Alleghany County Jail – Covington, VA

Alleghany County Jail is in Alleghany County, VA and is the primary jail for that region. Are you looking for someone locked up in Alleghany County Jail? This guide gives you about anything one might want to know about Alleghany County Jail: Find out who’s in jail at Alleghany County Jail? How to view Alleghany County Jail mugshots. The jail’s phone number and address. Bail and bail bondsmen. Booking and intake procedures. Court records. And much more…

The thought of getting arrested and going to jail is a scary and stressful prospect, not only for whoever goes to jail, but also that person’s family and friends. The goal of this guide is to give you information that you need to make going to jail a lot easier. If you have a specific question, just ask them, and any comments or feedback that might be a benefit to other people in the same situation will be appreciated.

Do you have a family member, loved one, or friend that is in jail and need to contact them?

Has somebody that has been arrested and you want to find them?

To look up who is in jail at Alleghany County Jail you will need to navigate to their website and perform an inmate search.

The Alleghany County Jail Inmate Roster is an online list of people currently in custody, which includes current status, how much their bail is, and visiting hours. Also, you can get info for anybody arrested and booked or released within the past 24 hours. Inmates are listed in alphabetical order by their last name. You’ll be able to find their arrest information faster if you enter the arrestee’s first and last name, birth date, or inmate ID.

If the person you’re searching for might be at a different jail you will want to check our Virginia county jail guide: Virginia County Jails Directory

A mugshot, also known as a jail processing photo, is the photo taken by the police when you are processed at the jail intake. They will take one full face and a side picture. Your full name and jail ID number will be on the photos, and they are on file.

Mugshots of people who have been arrested can be searched on the website, or you can see them in person at the Alleghany County Jail. When viewing mugshots online you have to input the person’s first and last name, and the booking date.

Want to have your mugshot taken off of the Alleghany County Jail site? This can be tricky, since your mugshot is a matter of public record. You have to file a Petition to Expunge with the court. This means that all of your arrest records would be sealed, and will not be available to the public. Unfortunately, this happens very rarely.

Read our in-depth tutorial about removing your mugshot, the various mugshot sites, and the mugshot removal websites: How To Get Your Mugshot Removed

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Once you are locked up, your main thought is about getting out. After you’ve gone through the booking process, your bail amount will be decided either by bail schedule or magistrate. If you don’t get a bail set this can mean that you will either be released, or you must remain in jail until your trial.

If you are released you must agree to show up for court, and in the meantime you are required not to go out of town.

In most cases, inmates will earn time off in exchange for good behavior when they don’t break the rules and conduct themselves properly while locked up.

If you follow the rules, you might be allowed to participate in work release. You will have to return to jail at the end of the day after work, or you could be permitted to sleep in a halfway house instead of jail.

Bail is the amount of money that you will be required to pay to get out of jail until your court date. The amount you have to pay is dictated by the seriousness of your crime. You will need to pay 10 percent of the total amount that was set so you can get discharged from jail. If you miss court, whoever put up your bail money won’t get their money back.

To find out how much bail money you will need to bail someone out of jail will need to call the Alleghany County Jail. If you’ve got the pertinent information, such as name, address and date of birth, they will be able to let you know the bail amount. You can also see the bail amount on the Alleghany County Jail website.

Having to get someone out of jail is never fun, but usually, it is really easy. To start with, you have to find out if they have a “Cash Bond Only” situation. If this is the case, you will not be able to use the services of a bail bondsman. They only accept cash at the jail, so you have to take cash – the jail won’t take checks. Once the cash bond has been paid, the prisoner will be released into your care. If the conditions of bail are not violated, you’ll get the bail money back.

If their bail has been set too high, of if you can’t pay it, you might need to use a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen usually charge you a fee of 10 to 15 percent of the total amount of bail set, and in most cases with a minimum fee of $100. The amount you pay to the bondsman is non-refundable and the bondsman only accepts cash. If the bail has been set really high, the bondsman might request to use your personal assets as collateral in addition to the fee they charge.

To find a local bail bondsman go to: Find a Bail Bondsman in Alleghany County

Have you ever used a Bail Bondsman because you or someone you know got arrested? If so, leave a comment below and tell your story, and let us know how it worked out for you.

