Find Washington County Busted Mugshots
Washington County busted mugshots and arrest records are maintained by the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Sheriff Keith Sexton leads the department, which runs the Washington County Detention Center and handles law enforcement across one of northeast Tennessee's most populated counties. With a population over 133,000, Washington County processes a high volume of arrests each year. This page covers all the methods you can use to search Washington County booking records, jail rosters, and mugshot data, whether you search online or visit the courthouse in person.
Washington County Quick Facts
Washington County Sheriff's Office
The Washington County Sheriff's Office runs all law enforcement and detention operations in the county. The main office is at 116 W. Jackson Boulevard in Jonesborough. You can call 423-788-1414 for general questions. The jail phone is 423-791-4900. The department has patrol, investigations, corrections, and court services divisions.
Washington County is the third oldest county in Tennessee. Jonesborough, the county seat, is the oldest town in the state. But the county's court system is modern. The Detention Center houses the Sheriff's Office and jail operations in one location. If you want copies of arrest reports or booking records, contact the Records Division at the Sheriff's Office. They handle requests in person and by mail.
Fees may apply for copies, and staff time charges can come into play for large requests. The Sheriff's Office keeps booking records for every person brought into the Washington County Detention Center. Arrest data is on file going back years.
| Office |
Washington County Sheriff's Office 116 W. Jackson Boulevard, Jonesborough, TN 37659 Phone: 423-788-1414 |
|---|---|
| Jail | Washington County Detention Center Phone: 423-791-4900 |
| Records |
Washington County Public Records Coordinator 100 E. Main Street, Jonesborough, TN 37659 Phone: 423-753-1611 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Washington County Busted Mugshots Online Search
Washington County does not currently run a public-facing inmate search portal on its official website. The county government site at washingtoncountytn.org has general department information but does not include a live jail roster or booking search tool. For online access to Washington County busted mugshots, third-party sources that pull from official records are the best option right now.
The Washington County Detention Center houses adults charged with both misdemeanor and felony offenses. To check on a specific inmate, call the detention center directly. You can also use VINELink to track custody status changes and get free alerts when someone is released or transferred. The statewide court records system at tncourts.gov can show case details tied to arrests in Washington County.
The county government website has information about county services and departments.
Johnson City, the largest city in Washington County, has its own police department. Arrests made by Johnson City police are typically processed at the Washington County Detention Center. So you will find those bookings on the county jail roster as well.
How to Find Washington County Arrest Records
There are several ways to look up Washington County busted mugshots and arrest data. Calling the detention center is the quickest option for current inmates. For older records or certified copies, you need to go through the Sheriff's Office or county offices.
To search in person, go to the Sheriff's Office at 116 W. Jackson Boulevard in Jonesborough. Bring your ID. You can ask staff to look up arrest records by name or case number. Under T.C.A. § 10-7-503, most arrest records in Tennessee are public. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not need a specific reason.
Written requests can also go to the Washington County Public Records Coordinator at 100 E. Main Street in Jonesborough. Call 423-753-1611 to start a request. Include a clear description of what records you need. The county has 7 business days to respond under Tennessee law.
- Full name of the person you are looking up
- Approximate date of arrest if known
- Case or booking number if you have it
- Your own ID for in-person requests
Washington County Public Records Access
Tennessee law gives the public broad access to government records, and that includes Washington County arrest records and booking data. Under T.C.A. § 10-7-503, any citizen can request to view or copy public records held by state and local agencies. Booking photos taken at the Washington County Detention Center fall under this law.
Copy fees are governed by T.C.A. § 10-7-505. Washington County can charge for the actual cost of making copies, and if a request takes more than an hour of staff time, labor charges may apply. Some records are exempt under T.C.A. § 10-7-504, such as active investigation files. But most booking records and mugshots from Washington County are available to the public.
If you believe a records request was wrongly denied, you can contact the Tennessee Office of Open Records Counsel for help.
Washington County Mugshot Laws
Tennessee has strong public records laws that apply to Washington County mugshots and arrest records. The Tennessee Public Records Act at T.C.A. § 10-7-503 says government records are open for inspection by any citizen unless a specific exemption applies. Booking photos taken at the Washington County Detention Center fall under this law. Anyone can request copies.
For criminal history checks that go beyond the public jail roster, T.C.A. § 38-6-109 controls how that data gets shared. Fingerprint-based checks cost $29 through the TBI and are done at Identogo locations across Tennessee. The Tennessee Sex Offender Registry is another public tool you can use alongside Washington County arrest records to check a person's history.
Statewide Resources for Washington County
Several state databases work alongside Washington County's local records. The Tennessee Department of Correction runs the Felony Offender Information Lookup, or FOIL, at tn.gov. FOIL covers state prison inmates and parolees but does not include county jail inmates. If someone from Washington County was sentenced to state prison, you can find them there.
The Tennessee Court System offers a public case search for court records from participating counties. The TBI processes open records requests and can be reached at tbi.openrecords@tn.gov for statewide criminal history data that goes beyond what Washington County holds locally.
Cities in Washington County
Washington County includes Johnson City, one of the largest cities in northeast Tennessee. Arrests made by the Johnson City Police Department are processed through the Washington County Detention Center. All busted mugshots for arrests in Washington County show up on the county jail roster.
Johnson City, Jonesborough, and other communities in Washington County all route bookings through the county system. Johnson City does not have a population threshold that qualifies for a separate city page on this site, but all arrests there are found via the county records described above.
Nearby Counties
Washington County borders several other Tennessee counties. If you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check the booking location on the jail roster. Each county runs its own jail and keeps separate busted mugshots records.