Search Big Stone County Booking Releases
Big Stone County booking releases are public records you can find through third-party roster tools that pull data from the county jail in Ortonville, Minnesota. The Big Stone County Sheriff's Office runs the adult detention facility and records are open to the public under Minnesota law. You can search by name or browse the archived PDF roster to find current or recent inmates.
Big Stone County Overview
Big Stone County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff John Haukos leads the Big Stone County Sheriff's Office. Chief Deputy David Hills assists with day-to-day operations. The office is located at 11 SE 2nd Street, Suite 101, Ortonville. Hours are extended beyond a standard weekday window, with weekend coverage to handle calls and inmate matters outside of Monday through Friday.
| Sheriff | John Haukos |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | David Hills (davidh@bsco.us) |
| Address | 11 SE 2nd Street Suite 101, Ortonville, MN 56278 |
| Phone | 320-839-3558 |
| Fax | 320-839-5980 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Sat 1pm-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm |
| Jail Address | 20 2nd St. SE, Ortonville, MN 56278 |
| Jail Phone | 320-839-3558 |
The jail address is 20 2nd St. SE, Ortonville, MN 56278. This is a medium-security facility that holds adults arrested in Big Stone County. Call the main sheriff line at 320-839-3558 for all jail-related inquiries including inmate status, visitation, and mail questions.
How to Search Big Stone County Booking Releases
Big Stone County does not post a direct roster on its own website. Two third-party tools cover the county and are the main ways to look up current inmates online. The first is the Minnesota Jail Roster site, which has a searchable interface. The second is jailrosters.org, which archives daily PDF snapshots of the roster going back over time.
The Minnesota Jail Roster site provides searchable access to Big Stone County booking release data, pulling current inmate information by name.
The jailrosters.org archive stores Big Stone County booking data as downloadable PDFs, updated throughout the day, so you can check past bookings as well as current ones.
You can also call the sheriff's office directly at 320-839-3558 to ask about a specific person in custody. The office has extended hours on weekends, which is helpful for a small, rural county where direct phone contact is often the fastest option.
Note: Big Stone County holds a small inmate population. On some days the online roster may show very few or no entries. If you cannot find someone online, call the jail directly.
What Big Stone County Booking Records Contain
Each booking record includes the basic public data fields required by state law. You get the person's full legal name, booking date, and custody status. Charge information and the arresting agency are also part of the record. For fuller court details, you may need to check separately with the county court administrator at the Big Stone County Courthouse, 20 Second Street SE, Suite 107, Ortonville, phone 320-839-2536.
Under Minnesota Statute 13.82, arrest and booking data are classified as public data. This means the name, charges, and arresting agency from every booking are available to any person. No formal request is needed. Minnesota Statute 13.85 further requires that correctional facility data, including inmate rosters, be publicly accessible. Both statutes apply to Big Stone County, even though it is one of the smallest counties in Minnesota by population.
Minnesota Statute 641.05 creates a direct duty for the sheriff to keep records of every person admitted to the jail. The law requires the sheriff to note the time and cause of each commitment, and the details of each release. This is the legal foundation that makes the booking records exist and ensures they can be shared publicly.
Visiting Inmates at Big Stone County Jail
Visits at the Big Stone County Jail are non-contact, conducted through a glass partition. Visiting hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm. A maximum of two visitors per day are allowed per inmate. To set up a visit, call 320-839-3558 ahead of time.
Mail for inmates should be addressed to: Big Stone County Jail, [Full Name of Inmate], 20 2nd St. SE, Ortonville, MN 56278. Use the full legal name as it appears on the booking record. All incoming mail may be inspected before delivery. Standard jail policies on mail content and format apply.
If you have questions about a specific person in custody or need to know if someone was booked, calling the office directly is the most reliable method for this small county. The office staff can confirm custody status during their regular business hours.
State-Level Resources for Big Stone County
The VINE system covers Big Stone County and lets you search for an inmate by name or ID number. You can sign up for free alerts that notify you when an inmate's custody status changes, including releases and transfers. Call 1-877-664-8463 to access VINE by phone. The service is free.
For court case information tied to a Big Stone County booking, use the free Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) tool. It covers all 87 counties. Search by name to find case filings, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. The BCA Criminal History database provides statewide conviction data for an $8 fee per search. Neither tool requires a trip to the courthouse or a written public records request.
For matters involving federal charges, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota handles federal cases from this region. Federal records are maintained separately from county records and are searchable through the federal court's PACER system.
Inmate Services and Programs
Big Stone County Jail provides basic services to people in custody during their stay. Inmates have access to mail, phone calls, and commissary. The facility is small, so the range of programs is limited compared to larger county jails. Specific questions about what programs are available should be directed to the sheriff's office at 320-839-3558.
People serving sentences at the Big Stone County Jail may have options for work release depending on the nature of their case and the terms set by the court. Work release arrangements are handled through the sheriff's office and the court. Not every inmate qualifies, and approval is not automatic.
Cities in Big Stone County
No qualifying cities (population 100,000+) have dedicated pages in Big Stone County. Residents use the Big Stone County Sheriff's Office for all booking release information. Ortonville is the county seat and the main population center in the county.
Nearby Counties
Big Stone County borders several other Minnesota counties, each with their own booking release records.