Covington Recent Bookings Lookup

Covington recent bookings are kept by the Covington Police Department and the Alleghany County Jail. When a person is taken in by city officers, the booking is logged in town and then the inmate is moved to the county or regional jail. You can search Covington recent bookings by name through the sheriff's office, the state court case search, or a city FOIA request. This page shows you where to start, what is on a booking sheet, and how to find a name fast in Covington, Virginia.

Covington Police Recent Bookings

The Covington Police Department books people in the city. The local jail roster shows the name, booking photo, charges, and bail amount for each inmate. People booked in Covington may be housed in the city jail or moved to the Alleghany County Jail or another regional facility within hours of intake.

The image below shows the Covington city home page where you can find police, FOIA, and city hall info. Read more on the City of Covington site.

From this page you can pull the records phone, the city manager line, and the FOIA contact. Use it as the start point for any Covington recent bookings search.

Covington is the smallest independent city in Virginia by area. The city is set inside Alleghany County in the western part of the state.

Alleghany County Jail Roster

People booked in Covington are most often housed at the Alleghany County Jail. The Alleghany County Sheriff's Office is run by Sheriff Matt Bowser. Call 540-965-1770 to ask about an inmate. Email mboweracso@ntelos.net. The sheriff office sits at 268 W. Main Street in Covington.

Once a person is on the jail roster you will see the booking date, the charges, the bond, and the next court date if it has been set. Bond hearings happen in the magistrate office right after intake. A person held without bond should ask for a bond hearing right away.

Some Covington bookings end up in state custody after sentencing. For state inmates use the Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator. The VADOC tool covers more than 30,000 state inmates and refreshes twice a day.

Covington Court Records

After a recent booking the case moves to a Covington court. Felonies go to the Circuit Court. The clerk is Debra Byer at 540-965-1730. The address is P.O. Box 670, 266 W. Main Street. Misdemeanors and traffic cases go to the General District Court. The Commonwealth's Attorney is Edward Stein at 540-965-1740.

New cases show up in the state court case search within a day or two of the booking. Search by name on OCIS 2.0 for circuit court cases or on the general district court system for misdemeanors and traffic.

OCIS is free and works any time. Pick the court name from the dropdown. Enter the full last name and the first name. You will see the case number, the judge, the charges, and the next hearing date. Juvenile cases are not online. For older Covington court files go in person to the clerk at the courthouse on West Main Street.

Covington FOIA Requests

Most Covington recent bookings records are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 et seq. You do not need a reason. The city must reply within 5 working days. They can extend up to 12 working days if needed.

The City FOIA Officer is Rebecca Nuckols at 333 W. Locust Street. The office phone is 540-965-6300 and the fax is 540-965-6303. Email Rnuckols@covington.va.us. The Commissioner of Revenue is Cathy Kimberlin and the Treasurer is Gisela Roldan. You can read the city policy on the Covington FOIA page. The image below shows the city FOIA page.

From this page you can read the rules and find the email to start a request. You can submit by mail, fax, email, in person, or over the phone.

Some details are pulled before the record goes out. Juvenile records are sealed. Active investigation files are held back. Names of victims and witnesses can be redacted under Virginia Code § 2.2-3706. The basic name, charge, and intake date stay open.

State and Federal Covington Bookings

The Virginia State Police is the central keeper of criminal history. You can ask for your own record on Form SP-167 for a $15 fee. The form must be notarized and mailed to Richmond. See the Virginia State Police criminal records page for the form.

Some Covington bookings end up in federal custody. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator to find a person held by the BOP. Results show the current site and the projected release date.

VINElink is a free national tool that lets you track a person in jail or prison. Sign up for a phone, email, or text alert when a person is moved or set free. Visit vinelink.com or call the Virginia VINE line at 800-467-4943. The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council has free sample request letters and a hotline at 866-448-4100.

For free legal help, the Virginia State Bar runs a lawyer referral line. See vsb.org for a referral. Free civil legal aid is at Virginia Legal Aid.

Covington Booking Sheet Details

A Covington recent booking sheet has the same core info no matter which office takes it. The top of the sheet has the full name, the date of birth, and the booking date and time. Next is the arresting officer name and badge. Then a list of the charges with the code section for each. The bond amount and the bond type sit near the bottom. The next court date is added once the magistrate sets it.

The mugshot is paired with the sheet at intake. Some Covington bookings sheets also list the height, the weight, the eye color, and the hair color. A scar or tattoo note is added if it shows. The Alleghany County Jail keeps the sheet on file as long as state law allows. A copy can be pulled by FOIA after a case is closed.

The arresting agency is almost always the Covington Police for a city booking. State Police bookings inside the city limits go through the same intake but list the trooper as the officer. Federal arrests use a different sheet and a federal magistrate sets bond at the U.S. District Court. Most Covington recent bookings stay in the local system from start to finish.

Knowing what is on the sheet helps you ask the right question at the records desk. Have the full name and a date of birth ready before you call. The records clerk can find a booking faster with both.

Are Covington Bookings Public

Yes. Covington recent bookings, jail rosters, and arrest logs are public records. The Virginia FOIA backs this up. Anyone can ask the Covington Police or the Alleghany County Sheriff for a current roster or a booking sheet.

Some details are kept back. Social security numbers, home addresses of victims, and any info about minors are not released. A judge can also seal a record in rare cases. But the basic name, charge, intake date, and bond status of an adult booking are open.

Nearby Recent Bookings Pages

Other nearby Virginia cities and counties also have recent bookings pages on this site.