Holmes County busted mugshots are public booking photos taken at the Holmes County Jail in Bonifay, Florida. This small panhandle county follows Florida’s public records laws, so anyone can request these photos from the Sheriff’s Office.
The Holmes County Sheriff runs the only jail in the county, and all arrests from local towns like Ponce de Leon, Esto, Noma, and Westville go through that one facility. This page explains exactly how to find Holmes County busted mugshots, what laws apply, what fees you pay, and how to remove a record if needed.
Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and Jail
The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office handles every arrest in the county. The office sits on Lonny Lindsey Drive in Bonifay, which is the county seat. The Sheriff also runs the county jail. There are no separate municipal jails in Holmes County. The Bonifay Police Department and any Florida Highway Patrol stops in the area all bring arrested people to this same jail for booking.
Sheriff Office Address and Phone
The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office is located at 3207 Lonny Lindsey Drive, Bonifay, FL 32425. The main phone number is 850.547.3681. Press option 1 to reach the jail division directly. You can call this number during business hours, which run Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The office handles records requests, current inmate lookups, and recent booking questions through this phone line.
Jail Division Online Page
The Sheriff’s Office runs a jail division page on their website at holmescosheriff.org/jail-division.html. This page lists basic jail details, contact numbers, and hours of operation. The page does not always show live booking photos or a current inmate roster because the facility is small. For up-to-date Holmes County busted mugshots, you must call the office or use a statewide search system that pulls from Holmes County feeds.
How to Find Holmes County Mugshots
Holmes County is a rural county with a population near 19,000. Because of this small size, the Sheriff’s Office does not run a full public inmate search tool like larger Florida counties do. You have a few choices when you need Holmes County busted mugshots. Each method works for different situations, from current inmates to older bookings.
Call the Holmes County Jail
The fastest way to check for a current inmate in Holmes County is to call 850.547.3681 and press option 1. Jail staff can look up a person by full name and date of birth. They can tell you if the person is in custody, what charges they face, and their bond amount. This method covers people booked in the past few days. For older Holmes County busted mugshots, you need to file a records request.
Use the Florida Jail Information System
The Florida Sheriffs Association runs the Florida Jail Information System at flsheriffs.org under jail services. This statewide tool pulls booking data from counties across Florida. You can search by name and filter results to the past 24, 48, or 72 hours. Holmes County booking data feeds into this system, so recent Holmes County busted mugshots may appear here. The system works best for recent bookings and may not show older records.
Check the Florida Department of Corrections
When someone leaves the Holmes County Jail and transfers into the state prison system, their photo and status show up on the Florida Department of Corrections offender search at dc.state.fl.us/OffenderSearch. This database covers all Florida state prisons. It does not show county jail inmates, so it only helps once a person has been sentenced to state time. You can search by name or Department of Corrections number.
Florida Department of State County Directory
The Florida Department of State keeps a county-by-county directory of jail resources at dos.fl.gov. This page lists contact details for every county jail in Florida, including Holmes County. It gives you official links and phone numbers for each facility. Use this directory when you need to verify which agency controls a specific jail or which office holds the records you want.
Florida Public Records Laws for Holmes County
Florida has one of the strongest public records laws in the country. Holmes County must follow the same rules as every other Florida county. Arrest records, booking photos, and charge sheets are all public unless a specific legal exemption applies. Knowing the law helps you understand your rights when you ask for Holmes County busted mugshots.
Florida Statute Chapter 119
Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes states that all state, county, and municipal records are open for inspection and copying by any person. The law covers arrest records, booking photos, incident reports, and jail logs. The Holmes County Sheriff cannot deny a records request just because the person asking is not a lawyer, journalist, or law enforcement officer. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The agency must respond in a reasonable amount of time.
Records That Stay Exempt
Some records do have legal exemptions under Section 119.071. Law enforcement officers can keep their own booking photos private by sending a written request. Victim information in sex offense cases stays sealed. Active criminal intelligence records may also stay hidden during an open investigation. These exemptions are narrow and do not cover most Holmes County busted mugshots. If you ask for a basic booking photo, the Sheriff must provide it.
