Unicoi County 72 Hour Booking Lookup

Unicoi County 72 hour booking records show who has been booked into the Unicoi County Jail over the last three days. The county seat is Erwin, and about 17,900 people live here in East Tennessee. Sheriff Mike Hensley runs the office, which handles patrol, criminal investigations, K9, and corrections. The jail is on North Main Avenue in Erwin, separate from the main sheriff's office on Jackson Love Highway. Checking on recent arrests means calling the jail or visiting in person, as online access is limited. This page covers how to search for Unicoi County booking records and where to find them.

Unicoi County Sheriff's Office

The Unicoi County Sheriff's Office has its main office at 1570 Jackson Love Highway in Erwin. Sheriff Mike Hensley leads the department. Major Mario Morales handles a lot of the operational side. You can call the main line at (423) 743-1864 for general questions. The records division has its own number at (423) 743-1771.

The office runs four divisions: patrol, criminal investigations, K9, and corrections. Staff are responsible for serving the courts, providing courthouse security, running the jail, and general law enforcement across Unicoi County. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can fax requests to (423) 743-3047 or email the sheriff at sheriff@unicoicountytn.gov.

The screenshot below shows the TBI background check information page, which explains the statewide criminal history search that covers Unicoi County records along with all other counties in Tennessee.

The TBI TORIS portal runs a statewide criminal history check for $29 per name, covering adult arrests and convictions across Tennessee.

How to Search Unicoi County Bookings

The fastest way to check on a recent booking is to call the jail at (423) 743-1858. Staff are there 24 hours a day. Give them the full name of the person and they can check the system for you. No appointment is needed.

You can also visit in person. The jail is at 102 N Main Avenue in Erwin. Bring a photo ID. For a formal records request, contact the records division at (423) 743-1771 during business hours. You can also send a written request by mail to the sheriff's office. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503, booking records are public. The office has up to 7 business days to respond to a formal request. Phone calls usually get an answer right away.

The Unicoi County Public Records Coordinator is the County Clerk at 100 Main Street, PO Box 340, Erwin, TN 37650. You can reach that office at 423-743-3381. They handle public records requests for all county departments, not just the sheriff.

Unicoi County 72 Hour Booking Process

When someone is arrested in Unicoi County, they are taken to the jail on North Main Avenue for booking. The process starts with identity checks. Staff take a mugshot, record physical details, and log all charges. Bond amounts are set based on the charges.

The jail is a minimum to maximum security facility. It houses adults charged with both misdemeanors and felonies. Unicoi County had a violent crime rate of about 49 per 100,000 in recent years. That is below the state average. Common charges include DUI, drug offenses, domestic assault, probation violations, and theft. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-7-103, warrantless arrests are allowed in certain situations. Those arrests go through the same booking process and appear in the 72 hour records.

Note: Visitation and commissary details are available by calling the jail directly at (423) 743-1858.

Statewide Tools for Unicoi County

The Felony Offender Information Lookup is a free tool from the Tennessee Department of Correction. It shows anyone who has been in state prison or is on parole. You can search by name or TOMIS number. This does not cover Unicoi County Jail inmates, but it helps when someone has been transferred to state custody after conviction.

For a full criminal history check, the TBI TORIS portal costs $29 and covers all adult criminal records in Tennessee. You get a PDF with arrests, charges, and convictions. The check is name-based, so you do not need fingerprints. Out-of-state records are not included. Juvenile records are also excluded unless the person was tried as an adult.

The VINELink system is another option. It lets you track any inmate in Unicoi County or anywhere else in Tennessee. You sign up for free alerts when someone is released or moved. Notifications come by phone, email, or text. The system runs around the clock.

Unicoi County Arrest Records Request

Reviewing records in person at the sheriff's office is free. You can look at public booking records without paying anything. If you need copies, there is a per-page fee. Certified copies cost more. Call the records division at (423) 743-1771 for the current schedule.

Mail requests go to the Unicoi County Sheriff's Office at 1570 Jackson Love Highway, PO Box 8, Erwin, TN 37650. Include the full name of the person, an estimated arrest date, and your contact information. Tennessee law gives the office 7 business days to respond. If someone was cited rather than arrested, no booking record exists. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-7-118, some misdemeanors can be handled with a citation instead of a custodial arrest.

Cities in Unicoi County

Unicoi County includes Erwin, Unicoi, and Banner Hill. All arrests in the county go through the Unicoi County Jail for booking. No cities in Unicoi County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page.

Nearby Counties

Unicoi County is in the mountain region of East Tennessee. If you need to check on someone who may have been arrested in a nearby county, each has its own jail and booking system.

View All 95 Counties