Merced County Busted Mugshots

Merced County busted mugshots are maintained by the Merced County Sheriff's Office, headquartered in the city of Merced. The county has a population of roughly 286,000 and sits in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. The sheriff runs the John Latorraca Correctional Center and processes all bookings for the county. Arrests made by city police departments in Merced, Los Banos, Atwater, and Livingston all flow through the same jail. This page walks you through how to search for busted mugshots in Merced County using local tools, state databases, and public records requests.

Merced County Sheriff Inmate Records

The Merced County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and manages all booking records. Call (209) 385-7445 to reach the office. The John Latorraca Correctional Center in Merced is the main booking facility. Every arrest in the county, regardless of which agency made it, gets processed here. The jail holds people awaiting trial, serving county sentences, and waiting for transfer to state prison.

The sheriff's office may provide inmate information through their website or by phone. For current inmates, you can usually get basic details like charges, bail amount, and booking date. The mugshot is taken during the booking process and is part of the record. If the person you are looking for is currently in custody, this is the quickest way to find their information.

For people who are no longer in jail, submit a public records request. Write to the Merced County Sheriff's Office at 700 W. 22nd Street, Merced, CA 95340. Include the person's full name and the approximate date of arrest. Under the California Public Records Act, the agency has 10 days to respond. Booking records are generally public. The mugshot photo is part of the booking record and is typically available through this process.

Finding Busted Mugshots in Merced County

Start by checking with the sheriff's office for current inmates. Call the jail or check any online lookup tools they provide. If the person is in custody right now, getting basic booking data is straightforward. The staff can confirm whether someone is being held and on what charges.

For released individuals, file a CPRA request with the sheriff's office. You can mail it, bring it in person, or ask if they accept email requests. The city of Merced Police Department makes arrests within city limits, but those bookings go through the county jail. Same for the Los Banos Police, Atwater Police, and Gustine Police. You do not need to contact multiple agencies. The sheriff's office has all the booking records.

The California DOJ maintains statewide criminal history data that includes Merced County arrests.

Review the DOJ PRA page to understand what records you can request at the state level.

The DOJ public records form lets you submit a request online. For your own criminal history, the Live Scan process with form BCIA 8016RR and $25 gives you a copy. The DOJ sometimes has records that local agencies no longer keep on file, so it is worth checking both sources for older busted mugshots from Merced County.

State Resources for Merced County

The CDCR CIRIS database is the tool for finding people in California state prison. If someone was convicted in Merced County and sentenced to state prison, they will show up in CIRIS but not in the county jail search. The county jail holds people short-term. State prison is for longer sentences. Once someone transfers, their records are in the CDCR system.

SB 1027 prevents third-party websites from charging money to remove mugshot photos. If your Merced County booking photo shows up on one of these sites and they ask for a fee, that is against California law. Penal Code section 13665 also limits how law enforcement can share booking photos on social media. Nonviolent arrest photos cannot be posted publicly unless the person is a fugitive or poses a specific danger to the public.

The Megan's Law website is a separate state resource for sex offender information. It includes photos and registration details for offenders in Merced County and across California. This is maintained by the DOJ and is not connected to the county booking system.

Merced County Court Records

The Merced County Superior Court handles criminal cases in the county. The main courthouse is in the city of Merced, with a branch courthouse in Los Banos. Court records show what happened with a case after booking. You can find charge details, hearing dates, plea agreements, and sentencing information. This fills in the picture when a busted mugshot only shows the initial arrest charges.

The court clerk's office can help you look up cases and get copies. Standard copy fees apply across California Superior Courts. Certified copies cost more. Some case information may be available through the court's online portal. Criminal records are public unless sealed by a judge or involving a juvenile. Having a branch courthouse in Los Banos is helpful for residents in the western part of the county who would otherwise have to travel to Merced.

Clearing Merced County Arrest Records

Under Penal Code section 1203.4, you can petition to dismiss a conviction after completing probation. This updates your record but does not completely erase the arrest. The booking record and mugshot still exist, just with an updated case status. For arrests that never resulted in charges, Penal Code section 851.87 lets you seal the arrest record. Once sealed, the public cannot access the mugshot or arrest details.

The Clean Slate Act under SB 731 provides automatic sealing for certain records without any action from you. Misdemeanor arrests with no charges get sealed after one year. Felony arrests with no charges get sealed after three years. For petitions that require court filing, go to the Merced County Superior Court. Legal aid organizations in the Central Valley serve Merced County and can help with expungement and record sealing if you qualify for their services.

Cities in Merced County

Merced County does not have any cities with a population over 100,000. The city of Merced is the county seat and largest city at around 86,000 people. Los Banos, Atwater, and Livingston are the other main cities. All arrests across these cities go through the Merced County jail for booking. The sheriff handles the booking process for every law enforcement agency in the county.

Nearby Counties

Merced County is in the central San Joaquin Valley. Arrests near county borders may be processed by a neighboring jurisdiction.