Wilkes County Jail Roster
The Wilkes County jail roster is a public record of all inmates held at the county detention center in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Wilkes County is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwestern part of the state. The jail roster shows inmate names, charges, booking dates, and bond details. You can search the Wilkes County jail roster through the VINE system online or by contacting the sheriff's office at 336-903-7600. This page explains all the ways to find inmate records and related resources.
Wilkes County Quick Facts
Wilkes County Detention Center
The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office operates the detention center. Sheriff Chris Shew leads the office. Maj. Jason Whitley manages the jail. The facility has 240 beds, making it one of the larger detention centers in the foothills region. It holds pretrial detainees and those serving short sentences.
Every person arrested in Wilkes County is brought to the detention center in Wilkesboro for booking. Staff record the inmate's name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and the arresting agency during intake. All of this information goes into the Wilkes County jail roster. The roster updates continuously as new arrests happen and inmates are released or transferred. The Wilkes County jail roster is a public record under North Carolina law. Anyone can request to see it. You do not need to prove a relationship to the inmate or explain why you want the information.
| Agency |
Wilkes County Sheriff's Office Wilkesboro, NC Phone: (336) 903-7600 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Chris Shew |
| Jail Administrator | Maj. Jason Whitley |
| Capacity | 240 beds |
Search Wilkes County Inmates
There are several ways to look up someone on the Wilkes County jail roster.
The VINE system is the fastest online option. Visit the VINE website, choose North Carolina, and enter the person's name. VINE updates from the Wilkes County jail roster about every 15 minutes. If the person is in custody, you will see their charges and booking status. You can sign up for free alerts through VINE. When the inmate is released, transferred, or has any change in status, the system will contact you by phone, text, or email. You can also call the VINE hotline directly at 1-800-247-9658 for Wilkes County inmates.
The NC SAVAN program provides a phone-based option. Call 1-877-627-2826 at any time to check on an inmate in Wilkes County. NC SAVAN links to all county jails in North Carolina and works in more than 100 languages.
Note: VINE and NC SAVAN only cover inmates booked into the Wilkes County detention center. People who bond out at the magistrate before reaching the jail are not on the roster.
Wilkes County Booking Records
Booking records in Wilkes County are public under N.C.G.S. Chapter 132. This law gives the public a right to view documents created by government agencies. The Wilkes County jail roster is produced during the booking process, so it falls under this statute.
Each entry on the Wilkes County jail roster shows the inmate's full name, date of birth, booking date, charges, bond amount, court date, and arresting agency. These details are available to anyone who asks. For older records no longer on the active Wilkes County jail roster, you can file a public records request with the sheriff's office. State law requires a prompt response, though the timeline varies based on the scope of the request.
Under N.C.G.S. Chapter 148, inmates who transfer from the Wilkes County jail to state prison are tracked through the NC Department of Adult Correction rather than the county jail roster. Once a transfer happens, the inmate's record moves from the Wilkes County jail roster to the state system.
State-Level Inmate Tools
State databases can help when someone is no longer on the Wilkes County jail roster.
The NC Department of Adult Correction has an offender search portal. It lists people in state prisons, on probation, or on parole. It does not include Wilkes County jail inmates. But if someone from Wilkes County was convicted and sent to a state facility, you can find them here. Records go back to 1972 and the search is free.
The NC Judicial Branch keeps court records for all counties. Search for case details tied to people on the Wilkes County jail roster. Court records show hearing dates, plea outcomes, and sentencing information that go beyond what the jail roster provides.
Note: State databases may take a short time to update after a Wilkes County inmate is transferred to state custody.
About Wilkes County
Wilkes County has about 69,000 residents. It sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern North Carolina. Wilkesboro is the county seat, and North Wilkesboro is the other main town. The county is known for MerleFest, an annual music festival that draws thousands of visitors. The Yadkin River runs through Wilkes County. The area has a strong history tied to agriculture, furniture making, and, famously, moonshine.
The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office patrols the unincorporated areas. Local police in Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro handle their own jurisdictions. All arrests in Wilkes County that lead to detention result in bookings at the county detention center. The Wilkes County jail roster therefore includes inmates from every local agency. Sheriff Chris Shew oversees the office. Maj. Jason Whitley manages the 240-bed detention center and ensures the jail roster stays accurate.
Wilkes County Custody Alerts
Get free alerts about inmates in Wilkes County.
Visit VINELink.com to search for the inmate. Choose your notification method: phone, email, text, or TTY. Create a PIN. Registration is anonymous, and the inmate is not told. VINE sends alerts for releases, transfers, and escapes from the Wilkes County jail. Escape alerts go out every 30 minutes for 24 hours. Other changes trigger alerts every two hours during the day. For Wilkes County, you can also call the VINE line directly at 1-800-247-9658.
Nearby Counties
These counties are near Wilkes County. Check their jail rosters if you cannot locate an inmate.