Search Bay County Released Inmates

Bay County tracks released inmates through the Sheriff's Office located at 5700 Star Lane in Panama City, Florida 32404. The county jail operates at this address and handles all bookings and releases for people arrested in Bay County. You can search for inmates who are currently in jail or who have been released by using the online inmate search system. The main phone number is 850.785.5245 for general questions. The Sheriff's Office website at baysheriff.com has tools to help you find current custody information and some release data for inmates who were recently let go.

Released Inmate Search Portal

The Bay County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail at 5700 Star Lane in Panama City. This facility books all arrests made by law enforcement in Bay County. The jail operates every day of the year and processes releases whenever someone posts bond or completes their sentence.

Call 850.785.5245 to speak with Sheriff's Office staff about inmates. They can help you find out if someone is currently in jail or if they were recently released. The website at baysheriff.com offers an inmate search feature that lets you look up people by name. This online tool shows current bookings and may include recent release information.

Bay County Jail holds pretrial detainees waiting for court dates and inmates serving sentences for crimes. Most people serving long prison terms get sent to state facilities run by the Florida Department of Corrections. The county jail focuses on shorter stays and people awaiting trial. When inmates are released, the jail updates its records to show the release date and time.

How to Use the Bay County Inmate Search

The online inmate search is available at baysheriff.com. You can search by entering the person's first name, last name, or both. The system looks through current bookings and may show recent releases depending on how the database is set up. Results typically include booking date, charges, bond amount, and custody status.

If you cannot find someone in the online system, they may have been released more than a few weeks ago. Older releases might not appear in the public search. For those records, call the Sheriff's Office at 850.785.5245. Staff can search their complete database and tell you when someone was released from custody. They can also explain how to request written records if you need documentation.

State Released Inmates

People convicted of felonies in Bay County may be sent to state prison. The Florida Department of Corrections operates prisons across the state and tracks all inmates in its system. You can search for state prisoners at pubapps.fdc.myflorida.com. This database includes inmate population information, release dates, and supervision status.

The FDC inmate release search updates every night. You can see projected release dates and actual release information for people who have left state custody. Some inmates are released on conditional terms and go on supervision. Others complete their full sentence with no supervision required. The supervised population database shows people who are out of prison but still monitored by the state.

For questions about state inmates, contact the FDC Bureau of Admission and Release at 850.488.9167. You can email them at dc.release@fdc.myflorida.com. The main FDC phone number is 850.488.7052. The department is at 501 South Calhoun Street in Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2500. These resources help you track people who have moved from county jail to state prison and find out when they will be released or if they already got out.

Request Released Inmate Files

Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes is the Public Records Act. This law says most jail records are public and must be made available on request. You can ask for booking reports, release records, and other documents from the Sheriff's Office. Some records may have fees for copies or for the time staff spend finding documents.

Certain information cannot be released. Section 945.10 lists exemptions like medical records, mental health files, and substance abuse treatment data. Victim statements and witness protection information also stay confidential. Juvenile records are protected under Section 985.04 and are not available to the public.

To request records, contact the Bay County Sheriff's Office at 850.785.5245. Ask about their public records request process. You may need to put your request in writing and describe exactly what you want. Include names, dates, and case numbers if you have them. The Sheriff's Office will review your request and give you a cost estimate if there are fees. Section 119.07 allows agencies to charge for extensive searches and special technology use.

Additional Inmate Databases

The Bay County Clerk of Court keeps case files that may include jail booking information. Court records show when someone was arrested, what charges they face, and the outcome of their case. This can help you figure out if someone was released on bond or sent to prison after conviction. The Clerk's office has a public records search that you can use to find case information.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement offers criminal history checks for a fee. These background checks show arrests and convictions but may not include current jail status. For the most up-to-date custody information, use the Bay County Sheriff's Office inmate search or call them directly. FDLE records are useful for seeing someone's full criminal history in Florida but not for finding out if they are in jail right now.

Third-party websites sometimes collect jail data and make it searchable online. These sites get information from public sources but may not update as often as the Sheriff's Office. Always verify any information from a third-party site by checking with Bay County directly. The official sources are more reliable and current.

Nearby Counties

Other counties near Bay also maintain their own jail systems and inmate records.