Yates County Jail Mugshots
Yates County jail mugshots are processed at the Yates County Jail on Main Street in Penn Yan. The Sheriff's Office runs this small facility, which has 31 beds and averages about 22 inmates. In 2023, the jail handled 428 bookings. Each person brought into the jail gets a mugshot taken during intake. The Sheriff's Office keeps these booking photos on file along with arrest records. You can request jail mugshots through FOIL or by contacting the Sheriff's Office. The County Clerk also holds court records tied to criminal cases in Yates County.
Yates County Overview
Yates County Sheriff's Office Jail Mugshots
The Yates County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for this county. They run the jail in Penn Yan and handle every booking that comes through. The facility has 31 beds and typically holds around 22 inmates at any given time. Every person booked gets a mugshot taken as part of the intake process.
Yates County sits in the Finger Lakes region between Keuka Lake and Seneca Lake. It is one of the smaller counties in New York by population. The county includes Penn Yan, Dundee, and several rural towns. Since most communities here lack their own police force, the Sheriff's Office covers a lot of ground. They patrol the county, respond to calls, and make arrests. State police also operate in the area and bring arrested people to the county jail for booking.
In 2023, the jail processed 428 bookings. That works out to roughly 36 bookings per month. Each one produces a mugshot and a booking record. The Sheriff's Office stores these photos and makes them available through public records requests. If you need a jail mugshot from Yates County, this is the agency to contact first.
| Agency | Yates County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Facility | Yates County Jail |
| Address |
227 Main Street Penn Yan, NY 14527 |
| Phone | (315) 536-4438 |
| Website | yatescounty.org - Sheriff |
How to Search Yates County Jail Mugshots
Yates County does not have an online inmate search tool. This is typical for smaller counties in the state. You will need to use phone calls, in-person visits, or state databases to find jail mugshots.
Call the jail at (315) 536-4438. Staff can check if someone is currently in custody and give you basic booking details. For people who have been sent to state prison, the DOCCS inmate lookup tool covers all state facilities. The NYS County Jail Directory lists contact information for every county jail in New York, which is useful if you are not sure where a person is being held.
The Yates County Clerk keeps court records with case details, charges, and disposition information. For a full criminal history check at the state level, go through the Division of Criminal Justice Services. You can also use the State Commission of Correction locator tools to find which facility holds a specific inmate.
FOIL Requests for Yates County Jail Mugshots
New York's Freedom of Information Law gives you the right to request jail mugshots from any county agency. FOIL covers booking photos and other arrest records held by the Yates County Sheriff's Office.
Yates County provides FOIL information on its website. Write a request to the Records Access Officer. Include the person's full name, date of birth if available, and the approximate date of arrest. Be clear that you want jail mugshots or booking photos. The agency has five business days to give you an initial response. They can approve the request, deny it with a legal reason, or ask for more time.
Copies cost 25 cents per page under state law. Viewing records in person is free. If your request gets denied, appeal to the agency head. If that fails, contact the Committee on Open Government at the state level. Most booking photos from Yates County are releasable as public records. Some details may be withheld if they involve open cases or could put someone at risk.
Yates County Sheriff's Office website, a resource for locating inmate records and jail mugshots in Yates County.
Legal Rules for Jail Mugshots in Yates County
Correction Law Section 9 gives New York State oversight over all county jails. The Yates County Jail operates under this law. It sets standards for how jails handle intake, keep records, and manage booking photos. The Sheriff's Office must follow these state rules.
Correction Law Section 752 limits how criminal records can be used in certain situations. This law does not block public access to jail mugshots. But it does put restrictions on using arrest and conviction records for specific purposes. If you plan to use booking photos you get from Yates County, be aware of what this law allows.
FOIL, under Public Officers Law Article 6, is the main tool for requesting records. It requires agencies to release public records unless a specific exemption applies. Jail mugshots are generally considered public records in New York. Agencies can withhold records only when release would cause harm, interfere with an investigation, or violate a specific privacy protection. The burden of proof falls on the agency, not the person making the request.
Communities in Yates County
Yates County is one of the least populated counties in New York. Penn Yan is the county seat and largest community. Other towns include Dundee, Dresden, and Rushville. None of these places have populations large enough for their own page. All arrests in Yates County are processed at the county jail in Penn Yan, where jail mugshots are taken during booking.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Yates County. Each one runs its own jail and keeps its own set of booking records and jail mugshots. Check the right county based on where the arrest took place.