Search Putnam County Recent Arrests

Recent arrests in Putnam County go through Sheriff Howard Sills and his team in Eatonton, a lakeside community of roughly 22,000 people in middle Georgia. The sheriff's office runs all booking operations for the county jail and keeps records for each arrest that takes place within Putnam County lines. You can search for arrest records by calling the office, visiting in person, or using state databases that pull data from every Georgia county. This page covers how to find and request arrest records in Putnam County, what those records contain, and which state tools can help you get the info you need.

Putnam County Sheriff's Office Recent Arrests

Sheriff Howard Sills leads the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. He is one of the longest-serving sheriffs in the state and a well-known figure in Eatonton and the rest of central Georgia. The office sits at PO Box 3637 in Eatonton. You can reach the main line at (706) 485-8557. The jail and booking unit run out of the same facility, and deputies handle all arrests in areas outside city limits.

When someone is arrested in Putnam County, they are taken to the county jail for processing. Staff logs the person's name, date of birth, charges, and bond amount. This creates the booking record. That record is public in most cases and stays on file at the sheriff's office. If you need info on a recent arrest in Putnam County, the office staff can help by phone or at the front desk during business hours. Walk-ins are welcome on weekdays, and dispatch can handle basic questions after hours.

How to Find Recent Arrest Records in Putnam County

The fastest way to look up a recent arrest in Putnam County is by phone. Call the sheriff at (706) 485-8557. Give them a name and they can check if that person was booked recently. For older records, you might need to visit the office and fill out a request form. Putnam County does not run a public online jail roster, so phone and in-person methods are your best options for local records.

State-level tools can help too. The Georgia Crime Information Center keeps criminal history data from all 159 counties, and that includes every arrest made in Putnam County. You can also use the Georgia Felon Search to check for felony convictions that may be tied to an arrest in the area. Both tools are free and cover the whole state.

The GCIC page from the GBI is the main hub for criminal records in Georgia and pulls data from Putnam County and every other jurisdiction in the state.

This resource is useful for anyone trying to find arrest data that may not be available from the local office in Putnam County.

For court records that come after an arrest, the E-Access portal lets you search filings from Georgia courts. The re:SearchGA tool is another way to look through dockets and case files from Putnam County and other parts of the state. Both are free to use.

Note: State databases may lag behind the local jail by a day or two for very recent arrests in Putnam County.

Putnam County Recent Arrest Records and Georgia Law

Every arrest in Putnam County creates a record that is governed by state law. Under Georgia Code 17-4-27, officers can arrest someone with or without a warrant when there is probable cause. Deputies in Putnam County serve warrants and also make warrantless arrests during active incidents like traffic stops or domestic calls. The booking record captures the details of that event.

Georgia's open records law gives the public a right to see these files. Georgia Code 50-18-72 says most arrest records are public. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office has three business days to respond once they get your request. They can charge for copies, but standard booking info is not restricted in most cases. Sealed records and active investigations are the main exceptions, but for a basic arrest record in Putnam County, access is usually straightforward.

Under Georgia Code 35-3-37, a full criminal history report from the GCIC system requires more than a casual request. You may need to submit fingerprints or have a signed release from the person. But the standard booking record from the Putnam County jail is much easier to get and does not need that level of clearance.

Booking Photos and Restrictions in Putnam County Recent Arrests

A mugshot is taken at every booking in the Putnam County jail. These photos are part of the public arrest record under Georgia law. Some third-party sites collect and post mugshots from counties across the state, and Putnam County is no exception. If your photo was posted after an arrest, you can find info on removal through the Georgia Department of Law consumer protection page.

Not all records stay open. Juvenile arrest records in Putnam County are sealed by default. A judge can also order a record restricted or expunged. Under Georgia Code 35-1-19, certain first offenders may qualify for record restriction after completing their sentence. If you run a search for someone in Putnam County and come up empty, the record may have been restricted or sealed. That does not necessarily mean no arrest occurred. It could also mean the person was never booked in this county.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search shows anyone in state prison, including people convicted on charges that started with an arrest in Putnam County.

Use this tool if the person you are looking for was sentenced to state time after their arrest in Putnam County.

Putnam County Courts and Arrest Cases

After someone is arrested in Putnam County, the case goes to court. The county is part of the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit. Magistrate court handles first appearances, bond hearings, and preliminary hearings. If the charge is a felony, it moves to superior court for indictment and trial. Misdemeanors may stay in state court or magistrate court.

The clerk of court in Putnam County keeps all criminal case files once charges are filed. You can look up records through the re:SearchGA portal or by calling the clerk's office in Eatonton. Court records are separate from the booking record at the jail, but they tie back to the same arrest. Between the sheriff's files and the court records system, you can follow a case from the initial booking through to the final outcome in Putnam County.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists contact info for every sheriff in the state. If you need to check records in a county near Putnam, this is a quick way to find the right number.

Cities in Putnam County

Putnam County includes the city of Eatonton, which is the county seat. All arrests in Eatonton and surrounding areas are processed at the Putnam County jail. Local police departments handle calls within city limits, but booking goes through the sheriff's office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Putnam County. If you are not sure where an arrest took place, check the booking location on the record or contact the arresting agency for the right county.