Towns County Recent Arrest Records

Recent arrests in Towns County are processed through the Sheriff's Office in Hiawassee, Georgia. This mountain county sits in the far northeast corner of the state, near the North Carolina line. Around 12,400 people live here. Sheriff Anthony Coleman leads the department that manages all arrest bookings and jail operations for Towns County. You can search for recent arrest records by calling the sheriff's office or using state tools that pull data from all 159 Georgia counties. This page walks through the main ways to look up arrest records in Towns County and what you can expect to find.

Towns County Sheriff's Office Recent Arrests

Sheriff Anthony Coleman leads the Towns County Sheriff's Office. The office is at 48 River Street Suite F in Hiawassee. You can reach them at 706-896-4444 for any questions about recent arrests or to check if someone is in the jail. The staff handles all patrol work, jail operations, and court duties for Towns County. Deputies cover a rural mountain area that draws a lot of seasonal visitors due to the lake and trail access in the region.

When someone is arrested in Towns County, they are brought to the county jail in Hiawassee for booking. Staff log the person's name, date of birth, charges, and the time they came in. A bond amount is set based on the charge. Towns County sits in the Enotah Judicial Circuit, which also covers Union and Lumpkin counties. Felony cases go to Superior Court. Misdemeanors stay in the local courts. If you need info on a specific arrest, calling the sheriff's office is the fastest way to get it for Towns County.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory has contact info for the Towns County Sheriff's Office along with every other county in the state. It is a good place to double-check phone numbers and addresses.

This directory can help you reach the right office when you need arrest records from Towns County or a nearby area.

How to Search Towns County Recent Arrest Records

Towns County does not run its own online inmate search. This is typical for small mountain counties in Georgia. The most direct way to find out about recent arrests is to call the sheriff's office at 706-896-4444. Give the person's full name and date of birth. Staff can check the jail log and tell you if someone is in custody, what the charges are, and what bond has been set. You can also walk in to the office in Hiawassee and ask in person about Towns County arrest records.

State databases also cover arrest data from Towns County. The Georgia Crime Information Center keeps criminal history records from every law enforcement agency in the state. A GCIC check pulls up arrest information from all 159 counties. The process uses fingerprints and costs a fee, but it gives you a full picture of someone's arrest history in Towns County and beyond. Contact the GCIC at 404-244-2639 for more details on how to run a check.

The Georgia Felon Search is a free tool that covers felony convictions statewide. You type in a name and it returns results from all Georgia counties, including Towns County. Each search costs $15 and gives you felony conviction data pulled from the GBI database. For a broader look at someone's criminal background beyond just the local jail, this tool fills in the gaps.

Note: Phone calls to the Towns County jail are the quickest way to check on someone who was just picked up.

Georgia Law and Towns County Recent Arrests

Georgia law sets the rules for how arrests work in Towns County. Under O.C.G.A. § 17-4-27, a law enforcement officer can arrest someone without a warrant if they see a crime or have probable cause to believe a felony occurred. Many recent arrests in Towns County come from traffic stops, DUI checkpoints, and drug cases along the mountain highways. Warrant-based arrests go through the Magistrate Court first, where a judge reviews the evidence and signs off on the warrant before deputies go out to serve it.

Once a person is booked at the Towns County jail, their arrest record becomes public. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists the exceptions to Georgia's Open Records Act. Most booking data is available for anyone to see. Active investigation details, some witness info, and records involving juveniles may be held back. The Towns County Sheriff's Office follows these guidelines when responding to record requests. If part of a file is exempt, the office will let you know which section of the law applies.

People who want to clear an old arrest from their Towns County record may qualify for restriction. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows this if charges were dropped, the person was found not guilty, or the case was never prosecuted. The process goes through the Enotah Judicial Circuit court system and involves both the prosecutor and the GCIC.

Booking Photos and Towns County Arrests Recent Arrests

A booking photo is taken when someone is processed at the Towns County jail. The photo goes into the arrest file along with the rest of the booking data. Georgia has specific rules about how these images can be shared. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 was passed to stop websites from posting arrest photos and then charging people to have them removed. The law puts limits on commercial use of booking images from any Georgia county, including Towns.

If you need a booking photo from a recent arrest in Towns County, contact the sheriff's office directly. They handle photo requests on a case-by-case basis. In most situations, the photo is part of the public record and the office will share it. Call 706-896-4444 or go to the office at 48 River Street Suite F in Hiawassee. The staff can tell you what is needed for your specific request.

Court Records After Towns County Arrests

After an arrest in Towns County, the case moves to court. The Magistrate Court handles first appearances and bond hearings. Felonies go to Superior Court in the Enotah Judicial Circuit. Misdemeanor cases stay in State Court. Each case file tracks every hearing, motion, and outcome tied to the original arrest in Towns County.

Two state systems let you look up court records online. The Georgia E-Access portal covers courts across the state. You can search by name or case number and see filing dates, charge types, and hearing schedules. The re:SearchGA tool digs deeper into court filings and documents. Both tools pull data from Towns County courts and give you a way to track what happened after an arrest without going to the courthouse.

This portal lets you search for court cases that came from recent arrests in Towns County.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is helpful when a Towns County arrest leads to a state prison sentence. You can check current inmates, release dates, and facility assignments through the GDC tool.

Cities in Towns County

Hiawassee is the county seat with a population of about 900. Young Harris is the other main town in the county and home to Young Harris College. All arrests in these areas go through the Towns County Sheriff's Office and are booked at the county jail in Hiawassee.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Towns County. If you are not sure where an arrest was booked, check the arresting agency on the record. Each county runs its own jail and keeps its own arrest files.