Access Putnam County Busted Mugshots

Putnam County is a central Georgia county with Eatonton as its county seat and a population of about 22,000. If you want to search Putnam County busted mugshots, arrest records, or inmate booking data, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office in Eatonton handles all local jail records. This page covers how to access those records, what Georgia law says about booking photos, and which statewide tools can support your search.

Putnam County Sheriff Arrest Records and Inmate Data

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office in Eatonton handles all arrests, bookings, and jail operations for the county. When someone is arrested in Putnam County, the booking process creates a public record with the person's name, charges, booking date, bond amount, and the arresting agency. Under Georgia's Open Records Act, these records are available to the public through a formal written request to the sheriff's office.

Putnam County sits along the Lake Oconee corridor between Milledgeville and the Atlanta metro area, and the county sees arrest activity across a range of cases. The sheriff's office is the primary booking authority. While a live public online inmate search may not be available for Putnam County, calling the sheriff's office in Eatonton directly is often the fastest way to check current custody status. For certified copies of arrest records or booking photos, a written open records request is the proper formal channel.

Putnam County arrest records reflect bookings, not convictions. A name in the county jail database means the person was arrested and booked, but a conviction requires a separate process in the Putnam County Superior Court or Magistrate Court. Charges at booking can be changed, reduced, or dismissed as a case progresses. Court records, which are separate from the jail roster, track those outcomes. Always check court records if you need to know how a case was resolved.

The screenshot below shows the GBI agency homepage, which supports statewide criminal record systems that Putnam County arrest data flows into after each booking.

The GBI oversees the GCIC database and other statewide systems that Putnam County relies on for criminal history record management and background checks.

Georgia Mugshot Laws and Putnam County Booking Photos

Georgia law governs what you can access when searching for Putnam County busted mugshots. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, Georgia law enforcement agencies cannot post booking photos on the internet. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office does not display mugshots on any public-facing website. Arrest records and inmate information remain accessible through official channels, but photo posting by the agency is prohibited under state law, just as it is for all Georgia counties.

When Putnam County busted mugshots appear on commercial third-party websites, Georgia's O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 gives you a path to have them removed. Those commercial sites must take down photos free of charge within 30 days of a certified mail request if the arrest record qualifies for restriction. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division explains the removal process and identifies which types of sites are covered. The law focuses on commercial mugshot operations that charge fees for removal, not news organizations or non-commercial publishers.

The Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, gives the public the right to access records held by the Putnam County Sheriff. Agencies must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff time and first 20 pages of copies are free. Pages beyond 20 cost $0.10 each. A written request to the Putnam County Sheriff in Eatonton is how you formally access certified arrest records or booking photos.

Georgia's framework on booking photos and public records access applies to Putnam County just as it does to every other county in the state.

Statewide Georgia Databases for Putnam County Arrest Records

Georgia's state-level databases extend a Putnam County arrest record search beyond the local jail roster. These tools are maintained by state agencies and available to the public at no cost or for a small fee.

The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), operated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, holds criminal history data for all Georgia counties, including Putnam. The Georgia Felon Search at georgia.gov charges $15 and returns instant felony conviction results covering Putnam County records and those from every other Georgia jurisdiction. This tool is useful for a quick felony check without going through a full open records request process.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and covers people in state prison. If someone was convicted in Putnam County and sent to a GDC facility, their record and photo appear here. People held in the local Putnam County jail are not in the GDC system, so you may need to check both sources depending on where a person is housed.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Sex Offender Registry, a free GBI tool covering registered offenders including those with Putnam County convictions.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is searchable by name or address, includes photos, and covers registered offenders in Putnam County and across Georgia.

Putnam County Open Records and the GBI Portal

For certified Putnam County arrest records or booking photos, submit a written open records request to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office in Eatonton. Include the subject's name, date of birth, and any booking or case number. The agency must respond within three business days under state law. For GBI-held records on a Putnam County subject, use the GBI online records request portal.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is a free GBI-maintained tool for searching registered offenders in Putnam County by name or address. It includes photos and is updated regularly. It covers people required to register after completing their sentence, not current jail inmates. Use it alongside the Putnam County jail search for a more complete picture of someone's record.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Consumer Protection Division page on mugshot websites, which describes Putnam County residents' rights regarding commercial posting of booking photos.

If a Putnam County booking photo appears on a commercial mugshot site, Georgia law gives you the right to free removal within 30 days when the underlying arrest record qualifies for restriction.

Cities in Putnam County

Eatonton is the county seat and largest city in Putnam County. The county is home to the Lake Oconee area and several resort communities, but no incorporated city meets the population threshold for a dedicated page. All busted mugshots and arrest records for Putnam County communities are handled at the county level by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

Nearby Counties

Putnam County borders several central Georgia counties, each with its own arrest record resources and inmate search tools.