Burke County Busted Mugshots and Arrest Records

Burke County is located in east Georgia near Augusta, with Waynesboro as its county seat, and the Burke County Sheriff's Office is responsible for all local bookings and arrest records. If you need to find busted mugshots or arrest data tied to Burke County, this page covers the tools available at both the county and state level, what Georgia law says about booking photo access, and how to submit a formal records request.

Burke County Sheriff and Arrest Booking Data

The Burke County Sheriff's Office in Waynesboro processes all local arrests. Each booking creates a public record that captures the person's name, charges, arrest date, and the agency that made the arrest. The sheriff's office does not post booking photos online, as Georgia law bars law enforcement agencies from doing so, but the underlying arrest data is accessible through a direct request.

Burke County sits in a largely rural part of east Georgia. The county is one of the larger rural counties by land area, and the sheriff's office covers a wide patrol territory. The local jail handles all pre-trial detention and short-term sentences. For longer felony sentences, convicted defendants transfer to a Georgia Department of Corrections facility, at which point the record moves from the county system to the state system.

For a quick custody check, calling the Burke County Sheriff's Office in Waynesboro is the fastest method. If you need a certified copy of an arrest report, a booking photo, or other documentation, a written open records request is the proper way to proceed. The office must respond within three business days under the Georgia Open Records Act.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Bureau of Investigation homepage, the state agency that oversees criminal records statewide including those generated by Burke County arrests.

The GBI operates the GCIC, which holds criminal history data for all Georgia counties, making it a key resource for anyone searching Burke County records at the state level.

Search Burke County Arrest Records Using State Databases

State-level tools extend what you can find beyond the local sheriff's office. The Georgia Crime Information Center, run by the GBI, holds criminal history records for every county in Georgia. A GCIC background check covers Burke County along with all other counties. Contact GCIC directly to request a check and ask about fees. The data comes from official state-maintained records and is more comprehensive than what many county portals show.

The Georgia Felon Search charges $15 and returns instant results on felony conviction records across the state. It is useful when you want to know whether someone has a felony on their record from a Burke County arrest or any other Georgia case. The service is official and runs through the georgia.gov platform. You do not need to file a formal request to use it, and results come back quickly.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and shows photos. It only covers people in state prison, not the local county jail in Waynesboro. But if someone arrested in Burke County was later convicted of a felony and sent to a state facility, the GDC database may have their current status and a photo.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Felon Search service, which provides fast felony conviction data for Burke County and all other Georgia counties.

The $15 fee gives you instant access to felony conviction records statewide, including cases that originated in Burke County.

Georgia Law and Burke County Busted Mugshots

Understanding Georgia's mugshot laws helps set clear expectations when searching for Burke County booking photos. The key statute is O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, enacted in 2014. This law bars Georgia law enforcement from posting booking photos on the internet. The Burke County Sheriff cannot publish mugshots online under this rule. Booking photos are public records, but accessing them requires a formal request rather than an online search.

For people whose photos end up on commercial mugshot websites, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 (2013) gives you a legal path to removal. Send a demand letter by certified mail to the site. The site must take down the photo free of charge within 30 days. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division has step-by-step guidance on what to include in the letter and which types of sites are covered under this law.

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 covers formal record requests to any Georgia agency. Agencies have three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of search time and the first 20 pages are free. After that, the cost is $0.10 per page. These rules apply to every request you send to the Burke County Sheriff's Office.

These laws together create a framework where booking data is technically public but not freely posted online, requiring a formal process to access photos.

Burke County Sex Offender Registry and GBI Open Records

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry, maintained by the GBI, lets you search for registered offenders in Burke County by name or address. Photos are included where available. The registry is free and does not require an account. It covers registered sex offenders statewide and is updated regularly by the GBI. This is a separate database from general arrest records and serves as a public safety resource.

The GBI's open records portal handles requests for state-held records, including GBI investigative files tied to Burke County cases. If GBI investigated a case in Burke County, related records may be at the state level rather than the county level. The portal accepts submissions online and tracks requests through to resolution. The same Open Records Act deadlines apply: three business days for an initial response.

The screenshot below shows the GBI sex offender registry information page, which describes the registry and how to search for offenders in Burke County and statewide.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is a free public resource maintained by the GBI, covering all counties including Burke.

How to Request Burke County Booking Photos and Records

The right way to get a Burke County booking photo or certified arrest record is to submit a written open records request to the Burke County Sheriff's Office in Waynesboro. Include the person's full name and the arrest date or case number if you have them. Written requests create a paper trail and ensure the agency responds within the legal timeline. Phone calls work for basic custody checks, but documentation requires the formal process.

For records held at the state level, the GBI open records portal is the right channel. Booking photos and jail records stay with the county sheriff. Criminal history maintained by GCIC and GBI investigative files are accessed through the state portal. For a complete view of someone's contact with law enforcement in Burke County, you may need to request from both sources.

Burke County booking photos are public records even though the sheriff cannot post them online. The 2014 state law restricts online posting but does not change the public nature of the records themselves. Plan for a small fee if your request exceeds the free threshold of 15 minutes of staff time or 20 pages. Most straightforward requests fall within the no-cost window.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Consumer Protection page that explains mugshot removal rights for Georgia residents including those with Burke County arrest records.

Georgia law gives you the right to demand free photo removal from commercial mugshot sites within 30 days, a right that applies to anyone with a Burke County booking photo on such a site.

Cities in Burke County

No city in Burke County currently meets the 25,000 population threshold for a dedicated busted mugshots page. For arrest records in Waynesboro, contact the Burke County Sheriff's Office directly.

Nearby Counties

Burke County borders several east Georgia counties. Each has its own arrest record resources and sheriff's office.