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• Early Release For Good Behavior
• Work Release
• Released For Time Served
• Pre-Trial Release Programs
• Get Out on House Arrest
• Own Recognizance

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The intake process takes you through each of the following steps:

• They’ll put you in a holding cell. When the jail is busy, you will have to wait a while to get processed.
• Firstly, you will answer a number of questions, like your full legal name, home address, birthdate and an emergency contact.
• They’ll also ask about your psychological and medical history.
• You will be given an inmate ID.
• Your fingerprints will be taken.
• You will have your mugshot taken.
• Any personal property you have will be taken from you and stored until you are released.
• You will be allowed to make a telephone call so you can get in touch with a member of your family, friend, or bondsman to arrange bail.
• If you are expected to be released quickly, you might be able to skip the jumpsuit and keep wearing your own clothes, otherwise you will be issued a jail jumpsuit.

Have you been arrested and gone through jail intake? If so, please tell your story so other people can learn from your experience. How long did it take? Were you treated fairly? Do you know any tips that will help other people make it through the process?

Click here to leave a comment

When you pay your bail, you will be allowed to leave jail. Getting discharged will take from 15 minutes to all day long. Or, simply, the quicker bail is posted, the sooner you will get out of jail. It also depends on if you’ve got a cash bond amount or if the magistrate has to determine the bail amount. For a minor offense, you will be booked and then released on your recognizance without having to pay bail. If you have served a sentence in jail and have a discharge date, plan to be released at any time that day – but usually in the morning.

for your arrest, or if you need to begin your sentence in jail, it is highly advisable that you follow the law and turn yourself in. For a warrant, go to the jail, in the reception area, and let them know that think that there is a warrant out for your arrest. They will do a record check, and if they find one, they will take you into custody. When reporting to serve a sentence, go to the jail at the time and date that the sentence order states. Be very careful that you don’t show up late. Make sure that you only bring necessary items when you go to jail, such as a driver’s license or state issued ID, any prescription medication you might take, and the official sentencing order.

In order to have visitors, inmates have to provide each visitor’s name to the jail in advance of the visit. Your visitor’s names will be put in the visitors log as an Authorized visit. Every visitor will have to provide acceptable photo identification when visiting an inmate. Anyone that gets to visitation or that is not on the visitation list will be turned away.
Jail visitation policies frequently change, so visit the official jail site before you try to go to visitation.

The only phone calls that inmates are allowed to make are made through a jail approved pre-paid phone account or phone card . Jail phone calls are usually more expensive than regular phone calls. Phone calls are restricted on when you can make phone calls, how long you can talk, and how often you can make calls, but inmates should keep in mind lots of people want to use the phone – so you have to share. If you are under any sort of disciplinary procedure, an inmate’s phone privileges may be limited or cut altogether.

The Alleghany County Jail phone number is: (540) 965-1776

All mail is required to be sent via the actual US Postal Service. You shouldn’t use any other type of delivery. You have to clearly write or type the person’s name, inmate ID, and jail address on the letter. Do not mail a package, envelope with padding or insulation, plastic bag, or an envelope with metal inside. All mail gets opened and examined by the jail staff, and the mail will get returned if they decide it is inappropriate.

If you would like to send a letter to an inmate at Alleghany County Jail, use this address:

Alleghany County Jail
268 W. Main Street
Covington, VA 24426

Here is how you should address the letter:

[INMATE’S FULL NAME]
[INMATE ID]
Alleghany County Jail
268 W. Main Street
Covington, VA 24426

The inmate mail policy at Alleghany County Jail is always changing, so visit the official website when you send a letter to an inmate there.

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When you’ve been arrested, you have particular rights, and an important one is that you have the right to request an attorney. Remember that you may be limited to the amount of phone calls you can make, so it is a good idea to have a friend or relative locate an attorney for you. You may be thinking ‘do I really need an attorney?’ You’re not required to have an attorney in all cases, a criminal defense attorney can advise you of your rights, help protect your best interests and help you understand the complicated legal system. The quicker you hire a lawyer to represent you and work on your case, the better off you’ll be.

For more detailed information on how to find a lawyer, click here: How to Find a Lawyer

If you cannot afford an attorney, you will get a public defender. Also, the Public Defender’s Office has a number of staff such as investigators, crime scene and forensics experts and social case workers. All Public Defenders are licensed attorneys, members of the State Bar and are licensed to handle your case.

Have you or someone you know had to use a court appointed attorney? Are you satisfied with how they handled your case and represented you in court?

All court records are a matter of public record. They are comprised of a case file with a docket and every documents and motions filed in the course of your case. You, and anyone else, can access the records and documents in your court case with the website, or by going to the Alleghany County Clerk of Court where the case was filed.

