Search Candler County Busted Mugshots and Arrest Records

Candler County is a small county in east Georgia with Metter as its county seat. The Candler County Sheriff's Office handles all local bookings and is the primary source for arrest records and busted mugshots in the county. This page covers the state tools available for searches, how Georgia law governs access to booking photos, and how to submit a records request when you need certified documents.

Candler County Sheriff and Local Booking Records

The Candler County Sheriff's Office in Metter is the county's main law enforcement agency and handles all local jail bookings. When someone is arrested in Candler County, a booking record is created. That record is public and includes the person's name, charges, booking date, and the arresting agency. The sheriff's office does not post booking photos online because Georgia law prohibits law enforcement from doing so, but the data is accessible through a direct request.

Candler County is a small, rural east Georgia county with a modest jail population. Checking custody status is fastest by calling the sheriff's office in Metter. If you need certified documents or booking photos, a written open records request is the right path. The office has three business days to respond under the Georgia Open Records Act.

Cases from Candler County move through Superior Court in Metter. Those that result in felony convictions may end up with the defendant serving time in a Georgia Department of Corrections facility. When that happens, the person's record moves from the local jail system to the state database. Both systems may need to be checked for a complete history.

The screenshot below shows the GBI agency homepage, which oversees criminal history records statewide including those from Candler County arrests.

The GBI runs the GCIC and maintains criminal history for all Georgia counties, providing a statewide layer of data beyond what the local county sheriff holds.

Statewide Tools for Candler County Arrest and Booking Records

Several state resources extend what you can find when searching for Candler County busted mugshots and arrest records. The Georgia Crime Information Center, part of the GBI, holds criminal history for every Georgia county. A GCIC check covers Candler County alongside the rest of the state. Contact GCIC directly to request a check and ask about current fees and procedures. The data comes from official state records.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and provides fast results for felony conviction records statewide. It is an easy option when you want to check whether someone has a felony on their record from a Candler County case or any other Georgia arrest. The service pulls from official state data and returns results quickly without requiring a formal request.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and includes photos. It covers state prison inmates only, not those held in the local Candler County Jail. For someone convicted in Candler County and serving a state sentence, the GDC database is the right place to check for current custody status and a photo.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Sex Offender Registry, a free GBI tool that covers Candler County and all of Georgia.

The registry is searchable by name or address and includes photos for most registrants, all at no cost to the user.

Georgia Statutes on Candler County Busted Mugshots

Two key statutes govern booking photo access in Candler County. First, O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 (2014) bars law enforcement from posting booking photos on the internet. The Candler County Sheriff follows this rule. Booking photos exist as public records but are not available online through any sheriff-run portal. Getting a specific photo requires a formal records request.

Second, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 (2013) addresses commercial mugshot websites. If such a site posted your photo from a Candler County arrest, you have the right to demand removal by certified mail. The site must comply within 30 days at no charge to you. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division provides step-by-step guidance on how to write the demand letter and what to include.

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 governs all formal requests to government agencies. Agencies must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff time and the first 20 pages are free. After that, the fee is $0.10 per page. These rules apply to any open records request sent to the Candler County Sheriff's Office.

These statutes create clear rights for both those seeking records and those who want to limit the spread of their booking photos.

Candler County GBI Records and Sex Offender Registry

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry, maintained by the GBI, is searchable by name or address. It covers all Georgia counties, including Candler, and includes photos where available. The registry is free and does not require an account or formal request. It is a separate database from general arrest records and focuses only on those required to register under Georgia's sex offender laws.

For state-held records, the GBI's open records portal handles online submissions. If a Candler County case involved GBI investigation, relevant files may be at the state level rather than with the county sheriff. The portal tracks requests and notifies you when the agency responds. The same Open Records Act deadlines apply at the state level as at the county.

The screenshot below shows the GBI's GCIC division page, which explains the function of the Georgia Crime Information Center for statewide criminal records.

GCIC holds criminal history for all Georgia counties and is the state's central repository for arrest and conviction records including those from Candler County.

How to Request Candler County Booking Photos and Certified Records

The proper way to get a Candler County booking photo or certified arrest record is to contact the Candler County Sheriff's Office in Metter with a written open records request. Include the subject's name, the arrest date if you know it, and the case number if available. Written requests are more reliable than phone calls when you need documents, and they start the three-business-day clock under the Open Records Act.

State-level records go through the GBI open records portal. Booking photos and local jail records stay at the county. GCIC criminal history and any GBI investigative files are at the state level. For a complete picture of someone's contacts with law enforcement in Candler County, you may need to make requests to both agencies.

Candler County booking photos are public records. The 2014 law limits online posting by the sheriff but does not change the public status of the documents themselves. Your right to request them is intact under the Open Records Act. Most simple requests fall within the free threshold and cost nothing to obtain.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Consumer Protection page on mugshot removal, applicable to anyone with a Candler County booking photo on a commercial site.

Georgia law gives Candler County residents the right to demand free photo removal from commercial mugshot sites within 30 days under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5.

Cities in Candler County

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

Nearby Counties

Candler County borders several east Georgia counties, each with its own arrest record resources.