Lee County Inmate Population

The Lee County inmate population is held at the county jail in Jonesville, run by the Lee County Sheriff's Office in the far southwestern corner of Virginia. Lee County sits at the tip of the Cumberland Gap region, and its jail handles pre-trial detainees and short-sentenced inmates from across the county. You can search the inmate population through Virginia VINE, call the Sheriff directly, or use the VADOC offender locator for anyone serving a state sentence. This page covers every search method for Lee County inmate population records and explains how to request files under Virginia FOIA.

Lee County Jail and Sheriff's Office

The Lee County Sheriff's Office in Jonesville operates the county jail and maintains custody records for everyone booked there. Under Virginia Code § 53.1-31, the sheriff is the legal custodian of all jail records. That means booking sheets, charge information, bond details, and release records are all held by this office. Anyone arrested in Lee County goes to the county jail first. The Sheriff is your starting point for finding someone recently booked.

The Lee County Jail holds pre-trial detainees and people serving sentences up to twelve months. Sentences longer than a year transfer to the Virginia Department of Corrections. That move generally takes place within sixty days of the sentencing order. Lee County is in the far southwestern corner of Virginia, making it part of the VADOC Western Region for state-sentenced inmates. After transfer, use the VADOC offender locator to track the person's location.

Lee County is one of the most rural counties in the state. Jail resources are limited compared to larger jurisdictions. Some inmates may be placed in nearby Scott County Jail or another regional holding facility depending on classification and capacity. Contact the Lee County Sheriff's Office directly if you cannot find someone through VINE.

Searching Lee County Inmate Population With VINE

Virginia VINE lets you check the Lee County jail inmate population from any device at any hour. The Lee County Jail participates in VINE. Go to vavine.org, select Virginia, and choose Lee County Jail as the facility. The system shows you current custody status right away. You find out if the person is still held, has been released, has transferred to another facility, or has escaped. No login required. No charge.

You can also sign up for alerts. Enter a name or inmate ID, pick your notification method, and VINE will contact you every time that person's status changes. Options include phone call, email, text, and TTY. Your identity stays private. The system does not require you to explain why you are searching. If you prefer to search by phone, call 1-800-467-4943. The national VINE portal at vinelink.com also covers Lee County Jail alongside jails in other states.

VINE only covers local and regional jails. If the VINE search turns up nothing and you think the person has been sentenced, move to the VADOC Offender Locator. That search requires a last name and at least the first letter of a first name. It returns the inmate ID, current facility name, and projected release date.

Lee County and the VADOC Western Region

Lee County falls in the VADOC Western Region. When a Lee County resident gets sentenced to more than twelve months, VADOC places them in a Western Region facility. Those include Augusta Correctional Center at (540) 997-7000, Bland Correctional Center at (276) 688-3341, Cold Springs Correctional Unit at (540) 337-1818, Green Rock Correctional Center at (434) 797-2000, Keen Mountain Correctional Center at (276) 498-7411, Marion Correctional Treatment Center at (276) 783-7154, Red Onion State Prison at (276) 796-7510, River North Correctional Center at (276) 773-2518, and Wallens Ridge State Prison at (276) 523-3310. Placement is based on security level and classification, not geography alone.

Keen Mountain Correctional Center and Red Onion State Prison are both in the southwestern Virginia mountains, relatively close to Lee County. Wallens Ridge State Prison in Wise County and River North Correctional Center in Grayson County are also nearby in the western region. These facilities hold higher-security inmates from across the state, including Lee County residents serving longer terms.

VADOC Probation and Parole covers Lee County through a district office in the southwestern region. People finishing state sentences and placed on supervised release report to that office. Check the current office location and phone number at the VADOC facilities and offices page.

The VADOC facilities map shows every Western Region prison that may hold Lee County inmates serving state time.

The map lists every facility with phone numbers. You can also see which ones are closest to Lee County.

Lee County Court Records and Inmate Files

The Clerk of the Circuit Court keeps the case file for every criminal prosecution in Lee County. That includes charges, plea or verdict, and the sentencing order. The Sheriff keeps the jail record, which tracks bookings and releases. Both records together give the complete picture on anyone in the Lee County inmate population. If you only pull one, you may miss something important.

Search Lee County court cases through the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System. The site covers Circuit and General District Court cases. Lee County is part of the Thirtieth Judicial Circuit. Case searches are free. Printed document copies carry a fee. Cases appear in the system once the clerk enters them. The General District Court handles misdemeanors and preliminary hearings on felonies before they move to Circuit Court.

For a full criminal history check, the Virginia State Police manages the Central Criminal Records Exchange under § 19.2-389. The Virginia State Police records page has the form and mailing address. Send requests to P.O. Box 85076, Richmond, VA 23261-5076.

Requesting Lee County Inmate Population Records

Inmate records in Lee County are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Under Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., Virginia residents can ask for jail logs, booking sheets, charges, and custody status without explaining why. The agency has five business days to respond. They can request up to seven more days for complex or voluminous requests.

Exemptions apply. Active criminal investigation files, personnel records, and attorney-client material cannot be released. Under § 2.2-3703(C), people who are currently incarcerated in any facility cannot use FOIA to get their own records. To make a request, write to the Lee County Sheriff's Office and name the specific records and time frame. If the request is denied without cause or goes past the legal deadline, the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council can help. Call (804) 698-1810, toll-free 1-866-448-4100, or email foiacouncil@dls.virginia.gov.

For state prison records on a Lee County inmate, contact VADOC Central Records at 6900 Atmore Drive, Richmond, VA 23225, phone (804) 674-3000.

The Virginia FOIA code chapter governs all public records requests to the Lee County Sheriff and other county agencies.

This page shows the full statute with timelines, exemptions, and appeal options for any denied request.

Victim Notification for Lee County Inmates

VINE is the primary notification tool for crime victims in Lee County. Register at vavine.org or call 1-800-467-4943. When an inmate's status changes, VINE sends an alert by phone, email, text, or TTY. The service is free and keeps your identity private. It covers release, transfer, escape, recapture, and death.

For inmates who move from the Lee County jail to a VADOC state prison, VADOC's NAAVI system handles notifications. NAAVI sends 30-day advance release notices and updates for parole hearings, work release, and other custody events. Register through the VADOC Victim Services page or call 1-804-674-3243. VINE and NAAVI are separate systems. Registering for one does not enroll you in the other. If the inmate goes to state prison, sign up for both to stay informed throughout the sentence.

Cities in Lee County

Lee County has no independent cities meeting the population threshold for a city page on this site. The county seat is Jonesville. For inmate population searches across Lee County, use the VINE and VADOC tools linked throughout this page. The city of Norton, an independent city in neighboring Wise County, has its own records system.

Nearby Counties

Lee County shares borders with Scott County, Wise County, and Claiborne County in Tennessee. For records in neighboring Virginia jurisdictions, see the links below.