Sierra County Busted Mugshots

Sierra County busted mugshots are handled by the Sierra County Sheriff's Office in Downieville. This is the least populated county in California, with only about 3,000 residents. The county is entirely rural and sits in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains. There are no incorporated cities in Sierra County. Downieville serves as the county seat. Law enforcement is handled almost entirely by the sheriff, since there are no city police departments. Arrests are rare compared to larger counties, but the same public records laws apply. This page covers how to access busted mugshots and booking records in Sierra County.

Sierra County Sheriff Booking Records

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the entire county. With roughly 3,000 residents spread across 953 square miles of mountain terrain, crime is uncommon here. The sheriff handles all patrols, investigations, and jail operations. You can reach the sheriff at (530) 289-3700 to ask about booking records or current inmates.

The county jail in Downieville is small. It holds only a handful of inmates at a time. Many people arrested in Sierra County are transported to neighboring county jails if the local facility is full or if the charges are serious. This means that a booking record for a Sierra County arrest might actually be held by a different county's jail system. Always check with the sheriff's office first to find out where a specific person was booked and where the mugshot is stored.

Because of how small the county is, there is no online inmate search tool like bigger counties have. The Sierra County website provides general information about county services. For booking data, phone calls and written records requests are the main options. In-person visits to the sheriff's office in Downieville work too, though the town is remote and not easy to get to.

California's Public Records Act gives you the right to request booking records from the Sierra County Sheriff's Office.

The DOJ FAQ page answers common questions about requesting public records from law enforcement agencies across the state.

How to Find Busted Mugshots in Sierra County

Call the sheriff's office at (530) 289-3700. This is the fastest way to check on an arrest or booking. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody and give basic booking information. Sierra County is small enough that the sheriff's office handles requests quickly in most cases.

For a written record, file a California Public Records Act request. Send it to the Sierra County Sheriff's Office in Downieville, CA 95936. Include the person's name, date of birth if you know it, and the approximate date of arrest. Ask for the booking record and the booking photo. The agency has 10 days to respond. Because the county processes so few arrests, response times are often faster than in larger jurisdictions.

Keep in mind that Sierra County sometimes transfers inmates to neighboring counties. If the person was moved to the Nevada County Jail or the Plumas County Jail, the booking photo may be in that county's system instead. The sheriff's office can tell you where the person was held. It is worth calling to ask before filing a formal request, just to make sure you are sending it to the right agency.

Sierra County Court Records

The Sierra County Superior Court handles criminal cases in the county. The courthouse is in Downieville. Court records include charging documents, pleas, outcomes, and sentencing. They go beyond what a booking record provides. If you need the full picture on a case tied to busted mugshots in Sierra County, the court file will have more information than the booking record alone.

Because of the county's tiny population, the court hears very few criminal cases. This can actually work in your favor when requesting records. The clerk's office is small but responsive. Criminal case records are public unless sealed by a judge. Contact the court directly for help finding a specific case. There are small fees for copies of court documents.

Some cases from Sierra County may be handled by visiting judges from other counties because of the low caseload. The court still maintains the records locally. Just ask the clerk for the case file you need.

State Resources for Sierra County Mugshots

The California Department of Justice maintains criminal history records from all agencies in the state. Submit a CPRA request through the DOJ online form for state-level data. To get your own record, submit Live Scan fingerprints with form BCIA 8016RR and pay $25. The RAP sheet shows arrest history from all California agencies. For a county this small, the DOJ may be the most complete source for historical arrest data.

The CDCR CIRIS tool covers state prison inmates only. It does not include people held in the Sierra County Jail or any county jail. Use CIRIS when someone has been sentenced to state prison. The free search shows the person's name, CDCR number, current facility, and admission date. Very few people from Sierra County end up in state prison in any given year, but the tool is available if needed.

The California DOJ record review process lets individuals check their own criminal history, including any Sierra County arrests on file.

Use the DOJ's record review process to see what information the state has on file from your interactions with law enforcement.

Removing Sierra County Busted Mugshots

California law applies the same across all 58 counties, including Sierra. Penal Code section 851.87 lets you petition to seal an arrest if charges were never filed, dropped, or you were acquitted. Once sealed, the mugshot becomes closed to the public. The Clean Slate Act under SB 731 provides automatic sealing in some cases. Misdemeanor arrests seal after one year with no charges. Felony arrests seal after three years.

Expungement under Penal Code section 1203.4 clears a conviction but does not seal the arrest record or mugshot. For Sierra County cases, file your petition with the Superior Court in Downieville. The court is small, so the process may move quickly compared to busier courts. SB 1027 makes it illegal for websites to charge you to remove a booking photo. Report any site that tries to the California Attorney General.

Communities in Sierra County

Sierra County has no incorporated cities. All communities are unincorporated. Downieville is the county seat and the largest settlement. Other communities include Loyalton, Sierra City, Sierraville, and Calpine. The entire county is patrolled by the sheriff's office. There are no city police departments. All arrests in the county are handled by the sheriff's deputies or by state agencies like the California Highway Patrol that operate in the area.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sierra County. Some inmates arrested in Sierra County may be held in neighboring jails due to the small size of the local facility.