Find Inmate Population in Desha County
The Desha County inmate population is held at the Desha County Jail in McGehee. The sheriff's office does not run an online inmate roster. You have to call to check on a person in custody. This page lists the main phone number, the FOIA steps, and the state and federal search tools you can use if the person is not at the county jail. Desha County sits in southeast Arkansas. The Mississippi River forms the east border of the county. McGehee and Arkansas City are the two main towns.
Desha County Inmate Population Overview
Desha County Inmate Roster by Phone
Desha County does not post an online inmate roster. To check on someone in the Desha County inmate population, call the sheriff's office at (870) 222-5127. Jail staff will check the booking log and tell you if the person is in custody. Staff can also give you the bond amount and the court date.
Give the staff the inmate's full name, and if you have it, the date of birth or the approximate booking date. That helps them pull the right record fast. The jail runs 24 hours a day for booking calls. Plan to call during regular hours for a records question.
The Desha County Sheriff's Office is at 316 Robert S. Moore Avenue in McGehee. Admin hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Records staff handle FOIA requests on the same schedule.
Note: Desha County keeps manual booking records, so an online search is not an option and a phone call is the fastest way to get inmate population data for the county jail.
Desha County Jail Details
The Desha County Jail is run by the Desha County Sheriff's Office. The facility is in McGehee. The jail holds pre-trial inmates and short-sentence inmates for Desha County. Inmates with long state sentences move to the Arkansas Department of Correction.
Booking data includes the full name, the booking date, the booking time, the charges, the bond amount, and the arresting agency. Staff keep the records on paper as well as in an internal booking log. Most booking data is open under FOIA.
Desha County has two courthouse sites. The courthouse in McGehee is at 111 Robert S. Moore Avenue. A second courthouse in Arkansas City is at 600 Robert Moore Avenue. The County Clerk's office runs at (870) 222-3526. The clerk keeps county records but not jail records.
Desha County FOIA Records
Any Arkansas citizen can file a FOIA request with Desha County. The rule comes from Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq. The sheriff has three business days to respond. Most jail records are open.
Send a written FOIA request to the Desha County Sheriff's Office at 316 Robert S. Moore Avenue, McGehee, AR 71654. Be clear about what you want. Give the inmate's full name, the date range, and the type of record. The office may charge a copy fee.
The Arkansas Attorney General puts out a free FOIA Handbook. Get a copy at the AG FOIA page. Call (501) 682-2007 for FOIA help. Records that are exempt include active investigation files, juvenile records, and medical records.
Desha County Court Records
Every person in the Desha County inmate population has a court case tied to their booking. The Circuit Clerk in McGehee or Arkansas City keeps the case files. Many cases are online through CourtConnect.
Try the CourtConnect portal to search by name or case number. Basic searches are free. The Arkansas Judiciary website links to clerk contact info and the rules of court.
Under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-13-330, circuit clerks keep the case files for the circuit court. Most records are open. A judge can seal a file for good cause.
State Inmate Search Tools
A Desha County inmate sent to state prison moves off the county jail roster and into the Arkansas Department of Correction system. The ADC runs the main state inmate population search tool.
Search the ADC inmate info search by name or ADC number. The Arkansas Department of Correction main site has parole info and facility pages. Call (870) 267-6999 for the ADC main line.
The tool is free. No log-in is needed. Results list the current unit, the sentence, and the projected release date.
The state keeps records under Ark. Code Ann. § 12-27-113(e)(1). The Parole Board publishes data on inmates up for parole under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-93-202.
Federal Inmates and VINE Alerts
Federal charges out of Desha County go to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Federal inmates are held in a federal facility, not the Desha County jail. Use the BOP inmate locator to search by name or BOP number. The Federal Bureau of Prisons site has facility info.
VINE is a free victim notification system. Sign up at VINELink or call the Arkansas VINE hotline at 1-800-510-0415. VINE sends a call, text, or email when an inmate is moved, released, or bonded out. Registration is anonymous.
For sex offender data, search the free ACIC sex offender registry. Background checks go through the Arkansas State Police portal.
Arkansas Sentencing Data and Desha County
The Arkansas Sentencing Commission tracks state prison admissions by county of conviction. The data feeds into a ten-year prison population forecast that the state uses for budget and facility planning. The Desha County inmate population that ends up in state prison shows up in this report.
Annual reports from the Sentencing Commission cover admissions by gender, age, race, and offense type. The reports also list release counts and the projected state prison count by month. The data is helpful for tracking trends in Desha County inmate population sentencing.
Booking Process for Desha County Inmates
Every person in the Desha County inmate population goes through the same intake steps. Officers transport the arrestee to the booking desk. Staff record the name, date of birth, address, height, weight, and any aliases. Fingerprints and a mugshot are taken at this point. The arrestee is searched for contraband. Property is logged and held for release.
The next step is the medical screening. Jail staff ask about current medications, medical conditions, and mental health needs. Anyone showing signs of intoxication or injury is checked by medical staff before housing. Inmates with serious medical needs are sent to a hospital first. After medical clearance, the arrestee is placed in a holding area pending a first appearance.
Bond is set at the first court appearance, usually within 24 hours of intake. The magistrate reviews the charges, the prior record, and any flight risk factors. Some lower-level offenses get a bond set right at the booking desk under a standing schedule. The Desha County inmate population log records the bond amount for each charge.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Desha County is in southeast Arkansas along the Mississippi River. McGehee and Arkansas City are the main towns. Neighboring counties each run their own jails. Pick a county below.