The Alleghany County Clerk of Court is an official part of the court who maintains the records. They also administer the oath for any court participant who must be under oath, and also read the court verdict when the jury has finished deliberations. All records, documents, and evidence from your case are maintained at Alleghany County Clerk of Court office.

Court fees are the fees and charges associated with your court case, such as for example filing fees, motion and claim fees, and court charges. If you are low income and have a Public Defender, you may get out of having to pay them.

The Alleghany County court magistrate is the type of judge that will preside on your case. Magistrate judges do different functions, which include determining how much your bail will be, issuing arrest warrants, and presiding over preliminary court hearings and detention hearings.

A defendant’s pre-sentencing report is put together with information about the defendant’s background and information about the arrestee’s life history, which the judge will review and take into consideration when determining the sentence. Information and personal details will be gathered from the defendant, their family, and in some cases the victim in the crime. Don’t forget you are allowed to ask to see your own copy of the pre-sentencing report prior to sentencing, so you get the chance to correct the mistakes.

If you get convicted of a crime during your trial, you will then get sentenced. The presiding judge in your case will weigh several options when determining your sentence, including community service, house arrest, and probation, to prison or jail time. Depending on the severity of the crime, you could be taken into custody immediately, or you might be given a date that you must go to jail to serve your sentence.

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Want to find out if a family member or friend is incarcerated in jail, or has gone to jail in the past?

This is pretty easy to do, simply you should go to the jail’s website, and search by:

• The inmate’s name.
• Birthdate.
• Their booking date if you know it.
• and their jail ID.

If you think that they are currently in jail, you should call the jail to find out.

If you believe you have an outstanding warrant, you can check arrest warrants inquiry online or call the court directly. This requires a first and last name. Or, you can just go the jail in person and inquire at the information desk. Keep in mind that if you do have an outstanding warrant, they will take you into custody immediately.

If you know a person’s name, as well as their arrest date, contact the Alleghany County jail, on the phone, go there in person, or check online. An arrest is public record and these records are accessible to anyone.

A Civil Process is when you get served with papers, such as court orders. You can access civil process orders by getting in touch with the Sheriff’s office, by phone or online.

All convicted sex offenders are required to be registered on the sex offender databases required by the area they live in. Those listed on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You can access these offenders on the internet, but keep in mind that you can’t see the street address, just the neighborhood block they live on.

Court Records are public records and available to anyone. They include a court case file that includes a docket sheet and any of the documents filed in your court case. You can access the court records via the internet, or at Clerk of Court in the jurisdiction where the case was filed.

Each state maintains records of people’s criminal history. These online databases are connected so you can track criminal backgrounds from any other state. You can go to county courthouse and inquire in person, or you can check the website. You must know which county the crime occurred in, and in the event that the crime was in a different state, you may have to pay a fee for a more complete search.

A search of someone’s criminal history you will be able to get a listing of all the arrests, charges, or convictions for these crimes:

• DWI or DUI.
• Drug offenses.
• Kidnapping.
• Sexual offenses including rape, assault.
• Violent crimes like assault or murder.
• Theft.

When you do a criminal history search, you generally will not find out if that person had:

• Tickets for speeding.
• Drivers license revoked or suspended.
• Accidents.
• Moving violations.
• Parking Tickets.

To search for this kind of information, you have to do a search for their driving history.

Have you ever had to search for criminal records of someone you know? Was it easy? Did you do your search online or did you call the jail? Was it correct? There are lots of reasons that people look up criminal records and backgrounds, and your feedback might help other people that are in the same situation.

Click here to tell your story

Most Wanted

On a Federal level, the FBI has a listing of the Top Ten Most Wanted Criminals. In Alleghany County,The Sheriff’s Department has a list of most wanted criminals, too.

FBI Ten Most Wanted List: Link


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Life In Jail / What Its Like

Daily Life

Just the thought of serving a jail sentence in Alleghany County Jail is something you wish you could avoid, soon you will get used to the daily routine. Inmates get an alarm for wake-up at about 6:00am, and next they’ll do roll call. Next, you will have breakfast. After breakfast, you will be required to work in the work program or other activity that you are assigned. This could be working in the kitchen, laundry, or some sort of manufacturing job. While this may seem tedious, it may help you when you leave jail, as you are gaining experience in a certain field of work. Other inmates go to school, while some take part in mandated treatment programs. After lunch, there will be another roll call, then back to work. Your evening will be spent either in your cell or a common room. During this time dinner is served and you will be expected to take a shower. After another roll call, it’s lights out. Even though you will be confined to your cell, there may be enough light to read or write letters. Then again, most inmates welcome lights out, and try to get as much sleep as they can.