Holmes County Jail Booking Process
Every arrest in Holmes County ends with a booking at the county jail in Bonifay. Whether the arrest happens in Bonifay, Esto, Noma, or anywhere else in the county, the person goes through the same intake process. Booking creates the official arrest record that becomes a public document.
What Happens During Booking
When someone arrives at the Holmes County Jail, staff follow a set intake process. The first step is taking a mugshot photo from the front and side. Next, staff record the person’s full name, date of birth, and home address. They enter all charges from the arresting officer into the jail computer system. The system then sets a bond amount based on the standard bond schedule. Finally, staff run warrant checks to see if the person has any outstanding charges from other counties or states.
Bond Amounts in Holmes County
Bond amounts in Holmes County follow the standard felony bond schedule set by Florida courts. A misdemeanor charge may carry a bond of a few hundred dollars. Felony charges often come with bonds of $5,000 to $50,000 or more. Some charges, like certain violent felonies, carry a no-bond status until a first appearance hearing. The Holmes County Jail holds inmates until they post bond, receive a release order from a judge, or transfer to another facility.
Requesting Holmes County Records
You can file a public records request with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office to get copies of mugshots and booking records. The Office accepts requests by phone, mail, email, or in person. Florida law lets you stay anonymous when you file a request. A written request helps for larger orders because it gives the agency a clear record of what you need.
How to File a Request
To request Holmes County busted mugshots, call 850.547.3681 or visit the Bonifay office at 3207 Lonny Lindsey Drive. You can also mail a written request to the same address. Include the full name of the person, the date of arrest if you know it, and a clear statement that you want a copy of the booking photo under Chapter 119. The Office will respond within a reasonable time and let you know the cost.
Copy Fees Set by Florida Law
Florida law sets the fees that agencies can charge for records copies. Single-sided pages cost 15 cents each. Double-sided pages cost 20 cents each. Certified copies can run up to $1.00 per page. For Holmes County busted mugshots, the photo itself may come as a printed page or a digital file. The Sheriff’s Office can charge actual costs for duplication on top of the per-page fee for special formats.
FDLE Statewide Criminal History Check
For a full Florida criminal history search that goes beyond Holmes County, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement charges $24 for a statewide check. You can order one by calling 850.410.8109 or emailing publicrecords@fdle.state.fl.us. This check covers arrests in all 67 Florida counties, not just Holmes County. It includes Florida arrests, convictions, and current status.
Removing Holmes County Mugshots
Florida law lets certain people seal or expunge their arrest records. Once a record is sealed or expunged, official government agencies must remove it from public view. The process does not automatically remove photos from third-party mugshot websites, but it does remove Holmes County busted mugshots from Sheriff Office files.
Sealing a Record Under Section 943.059
Sealing hides an arrest record from public view. Government agencies can no longer release the record without a court order. To seal a Holmes County arrest, you file an application through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement seal and expunge process. The fee is $75 paid by money order. Processing takes about 12 weeks. Once approved, the Holmes County Sheriff removes the booking photo and arrest record from their files.
Expungement Under Section 943.0585
Expungement destroys the arrest record entirely. After expungement, the arrest is treated as if it never happened for most purposes. You file the same application with FDLE and pay the same $75 fee. The Holmes County Sheriff must physically destroy their copy of the booking photo and arrest report. Only certain arrests qualify, and the process can only be used once per person in most cases.
Third-Party Mugshot Sites
Third-party mugshot websites are private companies. They collect booking photos from public sources and post them online. Florida law does not require these sites to remove photos after a court orders sealing or expungement. You must contact each site directly and ask for removal. Most sites have a removal request form, but the process can take weeks and may require follow-up.
Cities in Holmes County
Holmes County has a few small towns, but none are large enough to run their own police departments. The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office covers all of them. Every arrest in any of these towns leads to a booking at the Holmes County Jail in Bonifay.
Bonifay
Bonifay is the county seat of Holmes County. It has the Bonifay Police Department for city limits, but serious arrests and all jail bookings go through the Sheriff’s Office. The county courthouse sits here, and most court hearings for Holmes County cases happen in Bonifay.
