Clay County 24 Hour Booking

Clay County 24 hour booking records are managed by the Clay County Correctional Facility in Moorhead, Minnesota. The county sits on the western border of the state, across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota. With about 65,000 residents, Clay County handles a high volume of bookings for the Moorhead-Fargo area. The jail processes people around the clock and sends all data to the state within 24 hours. You can look up inmates, check charges, and find bail information through the sheriff's office. This page explains the booking process, search options, and public access rules.

Clay County Correctional Facility Booking

The Clay County Correctional Facility is a 75,900 square foot building with 220 beds. It holds minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates. The facility has an 18-bed Behavioral Mental Health Unit for inmates who need that level of care. It is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections and operates under Minnesota Administrative Rule 2911 standards.

The facility has a large staff. Correctional Facility Administrator Kari Tuton oversees the operation. The team includes an assistant administrator, 5 sergeants, 4 corporals, 3 program staff, 42 full-time correctional officers, 10 roster correctional officers, and a clerical associate. That is a big operation for a county with 65,000 people, but Clay County's location near Fargo means the jail sees more activity than most counties of similar size.

Every person booked into the Clay County facility goes through the same process. Staff collect identification data, take fingerprints and a photo, and log the charges. Under Minnesota Statute 299C.10, all fingerprint data must reach the BCA within 24 hours. The facility runs programs including work detail, work release, sentence to service, reintegration planning, and behavioral mental health treatment.

Search Clay County Booking Records

The Clay County Inmate Information page is the main place to look up booking records. The page shows how to search for current inmates and find their charges. Clay County posts inmate data regularly.

Call the facility at 218-299-5163 to ask about someone in custody. Staff can confirm if a person has been booked and share the charges. Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, adult arrest data is public. That includes the person's name, age, sex, address, arrest date, charges, and custody status.

The VINE notification system covers Clay County. You can register to get alerts when an inmate's status changes. VINE sends updates by phone or email at no cost.

Note: The lobby is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays. The jail itself operates around the clock.

Clay County 24 Hour Booking Data

The Clay County inmate information page has details about booking and custody status. Visit the inmate information page for current data.

The page covers how to search for inmates and find their charges. It also provides information about visiting, sending money, and contacting people in custody.

The Clay County government website links to all county services.

From the county site you can access the sheriff's office, courts, and other departments. Booking records go through the correctional facility, while court records are in the 7th Judicial District system at Minnesota Court Records Online.

Clay County Jail Booking Laws

The Clay County Correctional Facility follows all state booking requirements. Statute 299C.10 requires fingerprints and booking data to reach the BCA within 24 hours. Statute 641.05 requires the sheriff to maintain permanent jail records and check every intake against the predatory offender registry.

Booking fees may apply. Under Statute 641.12, the county board sets the rate for housing inmates. The fee must not exceed actual costs. People whose charges are dismissed or who are acquitted at trial can request a refund.

Booking photographs taken at the Clay County facility are public data under Statute 13.82. Law enforcement can temporarily hold them back if releasing the photos would hurt an active investigation. Once the investigation is closed, the photos become public.

State Resources for Clay County

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension stores all criminal history data from Clay County bookings. The Corrections Offender Locator tracks state prison inmates. The Minnesota Sheriffs' Association provides training and jail standards guidance to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Clay County Booking Data Retention

Clay County follows state retention rules for booking records. Arrest reports are kept at least six years. Fingerprints go to the BCA permanently. Booking photos have a six-year minimum. Conviction data is public for 15 years after the sentence is done.

The 220-bed facility in Moorhead sees a steady flow of bookings. The Moorhead-Fargo metro area spans two states, but people arrested on the Minnesota side go through the Clay County system. The BCA links all Clay County bookings with court outcomes from the 7th Judicial District. When a disposition cannot match an arrest, the BCA notifies the appropriate agency under Statute 299C.111. This keeps the state criminal history records accurate across all counties.

For older jail records, the Minnesota Historical Society may have archived registers. Current booking records are at the Clay County Correctional Facility in Moorhead.

The correctional facility's large staff and 220-bed capacity make it one of the more substantial jail operations outside the Twin Cities metro. Written requests for booking records can be sent to the facility at 800 9th St. N., Moorhead, MN 56560. Phone inquiries go to 218-299-5163. The lobby is open weekdays from 8 AM to 4:30 PM for in-person record requests.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Clay County along the western edge of Minnesota.