Martinez Recent Arrest Records
Recent arrests in Martinez are handled by the Columbia County Sheriff's Office since Martinez has no city police of its own. Martinez is a census-designated place with about 33,019 residents in Columbia County, just west of Augusta. As an unincorporated community, Martinez relies on the county sheriff for all law enforcement needs. Arrest records from Martinez are public under Georgia law and can be found through the sheriff's office, state databases, and open records requests filed with Columbia County.
Martinez Quick Facts
How Recent Arrests Work in Martinez
Martinez is a census-designated place, not an incorporated city. It has no city government and no police department. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office handles all law enforcement in Martinez. Sheriff Clay Whittle runs the department from PO Box 310, Appling, GA 30802-0310. Call 706-541-1043 to reach the office. Columbia County deputies patrol Martinez, respond to calls, and make all arrests in the area. When someone gets arrested in Martinez, the person is taken to the Columbia County Detention Center for booking.
O.C.G.A. 17-4-27 gives Columbia County deputies the right to arrest someone in Martinez with or without a warrant. A warrantless arrest can happen when the deputy sees a crime or has probable cause to believe a felony just took place. Warrant-based arrests require a judge to sign off. The booking process is the same in both cases. The arrested person gets fingerprinted, a booking photo is taken, and the charges are logged into the system. Recent arrests in Martinez appear in the Columbia County records after booking is done.
Since there is no city police department in Martinez, all arrest records stay with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. You do not need to check multiple agencies. The sheriff's office is the single source for arrest reports, booking records, and jail data for any arrest that happens in Martinez. This keeps the search process straightforward.
| Law Enforcement | Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Clay Whittle |
| Address | PO Box 310 Appling, GA 30802-0310 |
| Phone | 706-541-1043 |
Columbia County Jail and Recent Arrest and Martinez Bookings
The Columbia County Detention Center is where all people arrested in Martinez get booked. Sheriff Clay Whittle oversees the jail. After a deputy brings someone in from Martinez, jail staff takes a booking photo, collects fingerprints, and enters all charge data into the county system. The booking record for recent arrests in Martinez shows the person's name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and the date they were booked in.
Contact the Columbia County Sheriff's Office at 706-541-1043 to ask about current inmates or recent bookings from Martinez. You can call the jail to check if someone is in custody. Give them the full name and date of birth. They can tell you if that person has been booked and what the charges are. Bond information is also available by phone in most cases.
The jail handles warrant service for all of Columbia County. That includes Martinez. If someone in Martinez has an outstanding warrant from any jurisdiction, Columbia County deputies carry out the arrest. Those records go through the same booking process as any other arrest. The county also works with state and federal agencies on warrants when needed. All of it gets logged in the same county system.
State Databases for Martinez Recent Arrest Records
Georgia has several state-level databases that include arrest records from Martinez. Arrests made by Columbia County deputies in Martinez get reported to state systems after booking. These tools let you search beyond the local jail roster and see a broader picture of someone's arrest history across the whole state.
The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) keeps criminal history records from every law enforcement agency in Georgia. Every arrest in Martinez gets reported to GCIC through Columbia County. You can request your own record for a fee. O.C.G.A. 35-3-35 sets rules for electronic access to felony records in the GCIC system. It controls who can see the data and how it gets shared. Law enforcement has full access. The public can run background checks for a fee.
The re:SearchGA court records portal lets you search for case records from participating Georgia courts.
Search by name or case number on re:SearchGA to find court records tied to an arrest in Martinez. The system covers criminal and civil filings from counties that participate.
The Georgia Felon Search is free and shows felony conviction records. If a Martinez arrest led to a felony conviction and state prison time, the record shows up there. The GDC Offender Search covers people currently in state prison or on supervision. The E-Access portal provides court case data from participating courts.
The Georgia Sex Offender Registry tracks registered offenders near Martinez and across the state.
Search the registry by name, address, or zip code to find registered sex offenders in the Martinez area. The registry is free and run by the GBI.
Georgia Arrest Laws in Martinez Recent Arrests
Georgia law controls how arrests work in Martinez. O.C.G.A. 17-4-27 gives deputies the authority to arrest with a warrant or without one when probable cause exists. For misdemeanors, the deputy usually needs to see the crime happen. Felony arrests can be made on probable cause alone. After an arrest in Martinez, the person has a right to a first appearance hearing within 48 hours if held in custody. Bond gets set at that hearing.
Recent arrest records from Martinez are public. O.C.G.A. 50-18-72, the Open Records Act, says anyone can request these records without having to give a reason. Send a written request to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. They must respond within three business days. The initial arrest report is always public, even while a case is still being investigated. Some parts of the case file may be held back during an active investigation, but that first arrest report must be released when requested.
O.C.G.A. 35-1-19 covers how booking data and arrest photos move between law enforcement and the state GCIC system. Not all agencies post booking photos online. O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.5 targets commercial mugshot websites that charge people a fee to have their booking photos removed. That practice is against the law in Georgia. If you find a Martinez booking photo on one of those sites, the person shown can send a written request for free removal. The site has 30 days to comply.
Record restriction is available through O.C.G.A. 35-3-37. If charges from a Martinez arrest were dropped, dismissed, or the person was acquitted, they can apply to restrict the record. The cost is $25 paid to the GBI. Once restricted, the arrest does not show up in regular public searches. Law enforcement still has access to the full record. But the general public cannot see it through standard search tools. The restriction takes about 90 days for the prosecutor to review before a final decision.
Court Cases from Martinez Arrests
Arrests in Martinez lead to cases in the Columbia County court system. Felonies go to Columbia County Superior Court. Misdemeanors are handled in State Court or Magistrate Court. Magistrate Court also does bond hearings and preliminary hearings after a recent arrest. Since Martinez is not incorporated, there is no municipal court. All cases from Martinez go through the county courts in Appling or Evans.
You can search Columbia County court records through the E-Access portal or re:SearchGA if the county participates. These tools show case numbers, hearing dates, charges, and outcomes. For in-person access, visit the Columbia County Courthouse. The clerk of court keeps case files and can pull records for you. There is a per-page copy fee. Following a case from arrest through court gives you the full story of what happened after someone was booked in Martinez.
The court record shows what happened after the arrest. Charges sometimes get reduced. Some get dropped. Others lead to a guilty plea or a trial. The arrest record alone does not tell you the end result. You need both the arrest data and the court record to see the whole picture for any Martinez case.
Columbia County Arrest Records
Martinez is in Columbia County. All arrests in the area go through the Columbia County Sheriff's Office and Detention Center. For a full look at arrest resources, jail info, and court records in Columbia County, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
Evans is the closest qualifying city to Martinez. Both are in Columbia County and use the same sheriff. Augusta is in neighboring Richmond County with its own police and jail system.