Busted Mugshots in Highland County, Virginia
Highland County busted mugshots and arrest records are kept by the Highland County Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Court Clerk in Monterey, Virginia. Highland is one of Virginia's smallest and most rural counties, and its law enforcement and court records reflect that scale. This page covers where to find Highland County mugshots, booking records, and criminal case information through local offices and statewide Virginia databases.
Highland County Overview
Highland County Sheriff's Office
The Highland County Sheriff's Office is the sole law enforcement agency in this rural Virginia county. It handles all arrests and maintains the local booking records. When a person is arrested in Highland County, the Sheriff's Office records their charges, date of arrest, and takes a booking photograph. These mugshots and arrest details are public records under Virginia law.
Virginia Code §2.2-3706(A)(2) requires that adult booking photos taken during initial intake be released upon request. The Highland County Sheriff's website is at highlandcounty.org/sheriff. Because the county is small, the volume of bookings is lower than in larger Virginia counties, but the same public access rules apply. You can submit a FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office for arrest records.
| Office | Highland County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Monterey, Virginia |
| Website | highlandcounty.org/sheriff |
| Regional Jail | Middle River Regional Jail |
Middle River Regional Jail
Highland County does not operate its own detention facility. Inmates arrested in Highland County are transferred to the Middle River Regional Jail (MRRJ), which serves several counties in the Shenandoah Valley region. The MRRJ maintains booking records for all inmates processed there. If you need to check whether someone from Highland County is in custody, the MRRJ is the right place to start. Their website is at mrrjva.org.
You can also use the free statewide service VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) to look up inmate custody status. VINE covers most Virginia county and regional jails, including Middle River Regional. It shows whether a person is in custody, their facility, and release information. You can register for alerts via phone, text, email, or TTY. VINE updates regularly and is a fast way to check status without calling the jail.
People serving state prison sentences after Highland County convictions appear in the Virginia Department of Corrections offender locator. This is a separate system from local jail records and covers inmates in VADOC custody statewide.
Highland County Circuit Court
The Highland County Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases. Case records here include the charges, hearing dates, motions, and final disposition. The Circuit Court Clerk's office keeps these files and can provide copies upon request. You can find the Clerk's contact information at highlandcounty.org/circuit-court.
The Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System (OCIS) is a free state tool that lets you search Highland County circuit court records online. Search by name or case number and filter by locality. OCIS shows the case history, charges, and outcomes for felony criminal cases in Highland County. The General District Court handles misdemeanor cases, and those records are also available in OCIS.
Because Highland is such a small county, its court handles a modest caseload. But the same state laws on public records access apply. Court case files are public, and most can be accessed through OCIS or in person at the Clerk's office in Monterey.
Statewide Sources for Highland County Arrests
The Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange at vsp.virginia.gov covers all Highland County arrests in a single statewide system. A name-based criminal history search costs $15 and takes about 15 days. You submit the SP-167 form, downloadable from vsp.virginia.gov/services/forms. This gives you the most complete picture of a person's criminal history across all of Virginia, including Highland County.
The Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov lists registered offenders in Highland County with their photos, addresses, and offense descriptions. The registry is free, searchable by county or zip code, and updated every business day. This is one of the few places where official arrest-related photos are available online at no cost.
The third-party site virginia.arrests.org aggregates recent arrest data from Virginia law enforcement, including Highland County. It shows booking photos, charges, and arrest dates. While it draws from public records, it is not an official government source. Verify anything you find there through official channels.
For FOIA guidance on Highland County records, the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov explains what must be released under §2.2-3706. Adult mugshots and felony arrest information must be made available to the public in most cases.Virginia Law and Highland County Mugshots
Virginia's criminal records laws apply equally in Highland County. The Central Criminal Records Exchange operates under Title 19.2, Chapter 23 of the Virginia Code. Section 19.2-392 requires law enforcement to take fingerprints and photographs during booking. These photographs, once taken, become part of the official arrest record.
If an arrest in Highland County did not result in a conviction, the person may petition for expungement under §19.2-392.2. This statute applies to cases that were dismissed or resulted in an acquittal. The petition is filed in the Highland County Circuit Court. The process involves submitting fingerprints, which the CCRE uses to locate the criminal history record. If the court approves the petition, the Highland Circuit Court Clerk sends the order to the Virginia State Police for record removal.
Virginia's record sealing law, effective July 1, 2026, will also allow some convictions to be sealed from public view. This is a broader remedy than expungement and applies to people who were actually convicted but meet eligibility criteria. Until those laws take effect, expungement under §19.2-392.2 remains the primary option for clearing a Highland County arrest record.
Note: The Library of Virginia at lva.virginia.gov sets retention schedules for criminal justice records. Adult arrest records in Virginia are typically retained for 100 years from birth, so older Highland County arrest records should still be available.
Virginia Central Criminal Records Exchange
The Virginia Code Title 19.2 Chapter 23 establishes the Central Criminal Records Exchange that holds Highland County mugshots and criminal history records submitted by the Sheriff's Office.
Under Section 19.2-392, law enforcement agencies in Highland County are required to submit fingerprints and photographs to the Exchange following each arrest.
Library of Virginia Records Retention
The Library of Virginia establishes how long Highland County arrest records and mugshots must be kept under the Virginia Public Records Act and General Retention Schedule GS-108.
Adult arrest records in Virginia are retained for 100 years from birth, which means most Highland County mugshots and booking records from the past several decades are still on file.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Highland County in Virginia's western mountains. Each maintains its own arrest records and court files.