Clay County, GA Sheriff's Department, Jails and Offender Search

About the County 

The location of Clay County is in the southwestern part of Georgia. Initially, the area was part of Randolph and Early Counties before the Georgia Legislature drafted an Act in 1854 directing the formation of a new county. Afterward, authorities founded Fort Gaines, the county seat, in 1816 on an old fort’s site facing the Chattahoochee River.  

The region around the county seat is home to an extraordinarily diverse collection of plant life. Mixed up with the maidenhair fern native to Florida are the Carolina rhododendrons that are more common in the mountains. Additionally, the area is home to Trillium reliquum, the world’s rarest species of trillium with sessile flowers.  

In terms of population growth, the 2020 census results indicate that the county has 2,843 people, a 12.6% drop from 2010. The report further shows that the county covers 217 square miles, 195 of the area being land, and the rest is water.  

About the County Sheriff’s Office 

The Sheriff’s Office is the county’s primary law enforcement authority. The Sheriff performs his duties with the help of various divisions and units to achieve the community protection goal. Some of these divisions and their roles include: 

The Criminal Investigations Division  

The Criminal Investigations Division is responsible for conducting investigations on complex cases beyond the expertise of the Patrol Division. The lead investigator may visit the particular crime scene to ascertain whether it is possible to salvage essential pieces of evidence.  

After the completion of investigations, the officers forward the findings to the court for prosecution. The common felony cases that this division investigates include:  

• Murder  
• Manslaughter  
• Child Pornography  
• Statutory Rape  

DNA Services  

The Clay County Circuit Court may order individuals to undertake DNA tests when ascertaining child custody. Such DNA tests occur in the Sheriff’s Office at 124 Thomas Street, Suite 1, Fort Gaines, GA 39851. The office is open for these duties from Monday through Friday between 8 am and 4 pm. Ensure you present a valid photo identification document during the process.  

Fingerprinting Services 

Like DNA tests, fingerprinting services take place at the Sheriff’s Office. Usually, people seeking various jobs, licenses, and certificates must present a full background check, a process that begins with fingerprinting. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office charges a small processing fee for two fingerprint cards, and interested parties must present valid state-issued IDs.  

Open Records Request  

The Freedom of Information Act requires government departments and agencies to make accessible public records. Clark County Sheriff’s Office maintains a Records Office where individuals can request documents like incident and accident reports. Before you go to collect the particular records, call the office at (229) 768 2505 with specific details surrounding the incident, including: 

• The Case Number  
• Incident Occurrence Date  
• Place of Incident Occurrence  

The Georgia Open Records Act also directs you to pay the fee stipulated by the Sheriff’s Office.   

County Inmate Search 

The Freedom of Information Act classifies offender information under public records. As such, various departments must ensure this information is easily accessible to the general public. Over the years, most correctional facilities have complied with this requirement by establishing online jail rosters for offender search.  

However, Clay County doesn’t maintain such a website but makes accessible the jail roster through the Sheriff’s Office. Hence, interested individuals can go to the office in person and review the roster or call the office at (229) 768 2505. If you opt for the latter option, ensure you know the inmate’s full name for easy retrieval.  

Sex Offender Search 

Sex offenses rank among the worst crimes not only in the United States but also worldwide. For this reason, Clay County, through the Sheriff’s Office, maintains a roster containing information on the county’s registered sex offenders, including those released from prison. Such a website’s purpose is to keep the residents in the know to protect themselves and their children. 

Alternatively, you can utilize the Georgia Sex Offender Registry, which contains information on all registered sex offenders in the state. Follow this link to access the website and conduct searches based on the following options:  

• Offender Type  
• Offense  
• Name Search (First/Last) 
• County (Clay County) 
• City and Street  
• Zip Code  
• Radius from the above Zip Code  

The following are the search results:  

• Offender’s Full Name and Aliases  
• Status of Compliance with Registration Requirements  
• Physical Description 

Inmate Search via the DOC’s Website  

Facility transfers are common in the jail and prison systems, primarily county to state. Several factors lead to such transfers, including:  

• After a Court Renders a Judgment. This case applies to individuals awaiting trial or sentencing in the county jail. 
• After a Change in Offender Security Status. In such a case, the Sheriff must be able to illustrate to the court that it’s impossible to meet the offender’s security needs at the county level. 

After a successful facility transfer, you can conduct an inmate search via the Georgia Department of Correction’s website. The following are the search options available: 

• Name Search  
• ID/Case Number Search  

The Name Search option allows you to input the offender’s first and last name in conjunction or separately. However, using them in conjunction is the better option for narrower results.  

The latter option is the most accurate as each ID or case number identifies a particular individual.  

Clay County Sheriffs Department

Address

Thomas Street, Fort Gaines, Georgia, 39851

Phone

229-768-2832

County Jails in Clay County, GA

Police Departments in Clay County, GA

Clay County, GA Incarceration Statistics

Clay County, GA Jail Inmate Population, Jail Pretrial Population and Confined Population, for 2010-2015 years

Clay County, GA Female Population, Rate & Count for 2010-2015 years

Clay County, GA Male Population, Rate & Count for 2010-2015 years

Clay County, GA Incarceration Rates by Race, for 2010-2015 years