Fulton County Booking Releases Search
Fulton County booking releases are managed by the County Police at 268 W Washington Ave in Lewistown. The county has about 33,020 residents and sits in west-central Illinois, not far from Peoria. Fulton County is a bit different from most Illinois counties because it uses a county police department instead of a traditional sheriff's office. The function is the same, though. The county police run the jail, handle bookings, and keep release records. You can reach them at (309) 547-2277 or email sheriff@fultonco.org to ask about booking release data.
Fulton County Quick Facts
Fulton County Police Booking Releases
The Fulton County Police Department handles all booking releases in the county. When someone is arrested and brought to the county jail, staff process the intake. They log the charges, bond information, and booking date. Once the person leaves custody, the release date and reason are added. All of this is part of the booking release file.
The department is located at 268 W Washington Ave, PO Box 269, Lewistown, IL 61542. You can call them at (309) 547-2277 to ask about someone in custody or to find out about a recent booking release. Email is also an option. Send your inquiry to sheriff@fultonco.org. Staff can usually tell you over the phone if someone is in the jail and what charges they face.
The Fulton County Police page on the county website has general information about the department and its services.
This page covers the basics of the department and is a good starting point if you need contact info or want to learn about the jail in Fulton County.
| Address | 268 W Washington Ave, PO Box 269, Lewistown, IL 61542 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (309) 547-2277 |
| sheriff@fultonco.org | |
| Website | fultoncountyil.gov |
How to Check Fulton County Booking Releases
Fulton County does not currently run an online jail roster or inmate search tool. This is common in smaller counties in Illinois. The jail population is not large enough to justify the cost of an online system. So if you need to check on someone in the Fulton County jail, you have to call or visit in person.
Call (309) 547-2277 and ask about the person by name. Have a date of birth ready if you can. Staff can tell you if the person is in custody, what charges are on file, and what the bond amount is. For people who have already been released, they can confirm the date and time of the release. This is the most direct way to get booking release info in Fulton County.
You can also stop by the office at 268 W Washington Ave in Lewistown during regular business hours. Walk up to the front and ask the staff on duty. They can pull up records in the system while you wait. If you need a paper copy of the booking release, they may print one for you on the spot or ask you to fill out a short request form.
Email works for less urgent requests. Send a note to sheriff@fultonco.org and explain what you are looking for. Give the person's name and any other details you have. Response times vary, but you should hear back within a few days for a simple inquiry.
FOIA Requests for Fulton County Booking Releases
For formal copies of booking release records, file a Freedom of Information Act request. The Illinois FOIA law (5 ILCS 140) gives everyone the right to ask for government records. Booking releases count. The Fulton County Police must respond within five business days. If they need more time, they can take a five-day extension, but they have to tell you in writing.
Send your FOIA request to the Fulton County Police at 268 W Washington Ave, PO Box 269, Lewistown, IL 61542. You can also email it to sheriff@fultonco.org. Put the person's full name in your request. A date range helps narrow things down. Be clear about what you want. If you need the full booking report, say so. If you just need the charge and release date, say that. The more detail you give, the faster the office can find your records.
Under 5 ILCS 140/2.15, arrest records must be released within 72 hours of the arrest. This covers booking data too. The first 50 pages are free. Copies after that cost $0.15 per page. Certified copies may have a higher fee.
Illinois Law on Booking Releases
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) is the main law that gives you the right to access booking releases in Fulton County. Under this law, government records are public unless a specific exemption applies. Booking data, arrest logs, and release records all fall under FOIA. Agencies have to respond in five business days, and copy fees stay low.
The Criminal Identification Act (20 ILCS 2630) also plays a role. This law covers criminal history records, which includes booking files. It gives courts the power to seal or expunge certain records. A sealed record will not appear in public searches or FOIA responses. Expunged records are the same. However, most adult booking releases in Fulton County remain public. Sealed cases are not the norm.
One important thing. Juvenile records are always off limits. You cannot get booking releases for minors through the county police or any public database. Those records go through the juvenile court system and stay sealed from public view. This applies across all of Illinois, not just in Fulton County.
What Fulton County Booking Releases Include
A typical booking release from Fulton County contains a standard set of data. The exact format can vary a bit, but most files include the same basic pieces of information that get recorded during the jail intake process.
Expect to see the person's full name, date of birth, and a physical description. The record shows the booking date and time. Charges at the time of arrest are listed. Bond info is there too. When the person leaves custody, the release date and type get added. Common release types include bond posted, time served, released on recognizance, and transferred to another facility. Some records also list the arresting agency, which could be the Fulton County Police, a local municipal department, or the Illinois State Police.
If the person was held for another agency (a warrant from a different county, for example), that detail usually shows up in the booking release. This can help you figure out where to look next if you need more information about the underlying case. The booking release itself only covers the jail stay. For court records, charges, and case outcomes, you would need to check with the Fulton County Circuit Clerk.
Other Resources for Fulton County Records
The Fulton County Circuit Clerk keeps court records that tie to criminal cases. If someone was booked and charged, the court file will have more detail than the booking release alone. Court records include filings, motions, hearing dates, and case outcomes. You can contact the clerk's office in Lewistown for these records.
The Illinois State Police run a statewide criminal history database. You can request a background check through the ISP for a fee. This is broader than a single booking release. It covers the person's full criminal history across the state. Processing takes some time, but it gives you a more complete picture than a single county record.
The Illinois Department of Corrections has an online inmate search for people serving time in state prison. If someone was booked in Fulton County and later sentenced to state time, the IDOC tool will show their current status and facility. This does not replace local booking release data, but it can help you track someone who moved through the system.
Nearby Counties
Not sure which county handled the booking? Check the arrest location. Each county in Illinois runs its own jail and maintains its own booking release records. These counties border Fulton County.