inmates arrested by the Sierra County Sheriff are housed at the Nevada County jail through a contract arrangement. This means booking records for Sierra County arrests are held in the Nevada County jail system. You can still look up Sierra County booking data, but you need to search through Nevada County's inmate database or contact the Sierra County Sheriff directly at (530) 289-3700.

Sierra County Booking Through Nevada County

Sierra County closed its jail and started housing inmates at the Nevada County Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in 2015. This arrangement means that when the Sierra County Sheriff arrests someone, the person is transported to Nevada County for booking and detention. The booking record gets created at the Nevada County jail. The Nevada County Sheriff's Office runs an online inmate report at reports.nevcounty.net where you can search for people in custody. Sierra County arrests will appear in this system because the booking takes place at the Nevada County facility.

This setup is not unusual in California. Several very small counties contract jail services with a larger neighbor rather than running their own facility. Sierra County has a population of around 3,200 people, making it the second-least populated county in the state. The volume of arrests is low enough that building and staffing a local jail does not make financial sense. The contract with Nevada County covers housing, medical care, and booking services for anyone arrested by the Sierra County Sheriff.

To search for a Sierra County booking, use the Nevada County inmate search tool. Look for the person by name. If they were arrested by the Sierra County Sheriff, the arresting agency may be listed on the booking record. You can also call the Nevada County jail directly at the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility line, (530) 265-1291, to ask about someone booked on Sierra County charges.

Finding Sierra County Arrest Records

There are a few ways to get booking records for people arrested in Sierra County. The fastest method is to use the Nevada County inmate search online. Go to the Nevada County Sheriff's Inmates in Custody Report and type in the name of the person you want to find. This report shows current inmates held at the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility, including those booked on Sierra County warrants or arrests. The tool is free. No login is needed.

If the online search does not turn up what you need, call the Sierra County Sheriff's Office at (530) 289-3700. The office is in Downieville, the county seat. Staff can check their own records for arrest information and can also coordinate with Nevada County to get booking details. Because Sierra County is so small, the staff tends to know what is going on and can point you in the right direction fast.

For a formal request, you can use the California Public Records Act. The California DOJ public records page explains how to submit a written request to any law enforcement agency in the state. Both the Sierra County Sheriff and the Nevada County Sheriff must respond to valid records requests within 10 days.

Sierra County Arrest Record Details

Even though Sierra County does not have its own jail, booking records for Sierra County arrests contain the same information required by state law. Government Code Section 7923.610 requires that law enforcement release the full name, date of birth, and physical description of anyone arrested. The booking date and time, charges, bail amount, and the person's current holding location must also be public. For Sierra County arrests, the holding location will be the Nevada County Wayne Brown Correctional Facility.

Sierra County booking records also cover:

• Location of the arrest within Sierra County
• Factual circumstances of the arrest
• Any holds or warrants from other agencies
• Bail set by the court
• Release date if the person has been let go

Since the booking takes place at the Nevada County facility, some of this data is held by Nevada County's system. But the Sierra County Sheriff retains the arrest records on their end too. So both agencies can help you find what you need regarding a Sierra County 24 hour booking entry.

Records Law for Sierra County

Booking records from Sierra County arrests are public under the California Public Records Act. The same rules that apply to big counties like Los Angeles or San Francisco apply here. You have the right to look up who was arrested and what charges were filed. The law does not limit this right to family members or lawyers. Anyone can ask.

Under Penal Code Section 851.91, a person arrested in Sierra County who was never convicted can petition to seal the arrest record. Once sealed, the record is removed from both the Sierra County and Nevada County systems. It will not appear in any public search or in response to a records request. The sealing process involves filing with the court that has jurisdiction over the case. Given Sierra County's low arrest volume, sealed records are uncommon here, but the right exists under state law just like in any other California county.

The California DOJ also maintains statewide arrest data through its Open Justice portal. You can look at arrest trends for Sierra County there, though the numbers are very small given the county's tiny population. Individual booking records are best found through the Nevada County inmate search or direct contact with the Sierra County Sheriff.

Sierra County Booking Resources

Since Sierra County does not have its own online inmate search, the screenshot below shows the California DOJ's public records information page, which outlines the rights and process for requesting booking records from any county in the state, including Sierra.

The California DOJ page above explains how the Public Records Act works for all counties, which is particularly useful in Sierra County where records are split between the county sheriff and the Nevada County jail system.

Sierra County Sheriff Contact

Call the Sierra County Sheriff at (530) 289-3700 for arrest and booking questions. The office is in Downieville. Because there is no local jail, staff will direct you to the Nevada County system for custody status questions. The Nevada County Wayne Brown Correctional Facility phone is (530) 265-1291. Both numbers are your best options for finding 24 hour booking records tied to a Sierra County arrest.

Towns in Sierra County

Sierra County has no cities over 100,000 in population. In fact, it is among the least populated counties in the entire United States. Towns like Downieville, Loyalton, and Sierra City make up the county. Arrests in any of these communities go through the Sierra County Sheriff, with booking at the Nevada County jail.

Nearby California Counties

These counties surround Sierra County in the northern Sierra Nevada. Each has its own system for booking records.