Refugio County Arrest Records
Refugio County booking reports are public records maintained by the Refugio County Sheriff's Office in Refugio, Texas. All arrests in the county are processed at the Refugio County Jail. You can contact the Sheriff's Office at (361) 526-2351 to ask about current inmates or to submit a public records request. These records are available under the Texas Public Information Act.
Refugio County Overview
Refugio County Sheriff's Office
The Refugio County Sheriff's Office is at 808 Commerce Street in Refugio, Texas. It is the primary law enforcement agency for the county and handles all arrests, jail bookings, and public records requests. Refugio County is located in South Texas along the Coastal Bend region, between Corpus Christi and Victoria. The city of Refugio is the county seat and the main community in the county.
The Refugio County Sheriff's Office page provides contact information for the department. The county is relatively small, and all arrests made within Refugio County are processed through the Sheriff's Office and held at the Refugio County Jail. There is no public online inmate search available for the county at this time. Calling the office during business hours is the most direct way to check on inmate status or ask general questions about a booking.
| Office | Refugio County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 808 Commerce Street, Refugio, TX 78377 |
| Phone | (361) 526-2351 |
| Jail | Refugio County Jail, Refugio, TX |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, business hours |
How to Get Refugio County Booking Records
Refugio County does not offer a public online inmate lookup at this time. To check whether someone is currently in custody, call the Sheriff's Office at (361) 526-2351 during regular business hours. Staff can confirm basic inmate information and tell you whether someone is currently being held at the county jail.
For written records requests, send a letter to the Refugio County Sheriff's Office at 808 Commerce Street, Refugio, TX 78377. Include the full name of the person you are looking for, the approximate date of the arrest if known, and your contact information so the office can follow up. Under the Texas Public Information Act, the office must respond within 10 business days. If fees apply for copies, they will let you know in advance. If records are denied, a specific legal exemption must be cited.
If the person was transferred to a Texas state prison after being booked in Refugio County, use the TDCJ Offender Search to find their current location within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. That tool is free and works around the clock. VINELink also allows you to register for free custody alerts if you want to know when an inmate's status changes at the Refugio County Jail.
Note: Refugio is a small county with a small office. If you do not reach someone right away, try calling again or follow up with a written request.
What Refugio County Booking Records Contain
Each time someone is arrested in Refugio County and brought to the county jail, a booking record is created. These records are public under Texas law. They document the basic facts of the arrest and the personal information of the person who was booked at intake.
Standard booking records in Refugio County include the full name and date of birth of the arrested person, the date and time of the arrest, the charges filed at the time of booking, any bond amount set by the court, the name of the arresting agency, a booking number assigned by the jail, and physical description information. Some information may not be released if the case involves an active investigation.
Juvenile records are not public in Texas. Court case records from the same arrest are maintained by the Refugio County District Clerk, which is separate from the Sheriff's Office. For full statewide criminal histories that go beyond a single county's records, the Texas DPS Crime Records Division is the right resource.
Refugio County Jail
The Refugio County Jail is located in the city of Refugio and is operated by the Sheriff's Office. It holds individuals arrested in Refugio County while they await court appearances, bond decisions, or transfer to state custody. Intake at the facility follows a standard process that includes identification checks, health screening, documentation of personal property, logging of charges, and placement in a housing unit.
Bond is set by the court, and those who post bail are released from the facility. To ask about visiting an inmate or adding funds to an inmate account, call the office at (361) 526-2351. Rules and schedules can change, so calling before you visit is a practical step especially for a small rural facility like the one in Refugio.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards regulates the Refugio County Jail along with all other county jails in Texas. The commission conducts inspections and enforces minimum standards for inmate care, housing, and facility operations. If you have concerns about the facility that are not being resolved locally, you can reach out to the commission.
Public Records Requests in Refugio County
The Texas Public Information Act, found in Texas Government Code Chapter 552, gives everyone the right to request booking records from the Refugio County Sheriff's Office. No reason is needed. The law applies to all Texas government agencies including county law enforcement offices.
To make a request, write a letter to the Refugio County Sheriff's Office at 808 Commerce Street, Refugio, TX 78377. State clearly what records you need, including the person's full name and any known arrest details. The office must respond within 10 business days. If fees apply for paper copies, they will tell you the amount before processing. If records are denied, a specific legal exception must be provided. You can appeal any improper denial to the Texas Office of the Attorney General, which handles open records disputes across Texas.
For records that go beyond a single county, such as a full Texas criminal history, contact the Texas DPS Crime Records Division. County sheriff's offices hold only local booking records. The DPS maintains the comprehensive statewide arrest database.
Refugio County Sheriff and State Resources
The Refugio County Sheriff's Office page provides contact details for the department and is the right starting point for anyone seeking booking records or inmate information in Refugio County.
This page is your first contact point when reaching out to the Refugio County Sheriff's Office about a booking record or to confirm that someone is currently in custody at the county jail.
The Texas DPS Crime Records Division provides statewide access to criminal history data for all Texas counties, including Refugio County in the South Texas Coastal Bend area.
This state portal is the resource to use when you need records that span multiple counties or require a complete Texas arrest history beyond what the local sheriff's office holds.
Cities in Refugio County
Refugio County includes the city of Refugio as the county seat and the community of Woodsboro to the south. All arrests in the county are processed through the Refugio County Sheriff's Office. Both communities are small, and the Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for the full county area.
No cities in Refugio County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page on this site.
Nearby Counties
Refugio County is bordered by several South Texas and Coastal Bend counties. If you are not certain which county handled a particular arrest, check the arresting agency listed on the booking record.