Ponce de Leon, Esto, Noma, and Westville
Ponce de Leon, Esto, Noma, and Westville are the other incorporated towns in Holmes County. None of these towns have their own police departments or jails. Arrests made in these areas are handled by the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and booked at the Bonifay jail. The booking photos become Holmes County busted mugshots in the public records system.
Neighboring Counties
Holmes County sits in the Florida panhandle and borders four other counties. If you cannot find a person in Holmes County, they may have been arrested in a bordering county. Each neighboring county runs its own jail and booking process.
| County | Border Direction | County Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Washington County | South | Chipley |
| Jackson County | East | Marianna |
| Walton County | West | DeFuniak Springs |
| Okaloosa County | Southwest | Crestview |
Holmes County Quick Facts
The table below shows basic data about Holmes County, including population, county seat, judicial circuit, and Sheriff contact. Holmes County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, which covers six panhandle counties.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Population | About 19,000 |
| County Seat | Bonifay |
| Judicial Circuit | 14th |
| Sheriff Phone | 850.547.3681 |
| Sheriff Address | 3207 Lonny Lindsey Drive, Bonifay, FL 32425 |
Contact Information and Location
You can reach the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office by phone, mail, or in person. The office handles records requests and inmate questions during business hours. Visitors must follow check-in rules at the front desk before entering the jail lobby.
Holmes County Sheriff’s Office
3207 Lonny Lindsey Drive
Bonifay, FL 32425
Phone: 850.547.3681 (Press Option 1 for Jail)
Website: holmescosheriff.org
Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT
Frequently Asked Questions
This section answers common questions about Holmes County busted mugshots, public records access, and the booking process. These questions cover topics people ask most often when they need mugshots or arrest data from a small Florida county.
How do I find recent Holmes County busted mugshots?
Call the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office at 850.547.3681 and press option 1 for the jail. Jail staff can search current inmates and recent bookings by full name and date of birth. For older bookings, file a public records request under Chapter 119. You can also check the Florida Jail Information System, which pulls booking data from counties statewide, including Holmes County, for the past 24 to 72 hours.
Are Holmes County mugshots free to view?
Basic inmate information is free by phone. Copies of booking photos and arrest records come with copy fees set by Florida law. Single-sided printed pages cost 15 cents each. Double-sided pages cost 20 cents each. Certified copies can cost up to $1.00 per page. The Sheriff’s Office must provide the records once you pay the fee.
Can I search Holmes County mugshots online?
Holmes County does not run a full public online inmate search like larger Florida counties. For online search, use the Florida Sheriffs Association Florida Jail Information System at flsheriffs.org. This tool covers recent bookings statewide. For older records or full booking photos, contact the Sheriff’s Office directly or file a written records request.
What happens after someone is booked in Holmes County?
After booking, the inmate stays at the Holmes County Jail unless they post bond or a judge orders release. Within 24 hours, they go before a judge for an initial appearance where bond is reviewed and charges are read. Cases then move to the Holmes County court system. Inmates who cannot post bond may stay in jail until their case ends, or transfer to state prison if sentenced.
How long does Holmes County keep mugshot records?
Florida law requires agencies to keep adult arrest records for a set period based on the charge and outcome. For convictions, records stay on file indefinitely in most cases. For dropped charges or acquittals, records may be eligible for destruction after a set time. The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office keeps booking photos in their system unless a court orders sealing or expungement.
Can I remove my Holmes County mugshot from the internet?
Official Holmes County records can be sealed or expunged through FDLE. This removes the photo from Sheriff Office files. Third-party mugshot websites are private companies and not covered by court orders. You must contact each site directly and request removal. Some sites charge a fee, others remove photos for free after a written request.
What is the difference between sealed and expunged records in Holmes County?
Sealing hides the record from public view but keeps it on file with the agency. Expungement destroys the record entirely, and the arrest is treated as if it never happened for most purposes. Both require a court order and a $75 FDLE application fee. Processing takes about 12 weeks. Not all arrests qualify, and the process can only be used once per person in most cases.