Watonwan County Jail Mugshots

Watonwan County jail mugshots and inmate booking records are managed by the Watonwan County Sheriff's Office in St. James, Minnesota. The county jail operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and serves this south central Minnesota county with a medium security facility. Booking records are available as a PDF roster on the county's website, updated on a regular schedule. This page explains how to find the Watonwan County jail roster, how to request booking photos, and what Minnesota laws cover access to these records.

Watonwan County Jail and Sheriff's Office

The Watonwan County Jail is at 710 2nd Ave South, St. James, MN 56081 (PO Box 518). Julie Carr serves as the Jail Administrator. The jail phone is (507) 375-3121 and the fax is (507) 375-1246. Gene Brown is the records contact and can be reached at gene.brown@co.watonwan.mn.us for written records requests. The facility is a medium security jail that runs around the clock. It uses the GUARDIAN RFID system for inmate tracking, which is a technology used by modern correctional facilities to monitor inmate movement and ensure accountability inside the facility.

The county also publishes a Most Wanted list on its website, which is separate from the inmate roster but relevant to outstanding warrants and fugitive information. Video visitation is available at the jail. In-person visits are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Staff can answer questions about the visitation schedule and how to get on an inmate's approved visitor list.

The county website at watonwancountymn.gov connects you to the Sheriff's Office, the jail, and the visitation page.

Find Watonwan County Jail Mugshots Online

Watonwan County publishes its jail roster as a PDF document. The roster is available at watonwancountymn.gov - Jail Roster. It updates on a regular basis and shows current inmates. The data fields include the inmate's name, the charges against them, which agency is holding them (the county or another jurisdiction), booking date, projected release date, and bail amount. Download the PDF to your device and use Ctrl+F to search by last name.

You can also access the facility overview at watonwancountymn.gov/204/The-County-Jail and visitation details at co.watonwan.mn.us/342/Inmate-Visitation. The Sheriff's Office page at watonwancountymn.gov/200/Sheriff covers the department's full range of services. Mugshots do not appear on the PDF roster directly but can be requested from the Sheriff's Office.

For statewide searches, the VINE inmate locator covers Watonwan County and most Minnesota jails. If someone has been transferred to a state facility, the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator at coms.doc.state.mn.us will show their current location.

Requesting Watonwan County Booking Photos

Watonwan County jail booking photos are public data under Minnesota Statute 13.82. That statute defines arrest and booking data as public, which covers names, arrest times and dates, charges, and in most cases booking photographs. You have the right to ask for these records without providing a specific reason.

To request a mugshot from Watonwan County, contact the Sheriff's Office at (507) 375-3121 or email Gene Brown at gene.brown@co.watonwan.mn.us. Written requests can be sent by mail to 710 2nd Ave South, PO Box 518, St. James, MN 56081. Under Minnesota Statute 13.03, the county has 10 business days to respond to your written request. Fees for copied records may apply but are generally minimal.

If you have questions about your data rights, the Minnesota Department of Administration's Information Policy Division offers guidance on the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. That office also handles complaints if a government entity does not respond within the required timeframe.

Minnesota Laws and Watonwan County Jail Records

Like all Minnesota counties, Watonwan County follows the state's public data framework for jail records. The key statute is Minnesota Statute 13.82, which defines arrest data as public. This statute requires that booking information be available to anyone who requests it. The data includes the arrested person's name, the time and date of arrest, the charges, and the booking photograph in most cases.

Minnesota Statute 641.05 governs county jail records specifically. It requires sheriffs to maintain a jail register of every person committed to custody. That register is a public record. Minnesota Statute 641.08 sets out additional access rights for the public when it comes to county jail records. Both statutes support public access to Watonwan County jail mugshots and booking data.

Data on sentenced offenders is governed separately by Minnesota Statute 13.85. That section divides correctional data into public and private categories. For court records related to Watonwan County cases, Minnesota Trial Court Public Access provides online case search. Criminal background checks are available through the BCA at chs.state.mn.us for $8 per search.

Watonwan County Jail Mugshots - Resources and Screenshots

The screenshots below show the Watonwan County jail and Sheriff's Office pages, captured from the official county portal. These resources give you access to the roster, contact information, and jail program details.

The Watonwan County jail page at watonwancountymn.gov/204/The-County-Jail provides the roster link and facility overview.

The Sheriff's Office page at watonwancountymn.gov/200/Sheriff lists department contacts and services.

Visit watonwancountymn.gov for the full county portal with links to all departments including the Sheriff and Jail.

Nearby Counties

Search jail mugshot records in counties near Watonwan County.