Search Karnes County Booking Releases
Karnes County booking releases are public records maintained by the Karnes County Sheriff's Office in Karnes City, Texas. Sheriff Steven Bailey oversees the Records Division, which processes public records requests and maintains jail booking and release data for the county.
Karnes County Overview
Search Karnes County Booking Releases Online
Karnes County is in South Texas, southeast of San Antonio. The county seat is Karnes City and the largest city is Kenedy. Booking records are maintained by the Karnes County Sheriff's Office, which operates from two locations: the main office at 500 E. Wall Street and the jail facility at 1178 FM 1353, both in Karnes City.
Third-party tool Texas Jail Roster lists Karnes County jail information including the sheriff's office contact, address, hours, and aggregated inmate records. Search results from that site show arrest records, mugshots, charges, facility, offense date, bond, disposition, booking number, booking date, release date, issuing authority, aliases, and physical description. These records are pulled from public data and may not reflect real-time changes.
The official Karnes County website at co.karnes.tx.us provides staff directory information for the Sheriff's Office, including contacts for the Jail Administrator Mace Martinez and Assistant Jail Administrator Justin Resendez. This is the best starting point for official contact information.
For court records linked to Karnes County arrests, use reSearchTX. Karnes County is served by the 81st Judicial District Court. Searching by name or case number returns charge details, case status, and court dates for Karnes County cases.
Karnes County Sheriff's Office Records Department
The Karnes County Sheriff's Office is the primary custodian of booking and arrest records for the county. Sheriff Steven Bailey oversees the Records Division, which handles public records requests under the Texas Public Information Act. The office has two physical locations in Karnes City.
| Office | Karnes County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Main Office | 500 E. Wall Street, Karnes City, TX 78118 |
| Main Phone | (830) 780-3511 |
| Jail / Non-Emergency | (830) 780-3931 |
| Jail Address | 1178 FM 1353, Karnes City, TX 78118 |
| Sheriff | Steven Bailey |
| Chief Deputy | Scott Kotara |
| Jail Administrator | Mace Martinez |
| Asst. Jail Admin | Justin Resendez |
| Emergencies | 911 |
| Website | co.karnes.tx.us |
For phone inquiries about current custody status, call the jail line at (830) 780-3931 during business hours. Staff can confirm whether a named person is in custody and provide basic booking details at no charge. For full records, incident reports, or arrest affidavits, submit a written request to the main office at 500 E. Wall Street. The office must respond within 10 business days.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Standard copy fees are $0.10 per page. Certified copies carry an added fee. For large or complex requests, a deposit may be required. Cash, check, and money order are accepted.
Note: Karnes County has two sheriff's office locations. The main office address for written records requests is 500 E. Wall Street, Karnes City, TX 78118. The jail facility is at 1178 FM 1353. Call (830) 780-3511 or (830) 780-3931 to confirm the correct submission address for your request.
What Karnes County Booking Records Contain
When someone is arrested and booked at the Karnes County Jail, a booking record is created and becomes public under the Texas Public Information Act. Karnes County booking releases include the person's full name, date of birth, aliases, physical description, booking date and time, arresting agency, charges filed, bond amount, offense date, and release date when available. Disposition status is also included in the record.
Third-party sites like Texas Jail Roster aggregate this data and display it in searchable form. These records come from public sources and show the same core information: arrest details, charges, bond, and release. However, third-party records may lag behind real-time updates. The official county and sheriff systems are the authoritative source.
Some records are not available to the public. Active investigation files, juvenile records, sealed court orders, mental health records, and similar categories are exempt from disclosure. If a request is denied, the sheriff must cite the specific exemption. You can seek a ruling from the Texas Attorney General if you believe the denial was improper.
A booking record is not a conviction. Karnes County booking releases reflect the status of a case at the time of arrest and booking. Charges may be dropped, reduced, or result in not-guilty findings. Conviction records are kept by the Texas DPS Crime Records Division.
State Resources for Karnes County Inmate Searches
If the person you are looking for is in a Texas state prison rather than the county jail, use the TDCJ Offender Search. This free tool from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice covers all state prison facilities. Search by name, TDCJ number, or SID number. County jail inmates do not appear in this system.
For a full criminal history, the Texas DPS Crime Records Division provides name-based searches for $10 and fingerprint-based searches for $25. Name searches take about 10 business days and cover all Texas arrests, not just Karnes County.
Court records for Karnes County cases can be found at reSearchTX, maintained by the Texas Office of Court Administration. It covers the 81st Judicial District and shows case numbers, charges, dispositions, and court dates for Karnes County cases.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspects all county jails in Texas including Karnes County. Their site has inspection histories and population data for county jail facilities statewide. Karnes County also operates a civil immigration detention facility that is separate from the county criminal jail.
Texas Public Information Act and Booking Records
Arrest and booking records in Texas are public under Texas Government Code Chapter 552. Any person can request them from the Karnes County Sheriff's Office. No reason is required. The office must respond to written requests within 10 business days.
Submit requests in writing by mail or in person at 500 E. Wall Street, Karnes City, TX 78118. Call (830) 780-3931 for phone custody checks at no cost. If fees apply for copies, the office must notify you before processing. Standard copy fees are $0.10 per page under Texas law. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For court records from Karnes County cases, contact the Karnes County District Clerk or County Clerk at the courthouse in Karnes City. Those offices keep court filings and case histories that are separate from jail booking records held by the sheriff. Both follow the same Texas Public Information Act rules.
Karnes County Booking Records
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Main Portal is one of the key resources for Karnes County booking release records and inmate information.
This screenshot shows the official Texas Department of Criminal Justice Main Portal portal for searching Karnes County booking releases and current inmates.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards is one of the key resources for Karnes County booking release records and inmate information.
This screenshot shows the official Texas Commission on Jail Standards portal for searching Karnes County booking releases and current inmates.
Nearby Counties
Karnes County is in South Texas southeast of San Antonio and borders DeWitt, Wilson, Bexar, Gonzales, and Goliad counties.