Search Arrest, Mugshot & Inmate Records by Name
Search by name and state for arrest, booking, mugshot, inmate, jail roster, prison, criminal and court-record search categories.
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Find an Ellis County Jail Inmate and Confirm Current Custody
If you are trying to locate someone arrested in Ellis County, start with the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office inmate roster. The county jail is the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie. The live roster is the quickest way to check current county custody before you arrange a bond, visit, deposit, phone account, or inmate mail.
For a very recent arrest, remember that intake and housing assignment take time. If the person does not appear online and the custody question is urgent, call the jail information line rather than repeatedly checking unrelated inmate-search websites.
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Information reviewed October 2026. Custody, bond, visitation, providers and jail procedures can change, so verify the final time-sensitive step with Ellis County.
How to Search the Ellis County Jail Roster
- Open the Sheriff-linked inmate roster. Use the official Ellis County inmate-search route. The Sheriff’s page redirects to the current LockupLists-hosted roster at ecso.llhostings.com.
- Start with the person’s legal name. Use the spelling most likely used during booking. If a full-name search is too restrictive, try the last name and then narrow the results.
- Use the other available identifiers when needed. The roster interface can include fields such as arrest date, inmate number, booking number, age, race, sex and crime class. Interface fields can change, so use whichever filters are currently displayed.
- Confirm the person before taking action. Compare more than a name. Age, booking number, arrest date and other available identifiers help prevent mistakes between people with similar names.
- Save the booking number. It is useful when calling the jail and is especially important for inmate mail and other services.
What an Ellis County Jail Record Means
A jail roster answers a custody and booking question. It does not replace the criminal court file and does not prove guilt. Charges can be changed, dismissed, reduced or resolved differently after the booking.
| You need to know | Best source | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Is the person currently in Ellis County Jail? | Official inmate roster | Best first source for current Wayne McCollum Detention Center custody. |
| What booking number should I use? | Inmate roster | Useful for jail calls, mail and inmate services. |
| What is the current bond or release situation? | Roster + Jail Information | Bond and release status can change after court action. |
| What happened in the criminal case? | Ellis County court records | The court file, not the jail entry, shows filings and later disposition. |
| I need an older booking record or photo. | Sheriff open-records process | Current rosters are not a complete historical archive. |
The Wayne McCollum Detention Center has three phases and an official maximum population of 856 prisoners. Ellis County describes the facility as using direct-supervision housing and a classification process that considers criminal history, behavior and physical, mental and social conditions when assigning housing.
If the Person Does Not Appear in the Inmate Search
A blank result does not automatically mean the person was not arrested. Work through these possibilities:
- Booking is still being processed. Ellis County says housing assignment can take up to 24 hours after arrest. The roster may not reflect every stage immediately.
- The name is different. Try the legal surname, a hyphenated or former name, or fewer search fields.
- The person was released. A current roster may stop being useful after release.
- The person is still at a city facility. Some Ellis County cities operate temporary detention or holding facilities.
- The person was transferred. State-prison and federal custody use separate search systems.
- The record is restricted. Juvenile, sealed, expunged or legally protected information may not appear in a normal public search.
For live confirmation, call Ellis County Jail Information at 972-825-4931. The Sheriff’s Office is a 24-hour operation; administrative offices are generally available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Recent Arrest? Check Whether the Person Is Still in a City Jail
Not every Ellis County arrest appears in the county roster immediately. This matters most shortly after an arrest by a municipal police department.
| Facility | Contact | When it may help |
|---|---|---|
| Ellis County / Wayne McCollum Detention Center 300 S. Jackson St., Waxahachie | 972-825-4931 | Main county custody search and detention facility. |
| Ennis Detention Center 1700 Lake Bardwell Dr., Ennis | 817-290-5070 | Ennis operates a 24/7 temporary detention center. Check here when an Ennis arrest is too recent to appear in the county system. |
| Midlothian Police Jail 1111 George W. Raffield Jr. Way, Midlothian | 469-672-0100 | Useful for a recent Midlothian Police arrest that has not yet moved to county custody. |
Do not assume that an arrest in Waxahachie, Ennis, Midlothian, Red Oak, Ferris, Palmer, Italy, Maypearl, Milford or another Ellis County community will instantly appear in the same public system. Confirm which agency currently has custody.
