Pulaski County Busted Mugshots

Pulaski County busted mugshots and arrest records are held by the Sheriff's Office and the New River Valley Regional Jail. These records include booking photos, charge information, and inmate status for adults arrested in the county. This page explains how to find Pulaski County mugshots and what Virginia law says about public access to them.

Pulaski County Sheriff's Office

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency serving the county. The office handles all arrests in unincorporated areas of the county, operates the local jail, and maintains booking records. When a person is arrested in Pulaski County, they go through the Sheriff's booking process. That process creates the arrest record and the mugshot that become part of the public file.

Booking records contain the person's name, date of birth, physical description, and the charges that were filed. Mugshots are taken at intake as a standard part of the process. Under Virginia Code §2.2-3706(A)(2), law enforcement agencies are required to release adult arrestee photographs taken during initial intake when a public records request is submitted. This is the legal basis that makes Pulaski County busted mugshots available to the public.

To request records from the Sheriff's Office, submit a written FOIA request. Include the name, approximate arrest date, and what type of records you want. The office has five working days to respond. They may provide records, deny with a written reason, or request more time for complex requests. Some records are exempt, including juvenile arrests, sealed cases, and records from active investigations.

New River Valley Regional Jail

The New River Valley Regional Jail serves Pulaski County along with other jurisdictions in the New River Valley area. After initial booking at the local level, many detainees are transferred to this regional facility. The jail maintains its own records system, including intake photos, charge documentation, and custody status for current and former inmates.

If you need to find out if someone is being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail, contact the facility directly. Staff can confirm current custody status for adult inmates. Booking photographs are part of the official inmate record and are generally available to the public under Virginia FOIA for adult inmates.

The regional jail follows Virginia Department of Corrections standards for record-keeping and inmate processing. Records at the facility include intake information, classification records, and release dates. The facility covers the full period of an inmate's confinement from booking through release.

Circuit Court and General District Court

The Pulaski County Circuit Court handles felony criminal cases and maintains official case records. The General District Court handles misdemeanor cases and preliminary hearings. Both courts create records tied to charges that follow an arrest in Pulaski County.

Court records tell you more than a mugshot alone. They show the charges filed, whether they were reduced or dismissed, and the final outcome. An arrest and a conviction are two different things. Plenty of people arrested in Pulaski County had their charges dropped before trial. The court record shows the full picture.

You can search circuit court records through the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System. The system covers statewide circuit court cases and lets you search by name or case number. General District Court records may also be available through the same system or by contacting the clerk's office at the courthouse in Pulaski.

Virginia Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23 establishes the Central Criminal Records Exchange and requires law enforcement to submit fingerprints and photographs to the statewide repository when making arrests. This is the legal foundation for why mugshots are taken and maintained as official public records.

Statewide Tools for Finding Pulaski Records

Virginia provides several statewide search tools you can use to find Pulaski County arrest records even if the local agency doesn't have its own online portal.

The Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange maintains criminal history records submitted by local agencies statewide. A name-based search costs $15 and takes about 15 days. You submit form SP-167 by mail or in person. The CCRE is the official statewide criminal history repository.

The VINE system is free and lets you search for inmates by name or ID in most Virginia jails. You can check whether someone is held at the New River Valley Regional Jail. VINE also lets you register for notifications if someone is released or transferred.

The Virginia Arrests database aggregates recent arrest information from various jurisdictions and can be a useful starting point. It is a third-party site, not a government source, so verify any information you find there with official records. The Virginia DOC Offender Locator covers people in state prison. Pulaski County residents sent to state prison would show up in that system.

The OCIS system provides statewide access to circuit court criminal cases, including felony records from Pulaski County.

FOIA Rights and Expungement in Pulaski County

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to request records from government agencies. You don't need to be a party to a case to ask for arrest records. The request goes to the agency holding the records, most often the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office or the regional jail.

Under Virginia Code §2.2-3706, agencies must release adult mugshots taken at intake on request. The agency must respond within five working days. If they deny a request, they must give a legal reason in writing. Possible reasons include active investigations, juvenile records, or records that could identify protected individuals like undercover officers or informants.

People arrested but not convicted may petition for expungement under Virginia Code §19.2-392.2. This applies to acquittals and dismissed charges. Once expunged, the arrest record and mugshot are removed from public access. The petition is filed with the Pulaski County Circuit Court. The process involves submitting fingerprints and attending a hearing.

Virginia's new record sealing law takes effect July 1, 2026. This law will allow certain convicted individuals to petition to seal their records from public view. Until that date, all conviction records in Pulaski County remain fully public. Arrest records without a conviction can be expunged now under existing law.

Form SP-167 is used by individuals to request criminal history records. Form SP-266 is for sex offender registry name searches. Both are available on the Virginia State Police website.

Other Public Records in Pulaski County

The Virginia State Police maintains the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry for all of Virginia. Registered offenders in Pulaski County appear in this database with their photograph, current address, and offense details. The registry can be searched by county or zip code at no charge online.

For state prison records, use the Virginia DOC Offender Locator. This covers people currently housed in Virginia state prisons. Results include the facility location and offender photograph. Pulaski County residents serving state sentences would appear here.

The Library of Virginia sets records retention schedules for law enforcement agencies across the state. Adult arrest records are kept for 100 years from the date of birth. Juvenile arrest records are retained for 23 years from birth. Records of deceased adults are removed one year after notification of death. These rules apply to Pulaski County records as well.

Nearby Counties

These counties are close to Pulaski County in southwest Virginia. Each has its own sheriff and arrest record system.