Becker County Jail In-Custody List: How to Check Who Is Held

The fastest way to check whether someone is in the Becker County Jail is the in-custody list on the Becker County Sheriff’s page, followed by a phone call to the jail if the name is missing. The jail is at 1428 Stony Rd in Detroit Lakes. Have the person’s full legal name and date of birth ready. This guide covers where to look, how to read the list, why a name may not show up yet, and what to do once you find your family member.

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TL;DR

The Sheriff’s Office posts an Inmate In-Custody List on its official page. Start there, not with third-party mugshot sites.
If the name is not listed, call the jail. The county’s pages give 218-847-2939 and 218-325-0635.
A very recent arrest can take hours to appear while booking is underway.
Use Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) to confirm charges and court dates.
If bail is set and you want to post it, a bail bond agent can explain the cost and the cosigner’s obligations before you commit.

Where to find the Becker County in-custody list
What the list shows, and what it does not
If the name is not on the list
Release times and what affects them
Confirming charges and court dates
How bail works in Minnesota
Get help posting bail
What to have ready before you call
Charge-specific situations
After release
FAQ
Sources

Where to find the Becker County in-custody list

The Becker County Sheriff’s Office runs both the jail and the list. On the Sheriff’s Office and Jail page, you will find a menu link labeled Inmate In-Custody List, next to Inmate Information and other jail services. That is the official source, and it is the one to trust over any site that copies it.

The list is usually published as a roster with each person’s name, age and booking charges. Other sites reprint these rosters by date, which is why searches for the list return many near-identical pages. Those copies are snapshots. A roster that was accurate on the morning of the 14th may be wrong by the afternoon of the 15th. Always go to the county page for the current version.

If you are on a phone, the Sheriff’s page lets you tap the number to dial. That is useful, because a call is often the quickest confirmation.

What the list shows, and what it does not

Expect a name, an age and charges tied to the booking. According to a copy of the Sheriff’s Office notice on the roster, the charges may be initial or amended, the office cannot guarantee the information is current, accurate or complete, and it tries to update the list about every 30 minutes. The same notice says it should not be relied on for legal action.

In practice, read the list like this:

Charges are a starting point. The booking charge can change after the county attorney reviews the case.
A name on the list means the person is held, not convicted. The jail is a 186-bed facility that holds both sentenced and pre-sentenced inmates, so many people on the list are waiting for court.
Age helps you match the person. Common names are easy to confuse, so confirm with a date of birth by phone.
The list is not a court record. For hearing dates and case status, use the court system (see below).

If the name is not on the list

Don’t assume the person isn’t there. There are a few common reasons a name is missing.

Booking is still underway. Adults arrested in Becker County on misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor or felony charges are booked at the jail, which involves medical screening, fingerprinting and photographing. A very recent arrest can take several hours to show up.
Spelling or name differences. Try a maiden name, a nickname or a different order of first and middle names.
The person was taken somewhere else. Arrests by a different agency, or a transfer to another county, can mean the person is in a different jail.
The person has already been released. The list shows people currently in custody only.

The county’s Inmate Information page says to call the jail at 218-325-0635 if you can’t find someone. The main Sheriff’s page lists 218-847-2939. If one line is busy, try the other, and have the date of birth ready so staff can confirm identity.

Release times and what affects them

The Inmate Information page lists regular release times of 7:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Ask the jail staff how those times apply to your situation, because a release is not always instant once bail is paid.

Several things influence how long it takes:

How busy booking is. Someone still being processed can’t be released until that is finished.
Whether a hold exists. A warrant from another county, a probation hold or a detainer can keep a person in custody even after bail on the new charge is posted.
Whether the court has set conditions. The judge may require conditions of release, and these must be in place first.
Paperwork accuracy. The wrong legal name, birth date or booking number slows everything. Double-check them against the jail’s own information.
The hour of the day. Posting shortly before a release window usually beats posting just after one, so ask the jail what applies.

We can’t promise an exact release time, because the jail controls it. What we can do is make sure the paperwork on our side is complete and correct when we submit it.

Confirming charges and court dates

Once you know someone is held, the next question is usually what happens in court. Use Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO), run by the Minnesota Judicial Branch. It provides case, document, hearing and judgment searches. MCRO says many public documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are available online, and that there is currently no charge to access or download them.

Two cautions. A brand-new case may take time to appear. And the in-custody list and the court record can show different charges, because one reflects the booking and the other reflects what was formally filed. If the two don’t match, the court record is the one that controls what happens next, and an attorney can explain the difference.