How to Check Bond, Release and the Criminal Case
The Wayne McCollum Detention Center processing area includes bond and release functions accessible to the public. Before attempting to post bond, first locate the correct inmate and then confirm the current status with the jail.
- Find the inmate in the official Ellis County roster.
- Write down the full booked name, booking number and any available charge or case information.
- Call 972-825-4931 for current jail information if the bond or release status is unclear.
- Ask which bond method applies and whether another hold, warrant or case affects release.
- For the legal case, switch to Ellis County’s court-record system rather than treating the jail record as the final case record.
Ellis County court records
Ellis County provides an official Online Record Search. Search access is free. Guest access can be used to view index information and image previews; registration is needed when eligible document images are being purchased.
| Type of criminal case | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Class A and B misdemeanors, including many DWI, theft and assault cases | Ellis County Clerk — Criminal Misdemeanor Division | 972-825-5062 109 S. Jackson St., Waxahachie |
| Felony district-court cases | Ellis County District Clerk | 972-825-5091 109 S. Jackson St., 2nd Floor, Waxahachie |
For court dates, docket settings or case disposition, use the court record or contact the correct clerk. Jail staff and court clerks answer different questions.
Ellis County Jail Visitation
Ellis County uses video visitation. The Sheriff’s current published schedule is:
Last sign-in: 7:30 p.m.
Visits: up to 1 visit per visitor per day; inmates are allowed 2 twenty-minute visits per week under the current rules.
Inmates must be assigned to a housing unit before they can receive visits, and the Sheriff’s Office says housing assignment can take up to 24 hours after arrest. Visits can be delayed by housing-unit availability and are not guaranteed simply because a same-day appointment was requested.
Before you visit
- Use the official Ellis County video visitation page and create the required JailATM visitation account.
- Schedule the inmate’s visit before traveling.
- Adults must bring accepted photo identification such as a current driver’s license, state ID, passport/immigration card or military ID.
- Current rules allow two adults per visit. A person under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, with one child per adult allowed in the visitation area.
- Do not bring cell phones, purses, bags, packages, food or drinks into the visitation area.
- Follow the posted dress code. Visits can be denied for rule or security violations.
Check the current Ellis County visitation rules before leaving home.
How to Send Money and Receive Inmate Calls
Inmate account deposits
Ellis County currently uses TouchPay for inmate money deposits. The Sheriff’s visitation information lists these methods:
- Cash, credit card or debit card through the Sheriff’s Office lobby kiosk.
- Online through TouchPay.
- By phone at 866-232-1899.
The Sheriff’s Office says an inmate account can take approximately 24–48 hours after book-in to become active. Confirm the inmate’s identity and booking information before depositing money.
Inmate phone calls
During booking, an inmate can make local calls to arrange bail, notify family or contact an attorney. After entering the jail population, the Sheriff’s published phone rules allow collect calls during these periods:
- Weekdays: 10:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
- Weekends: 10:00 a.m.–12:30 a.m.
The Sheriff’s Office currently directs phone-account questions to Correct Solutions at 877-618-3516. Detention officers do not pass personal written or verbal messages to inmates.
How to Send Mail to an Ellis County Inmate
Ellis County uses an off-site scanning process for ordinary personal mail. Use the inmate’s full name and booking number.
Inmate ID: Inmate Full Name and Booking Number
2830 S. Hulen St. Box 809
Fort Worth, TX 76109
Current Sheriff instructions state that ordinary scanned mail must include a return address, may contain no more than five pages, and is scanned on the front side only. The current mail-procedure page limits a mailing to one photo. Material sent to the scanning facility is processed electronically for the inmate and then destroyed, so do not send an irreplaceable original.
Legal, medical and publisher mail
Legal mail, medical mail, and qualifying magazines, newspapers or books from a publisher use the physical detention-center address instead:
Inmate Book-In Number
c/o Wayne McCollum Detention Center
300 S. Jackson St.
Waxahachie, TX 75165
The Sheriff’s current rules say soft-backed publications must come by subscription from the publisher and are subject to possession and security limits. Retail-vendor shipments may not qualify. Review the official inmate correspondence instructions before mailing books, magazines, legal material or anything valuable.
Older Booking Records, Mugshots and Open Records
The live inmate roster is designed for current custody, not as a permanent arrest-history database. The Sheriff’s Office specifically directs users looking for a booking photo of someone still in custody to the inmate search. When the person is no longer in Wayne McCollum Detention Center custody, use the Sheriff’s open-records process.
