Find DeSoto County Booking Reports
DeSoto County booking reports are maintained by the sheriff's office in Arcadia. This small county in central Florida has about 38,000 residents and a single jail that processes all arrests for the area. You can look up booking reports to find charges, bond details, and booking photos for people who have been processed at the DeSoto County jail. These are public records, and the sheriff's office will help you find what you need. The county seat of Arcadia is where all records are kept.
DeSoto County Quick Facts
DeSoto County Sheriff Arrest Records
The DeSoto County Sheriff's Office is at 208 East Cypress Street in Arcadia. This is where all booking reports get created and stored. The sheriff runs the only jail in the county. Every person arrested in DeSoto County comes through this facility for processing. Deputies take a photo, collect fingerprints, and enter the charges into the system.
Call 863-993-4710 to ask about a booking report in DeSoto County. The sheriff's office provides inmate information to anyone who asks. Under Florida Statute Chapter 119, booking records are open to the public. The law states that all records made by any agency in the course of official business are public and must be available for inspection. You do not need to give a reason for your request.
DeSoto County is a rural county between Sarasota and Highlands counties. Arcadia is the only incorporated city. The sheriff's office handles all law enforcement for the unincorporated areas, which make up most of the county. The Arcadia Police Department handles calls inside city limits, but all arrests still go to the county jail for booking.
| Address | 208 East Cypress Street, Arcadia, FL 34266 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 863-993-4710 |
| Records | Inmate Records Available |
How to Search DeSoto County Booking Reports
DeSoto County offers inmate records through its sheriff's office. Check the sheriff's website for an online search tool. If one is not available, call the jail line at 863-993-4710. Give the staff the full name and date of birth of the person you want to find. They can tell you if that person is in custody and what the charges are.
You can also go in person to the jail in Arcadia. Bring your ID and the name of the person you want to look up. Staff will search the system for you. For older records that may not be in the current database, file a written public records request. Include the name, date range, and type of record you need. Chapter 119 says agencies must respond in good faith and without delay.
The Florida Department of Corrections has a statewide search for people in state prison. If someone was booked in DeSoto County and later transferred to a state facility, you can find them there. The data refreshes weekly. For a full list of jail contacts in every Florida county, the Florida Department of State directory has you covered.
DeSoto County Booking Report Tools
The Florida Legislature website hosts all state statutes related to arrest records and booking reports. Chapter 901 covers arrest procedures, including rules about booking photographs and how they can be shared by law enforcement in DeSoto County and all other Florida counties.
This statute is the one that makes it illegal to charge money for removing a booking photo from a website. It also sets the civil penalties for non-compliance. Anyone booked in DeSoto County has rights under this law when it comes to how their booking photo gets used online.
DeSoto County Booking Record Laws
Florida's public records law covers all booking reports in DeSoto County. Chapter 119 gives anyone the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies. This includes booking reports, arrest logs, and jail intake forms. The law defines public records to include all documents, photos, data, and other materials tied to official business. DeSoto County must follow these rules just like every other county in the state.
Not everything is public. Juvenile records are sealed in most situations. Medical and mental health records from the DeSoto County jail are private. If a court seals or expunges a case, the booking report comes off the public search. Chapter 943 governs how criminal justice information gets collected and stored. It requires that fingerprints and facial images be captured for all adults charged with felonies or misdemeanors.
Note: DeSoto County processes fewer arrests than larger counties, so records requests are often handled more quickly.
What DeSoto County Arrest Records Show
A DeSoto County booking report lists the person's name, date of birth, and address. It includes each charge and the Florida statute that was broken. The report says if the charge is a felony or a misdemeanor. Bond amounts are shown when they have been set by a judge. The report also has the booking date and time, the arresting agency, and where the person is housed in the jail.
Booking photos are part of the record. They get taken at intake. If the person has been released, you may see the release date and how they got out. Some post bond. Some get released on their own recognizance. The format is standard across all DeSoto County booking reports. These records stay in the system after release and can be looked up later through a public records request.
Cities in DeSoto County
Arcadia is the only incorporated city in DeSoto County and serves as the county seat. With a population under 75,000, there is no separate city page. All arrests in DeSoto County are handled by the sheriff's office and processed through the county jail in Arcadia. The surrounding unincorporated areas are also under the sheriff's jurisdiction for booking reports.
Nearby Counties
DeSoto County sits between several other Florida counties. Each one keeps its own booking reports. If you need to check arrests in a neighboring area, these links will take you to the right county page.