Uvalde County Arrest Records

Police in Uvalde County arrest someone when they think that person has broken the law. This might happen during a traffic stop, while they are investigating a crime, or if a judge gives them a warrant to make the arrest. Once someone is arrested, they are usually taken to the Uvalde County Jail, which is managed by the Sheriff's Office. Besides the Sheriff's Office, local police departments in towns across the county also arrest people and keep records of those arrests. These records are public, meaning people can see them, and they often show up in Uvalde County Court Records, along with other documents that explain what happened in the case.

Are Arrest Records Public in Uvalde County?

Yes. Arrest records in Uvalde County are presumptively open to anyone under the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552), which broadly defines law-enforcement records as public information that must be released on request.

Certain details, however, are exempt and will be redacted before release. Information that would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime—such as witness statements or undercover-agent identities—is protected under Section 552.108 of the Government Code. Personal data like dates of birth, driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, or a peace officer's home address are also withheld under Sections 552.101 and 552.117. Records involving juvenile offenders are sealed by default under Family Code Chapter 58 and may only be disclosed to juvenile justice agencies, law-enforcement officials, prosecutors, the juvenile or their parent, and other statutorily authorized entities.

Anyone—resident or not—can submit a written request for Uvalde County arrest records (often to the Sheriff's Office or County Clerk), pay any applicable fees, and expect a response within the timeframes set by the Act.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A typical public arrest record in Uvalde County (and under Texas law) will include only information that is not statutorily exempt. The following items are usually available:

• Arrestee's Name: The person's full legal name.
• Booking Date & Time: When they were officially entered into the jail's system.
• Jail ID Number: A unique number assigned to that person's booking.
• Arresting Department: Which police agency made the arrest (for example, the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office or a city police department).
• Charges & Law Code: The crimes they are accused of, often listed by code (like "Penal Code 28.02 – Burglary") and a short description.
• Bail Amount & Type: If bail is set, how much it is and whether it is cash, a surety bond, or a promise to appear in court.
• Court Dates: The scheduled dates for their first hearings or arraignments, often linked to a court docket number.
• Arrest Location: Where the arrest happened—either a street address or the general area.
• Physical Details: Basic facts such as age (or age range), gender, race, height, weight, hair color, and eye color.
• Booking Photo (Mugshot): The intake photo taken at booking, unless it is kept private (for example, for juvenile cases).

Uvalde County Arrest Statistics

Uvalde County had more arrests in 2023 than in 2022, going up from 80 to 86, based on the Texas Department of Public Safety's annual crime report. The biggest jump in arrests came from burglary, which rose from 8 arrests in 2022 to 20 in 2023. Auto theft arrests also went up in 2023, from 17 to 24 while aggravated assaults dropped from 31 to 18.

Find Uvalde County Arrest Records

At the county level, anyone seeking arrest or inmate information in Uvalde County can turn to the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office or municipal police departments within Uvalde County, such as the Uvalde Police Department. While the county does not publish a public online inmate roster, requesters can call the Sheriff's Office at (830) 278-4111 or email sheriff@uvaldecounty.gov to request details such as booking date, charges and current detention status directly from government‐maintained records. For individuals housed in state correctional facilities, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice offers the Offender Information Search on their website, where requesters can enter a person's name, Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) number, or State Identification Number (SID). This website provides up-to-date information on an inmate's location, offense description, sentence length, and projected release date.

At the federal level, the Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator tool allows individuals to find inmates serving time in federal institutions. This resource provides custody status, facility location, and release date information based on register number or name searches.

Free Arrest Record Search in Uvalde County

Persons seeking free arrest records in Uvalde County may reach out to the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office or the Uvalde Police Department, as these local agencies provide arrest details at no cost, even though they do not offer online access to inmate rosters. For people held in Texas state prisons, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice website allows anyone to check information about inmates, like where they are and why they are in prison, free of charge. While some third-party websites allow free arrest lookups, their information may not always be valid or up-to-date, so verifying anything important with official law enforcement sources is important.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Under Texas law, arrest information remains on a person's record indefinitely unless and until it is removed through a court-ordered expunction or nondisclosure. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which serves as the state's central criminal history repository, does not automatically purge arrest records after any set period—arrests stay on file permanently unless successfully expunged or sealed.

Expunge Uvalde County Arrest Records

Under Article 55.01 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure (Chapter 55), anyone arrested but not charged, whose charges were dismissed, who was acquitted, or who received a pardon may petition for expunction. Under Section 2a of Chapter 55, the person files an application in the county where they reside or where the arrest occurred, attaching a certified copy of their criminal history and serving copies on the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and any prosecuting attorneys or agencies that hold records. After the court grants the expunction order, all criminal justice agencies must destroy or return the records to the clerk, who then destroys them—at which point the individual may lawfully deny the arrest ever occurred.

If expunction is not available, a person who completed deferred adjudication community supervision (and met any statute-specified waiting period and remained conviction-free) can seek an order of nondisclosure under Subchapter E-1 of Chapter 411 of the Government Code (see Sections 411.0725 and 411.0735). The individual files a petition in the court that imposed the sentence, provides notice to the state and DPS, and after a hearing the court issues an order sealing the record from public view—though criminal justice and certain licensing agencies may still access the information.

Uvalde County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant in Uvalde County serves as a legal directive from a magistrate—often a justice of the peace—authorizing a peace officer to take a named individual into custody and bring them before the court to answer criminal charges. Under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 15.03, a magistrate issues a warrant upon finding probable cause via a sworn affidavit (complaint) that specifies the person's name or a sufficient description, the alleged offense, and the time and place of its commission, and bears the magistrate's signature. Warrants are required when a crime did not occur in an officer's presence or when a defendant fails to appear after a summons, and once issued they "extend to every part of the State", allowing any Texas peace officer—including those with the Uvalde County Sheriff's Office or local police departments—to execute the warrant without delay and present the individual before the issuing magistrate.

Do Uvalde County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants issued by a magistrate in Uvalde County under Chapter 15 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure do not expire and stay active until they are served, recalled by the court, quashed through legal challenge, or otherwise resolved. They remain valid across the entire state of Texas and do not lapse with time. However, warrants issued by the Governor under Article 51.13 are an exception—they expire one year after being issued if not executed. A court may choose to recall a magistrate-issued warrant if the individual appears in court willingly, settles the case, or proves that the warrant lacked proper legal grounds, such as insufficient probable cause. Unless one of these actions occurs, the warrant continues to be enforceable without any time limit.