What to include in an open-records request
The Sheriff’s official request form provides space for information such as the date, report or service number, incident date, location, names involved and a clear description of the record requested. The form includes request categories such as offense reports, accident reports, photos, 911 audio, dash-camera video, body-camera video and call-out sheets.
Requests should include valid contact information. Ellis County’s current open-records page lists these submission routes:
- Email: openrecords@elliscounty.texas.gov
- In person: Ellis County Sheriff’s Office, 300 S. Jackson St., Waxahachie, TX 75165
- Mail: same address, Attn: Open Records Clerk
- Fax: 972-825-4941
The Sheriff’s Office states that records are reviewed for releasability and that fees can apply. If requested information cannot be produced within 10 working days, the requester is to be notified of a reasonable date and time for availability.
If the Person Was Transferred Out of Ellis County Jail
| Situation | Where to search next | Search tip |
|---|---|---|
| Texas state-prison custody | TDCJ Offender Search | Search by name, SID number or current TDCJ number. |
| Federal Bureau of Prisons custody | BOP Inmate Locator | Search by name or federal register/agency number. |
| Released from jail but criminal case continues | Ellis County Online Records Search | Use the court system rather than the current jail roster. |
| Older Sheriff-held booking or incident record | Sheriff Open Records | Describe the record and incident as specifically as possible. |
TDCJ’s current search supports name, SID and TDCJ-number searches and can show custody status and facility information. A county-jail search should not be used after a confirmed transfer into the Texas prison system.
Other Texas Jail Search Guides
Ellis County Jail Inmate Search FAQs
1. How do I search for an inmate in Ellis County Jail?
Use the Ellis County Sheriff’s official inmate roster at ecso.llhostings.com. Search the person’s legal name, open the matching record and compare available identifiers such as age, arrest date, inmate number or booking number before relying on the result.
2. What is the Ellis County Jail phone number?
Ellis County lists 972-825-4931 for Jail Information. Sheriff’s Administration is 972-825-4901, and the 24/7 communications/dispatch number is 972-937-6060.
3. Where is the Ellis County Jail located?
The county detention facility is the Wayne McCollum Detention Center at 300 S. Jackson Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165.
4. Why can’t I find someone who was just arrested in Ellis County?
The booking may still be processing, the name may be entered differently, the person may remain in a municipal detention facility, or the person may already have been released or transferred. For urgent confirmation, call Jail Information at 972-825-4931.
5. How do I check an Ellis County inmate’s bond?
Locate the correct inmate and save the booking information, then contact the jail at 972-825-4931 when the current bond or release status is unclear. Do not assume a displayed charge or bond guarantees immediate release because other holds or court actions may apply.
6. What are Ellis County Jail visitation hours?
The Sheriff’s current schedule is Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with last sign-in at 7:30 p.m. Visitation is video-based and must follow the current scheduling and identification rules.
7. How do I put money on an Ellis County inmate’s account?
Ellis County currently uses TouchPay. Deposits can be made through the Sheriff’s Office lobby kiosk, online through TouchPay or by phone at 866-232-1899. The Sheriff’s Office says an inmate account may take about 24–48 hours after booking to become active.
8. What address do I use to mail an Ellis County inmate?
Ordinary personal mail is currently sent to JailATM.com – Ellis County Jail, with the inmate’s full name and booking number, 2830 S. Hulen St. Box 809, Fort Worth, TX 76109. Legal, medical and qualifying publisher mail uses the Wayne McCollum Detention Center address in Waxahachie.
9. How do I find an older Ellis County booking record or mugshot?
If the person is no longer in county custody, use the Ellis County Sheriff’s open-records process. The Sheriff’s Office accepts qualifying written requests and provides an official request form for reports, photos and other records.
10. Where do I search if the inmate was transferred to a Texas prison?
Use the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Offender Search. It supports searches by name, SID number or current TDCJ number and is the appropriate system after transfer into Texas state-prison custody.
Before You Rely on a Jail Record
Use the Ellis County roster to answer the immediate custody question, then use the correct jail, court or records source for the next task. Recheck current information before posting bond, traveling for a visit, mailing important documents or sending money because custody status and facility procedures can change quickly.
A booking or listed charge does not establish guilt or conviction. Public jail information should not be used as a substitute for an official court disposition or for employment, housing, credit, insurance or another decision regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.