Search for updates on any detainee currently in custody with a free Hidalgo County mugshot search.
Based on the Public Information Act of Texas and the Freedom of Information Act of the federal government, all records kept by state and local government agencies are public information, meaning that anything pertaining to individuals detained or currently in custody is available to its citizens.
This resource offers immediate access to free up-to-date information on detainees throughout Hidalgo County. You will be able to view arrest details, search custody status, and mugshots of individuals in Hidalgo County, Texas, courtesy of online databases.
Where To Find Free Mugshots in Hidalgo County Texas
Mugshots and arrest records in Hidalgo County can be obtained by following several different paths. Typically, arrest records for the recent past are available by physically visiting the office of the Hidalgo County Sheriff or the Hidalgo County Clerk, or even by calling them.1
Most of them also provide online databases through which they make the searching and finding of arrest records, mugshots, and other documents that pertain to it much more convenient. Due to the way this county is structured, when seeking mugshots and custody records in Hidalgo County, you’re better off narrowing your search to specific cities.
You can get details on how to get mugshots from major cities like McAllen and Edinburg, as well as other local police departments of Hidalgo County.
How To Perform a Hidalgo County Mugshot Search
Each county has an independent Sheriff’s Office, which serves as the law enforcement. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is the repository of many of these records within the county.
This facility can be availed to check details of recent arrests by using the updated arrest records found via the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Search Tool.2 Though this facility does not always show mugshots, this is a reliable source to find information about an inmate in Hidalgo County.
Generally, you will only need to provide the first and last name of the inmate you are searching for. Preliminary search results will list basic information about an inmate – including booking number, defendant name, booked date, released date, arresting agency, and charge.
Clicking on the booking number will provide more information such as:
- Name
- Alias
- Address
- Hair Color
- Eyes Color
- Warrant number
- Issuing Authority
- Offense Date
- Bond/Type
- Disposition
To further assist you in getting the complete record, you may contact the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office directly via phone at (956) 383-8114 or personally visit them at the address below:
Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office
711 El Cibolo Road
Edinburg, Texas 78541
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
You may also contact the Hidalgo County Clerk’s Office at (956) 318-2100 for information and direction, or visit them in person at the address listed below, during their hours of operation:
Hidalgo County Clerk’s Office
100 North Closner
Edinburg, Texas 78539
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Third-party services, such as VINELink can also be employed when retrieving this information.3
More comprehensively, this resource discusses further steps for obtaining arrest records in Hidalgo County, Texas.
Inmate Support & Services
Hidalgo County offers a set of services that assists friends and family members in supporting their loved one in custody.
The services offered include financial support options, communication tools, legal, and mental health services. The following are some of the main services offered.
Cash/Surety Bond: If posting the entire amount of the bond in cash, go to the jail’s reception area (address listed below) and use all cash, a certified or cashier’s check, or a US Postal Money Order. If you want surety bond, then contact a bonding agency listed in the phone book or find one you prefer online.
Hidalgo County Adult Detention Facility
701 El Cibolo Rd, PO Box 1228
Edinburg, Texas 78541
Office Hours: 9 AM-7 PM (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
Mail: All mail must be written with the inmate’s full name and jail number and your return address on the envelope.
Hidalgo County Adult Detention Facility
PO Box 1228
Edinburg, Texas 78541
Send Money: The Hidalgo County Department of Corrections uses Access Secure Deposits to deposit money for inmates.4 Deposits can be made over the phone by calling +1.866.345.1884 using your debit or credit card, or by using cash via kiosks in lobbies of the jail.
Visitation Information: Inmates can receive video visits from approved visitors for $0.25 per minute or free on-site at the video visitation center (same physical address as listed above). On-site visits are allowed a maximum of one visitor per week for up to 2 hours.
Note: Appointments for visits must be made a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
Locate Mugshots Through Cities Within Hidalgo County TX
Local police departments may not keep arrest and police reports on file, and records might not always be available online; therefore, you may need to visit the local police station or municipality building in person to retrieve this information.
Below is a list of various Hidalgo County police departments. Webpage links are included, along with their contact information and addresses:
Police Department Name | Contact Information | Address |
McAllen Police Department | (956) 681-2000 | 1601 N. Bicentennial Blvd, McAllen, TX 78501 |
Edinburg Police Department | (956) 383-7411 | 1702 S. Closner Blvd, Edinburg, TX 78539 |
Mission Police Department | (956) 584-5000 | 1200 E. 8th St, Mission, TX 78572 |
Pharr Police Department | (956) 402-4700 | 1900 S. Cage Blvd, Pharr, TX 78577 |
Weslaco Police Department | (956) 968-8591 | 901 N. Airport Dr, Weslaco, TX 78596 |
If they were the arresting agency, you can also try contacting the local municipal police departments because they may be willing to provide you with a police report or other information such as police photographs, which may be helpful in your search.
If you’d like to see more public records – such as warrants, vital records, criminal histories, and more – please check out this tutorial on finding free public records in Hidalgo County.
Retrieve Prison Mugshots in Texas (State & Federal)
Normally, mugshots are taken at the time of booking, shortly after arrest, as a photographic record. Access to them, however, may differ under different country regulations.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) does have an Offender Information Search that allows users to access information and mugshots of inmates in state facilities.5 To do this, enter the inmate’s last name and at least the first letter of the inmate’s first name.
You may also want to tailor your search by entering the TDCJ Number, SID Number, gender and race in addition to the first name and last name. The following information can be found when searching an inmate:
- SID Number
- TDCJ Number
- Name
- Race
- Gender
- Age
- Maximum Sentence Date
- Current Facility
- Projected Release Date
- Parole Eligibility Date
- Inmate Visitation Eligible
- Special Information for Scheduled Release
- Offense History
The inmate locator from the Bureau of Prisons also lets you find key details about federal inmates, although this database does not include mugshots.6 Search criteria require using the assigned BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number, or INS number. Inmate can also be found using their first and last name. Optionally, you can include in the search their race, age and sex.
The following details can be found when searching for an inmate:
- Name
- Register Number
- Age
- Race
- Sex
- Released Date
Such records are made available to the public under both the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Texas Public Information Act for transparency.
However, the use of such records needs to be responsible, in accordance with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, without the misuse of such information for various purposes like harassment, stalking, or intimidation.7
By knowing how to go about a Hidalgo County mugshot search, you’ll be better placed to make informed decisions while being responsible when handling such information.
References
1Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). Sheriff. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://www.hidalgocounty.us/209/Sheriff>
2Hidalgo County Public Access. (n.d.). Jailing search. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://pa.co.hidalgo.tx.us/JailingSearch.aspx?ID=400>
3VINELink. (n.d.). Search for a person in Texas. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://vinelink.vineapps.com/search/TX/Person>
4Access Corrections. (n.d.). Send money. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://www.accesscorrections.com/v2/send-money>
5Texas Department of Criminal Justice. (2024). Inmate search. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/start>
6Federal Bureau of Prisons. (n.d.). Find an inmate. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/>
7U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Overview. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from <https://www.eeoc.gov/overview>