How bail works in Minnesota

Bail is not automatic and not always required. Under the Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 6.02, amended effective January 1, 2026, a person must be released without bail on their own recognizance or an unsecured bond unless the court decides that release would endanger public safety or fail to assure the person’s appearance. When conditions are needed, the court may impose travel restrictions or supervision, or require a cash deposit or a surety bond.

What this means for a family:

The judge sets the terms. At a first appearance, the court decides whether release is allowed, on what conditions and at what amount.
Cash bail means paying the full amount to the court. A surety bond means a bail bond agent guarantees the full amount to the court for a fee.
Conditions matter as much as money. Missing a court date or breaking a condition can lead to a warrant and forfeited bail.

Cash or a surety bond

If the bail amount is more than you can pay in cash, a surety bond is the usual alternative. You pay the agent a premium, and the agent posts the bond. Our surety bond premium starts from $100, one-off. The final amount depends on the bail set and the charge, so we explain the cost to you before you sign anything.

What a cosigner agrees to

The cosigner is the person who stands behind the defendant. By signing, you are vouching that the defendant will attend every court date and follow the conditions. Before signing, make sure you understand:

what you owe and when it is due, including any payment plan,
what happens if the defendant misses court,
how and when your obligation ends.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch also lists related paperwork on its criminal forms page, including CRM602, Assignment of Bail to a Third Party. If someone other than the defendant is paying bail directly to the court, read that form’s instructions first.

Our perspective

After more than 40 years of helping Minnesota families, we see the same moment again and again. A phone rings late at night, a loved one is in jail, and the family has no idea where to look or what to ask. The in-custody list answers the first question: is this person held? It does not answer the second: what do we do now?

That is where we think our approach helps. We explain the bond options, the payment structure and the cosigner’s responsibilities up front, in plain words, before you commit to anything. We work directly with local jails and courts, and we are available 24/7 across Minnesota, because arrests do not keep office hours.

Our advice: confirm the person is in custody, write down the booking details, find out what bail has been set, and call us with those facts. We can tell you what is possible and what to expect.

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Get help posting bail

If you have found your family member on the list and bail has been set, we can walk you through the next steps at any hour. We handle misdemeanor, felony, DWI, drug, assault and domestic assault charges, plus warrants and failure to appear cases. We also offer payment plans.

To get started, contact GPS Bail Bonds with the person’s full name, date of birth and the jail where they are held. If you want to know how fast the process can move, read our guide to a 24-hour bondsman in Minnesota.

What to have ready before you call

A few details save time for you, the jail and any bail agent:

The person’s full legal name, spelled as it would be on an ID.
Their date of birth.
The booking number, if the list or jail staff gives it to you.
The charges and the bail amount, if set.
The next court date, if you know it.
Your own contact details and, if you will cosign, your ID and employment or income information.

If you are missing some of these, call anyway. The jail can often supply the booking details, and we can help you work out the rest.

Charge-specific situations

The type of charge changes what you should ask.

Misdemeanors: Bail is often lower and the process is quicker. See our misdemeanor bail bonds page.
Felonies: Bail amounts tend to be higher and conditions stricter. See our felony bail bonds page.
Assault and domestic assault: Courts commonly attach conditions such as no-contact orders. Read about assault and domestic assault bonds before release so the defendant knows what is forbidden.
Warrants and missed court dates: These need quick attention. See warrant bail bonds and failure to appear bail bonds.
Probation violations: A hold may apply. See probation violation bail bonds.

After release

Getting out is only the first step. The defendant should go to every court date, follow every condition, keep contact details current with the agent, and talk with an attorney about the case. Missing court is the most costly mistake, and the cosigner carries the consequences along with the defendant. Set reminders, write down the date and courtroom, and ask the court or an attorney if anything is unclear.

FAQ

How do I check if someone is in the Becker County Jail?

Open the Inmate In-Custody List on the Becker County Sheriff’s page and search for the name. If you don’t see it, call the jail at 218-847-2939 or 218-325-0635 with the person’s date of birth.

How often is the in-custody list updated?

The Sheriff’s Office says it attempts to update the list about every 30 minutes. It also states the information may not be perfectly current, accurate or complete, so confirm by phone before you act.

Why isn’t a recent arrest on the list?

Booking takes time, including medical screening, fingerprinting and photographs, so a very recent arrest may not appear for several hours. The person may also be held by a different agency. Call the jail to confirm.

Does being on the list mean the person was convicted?

No. The jail holds both sentenced and pre-sentenced inmates, so many people listed are waiting for court. Check the charges and hearing dates in MCRO, and ask an attorney what they mean.

Can I post bail once I find the person?

Yes, if bail has been set and release is allowed. You can pay the full amount in cash to the court, or use a bail bond agent for a premium. Call us and we will explain the cost and cosigner obligations first.