Most people are frightened at the idea of jail because they don’t know what to expect. If you have spent any time in Alleghany County Jail, your experiences would be welcomed, if it can help another person to deal with it.

Dress Code

When incarcerated, all inmates are expected to wear the Alleghany County Jail uniform. This is normally a jumpsuit or scrubs. Of note to anyone visiting an inmate – you must be properly dressed. Any clothing considered inappropriate will not be permitted.

How To Send Money to an Inmate

You will have your own ‘bank account’ while in jail. This money is used to purchase items from the Commissary. Family and friends can deposit money into this account for you, and any money you earn while in prison will also be deposited into your account. Outside money can be paid in to your account via a money order, cash or check. If someone sends a check or money order, make sure that they write your inmate ID on it. The maximum amount you are allowed in your account is $290 per month.

The process for sending funds to jail inmates is likely to change, so you should double check the official website before you send funds to an inmate there.


Commissary

The commissary is the jail store. You can purchase a number of things here, such as toiletries, snacks and writing supplies. Bear in mind that you will probably want to use the commissary daily, and any infractions will get that privilege taken away from you.

Inmate Medications

If you are on any type of prescription medication, you will be allowed to continue taking it while in jail. When you are first processed, you will be asked what medication you take. You will then be referred to the jail nurse or doctor who will be in charge of monitoring your health and prescribing your medication.

Meals

You will get three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. As expected, they are very basic, but healthy. A typical breakfast might be cereal, toast, coffee and fruit. Lunch might be spaghetti, salad, bread and milk. Dinner could be chicken casserole, rice, vegetables, dessert and milk. Contrary to popular belief, prison food has greatly improved over the years, and you might find that it’s not much different from what you would eat at home.

Pods / The Yard

The jail is designed in a ‘pod’ layout, with self-contained housing arranged around an outdoor yard. Each pod has a central control station and a common room, and the inmates take turns in using the yard. The jail is designed this way to keep certain inmates together, and others away from the general population.

Gangs

As with life in general, gangs are a part of prison life. Obviously it is best to avoid becoming a part of this environment as it will only lead to trouble. When you first enter prison, you might find yourself being ‘primed’ to join a gang, or worse, you might get their attention in a negative way. The best thing to do is keep your head down and don’t get involved.


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News and Media

News

Photos / Pictures

Videos


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Jobs

Types of Jobs at Alleghany County Jail

The Deputy Sheriff is the second in command at the Alleghany County Jail, overseeing the day to day operations and administration of the jail. An inmate is unlikely to have much interaction with the Deputy Sheriff, unless they have committed an infraction. Detention Officers are responsible for the custody and care of the inmates. They maintain order in the jail, and handle security. A Detention Officer is assigned to a certain pod, and therefore is responsible for the same inmates each day. They get to know the inmates on a certain level and are well equipped to handle any problems that may occur.

Apply for a Job at Alleghany County Jail

Requirements:

• You have to be over the age of 21.
• You have to possess a High School Diploma or GED
• You have to be a US Citizen.
• You have to pass a Criminal, Credit and Driving History background check.
• You have to pass a drug test.
• You have to have a good level of fitness.
• You have to be in good health.
• You have to have a valid Driver’s License
• An applicant for Deputy Sheriff must possess a Law Enforcement Certification.


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Family Resources

There are resources for families of both the perpetrator of the crime and the victim. The social and emotional impact of crime is far reaching, affecting many. Families can receive professional counseling, court related assistance, social services assistance and help in navigating the criminal justice system.

If you are a family member, which resources did you find to be particularly helpful? Please let us know, as this will be helpful to other families in the same situation.

Click here to tell about all about it


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Victim Resources

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.

Victim’s Rights

The Victim Rights Act grants victims the following rights:

• You have the right to protection from the accused.
• You have the right to notification.
• You have the right to attend proceedings.
• You have the right to speak at criminal justice proceedings.
• You have the right to consult with the prosecuting attorney.
• You have the right to restitution.
• You have the right to a speedy trial.
• You have the right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

The definition of victim includes:

• Spouses and children of all victims.
• Parents and guardians of minor victims.
• Parents, guardians and siblings of mentally or physically incapacitated victims or victims of homicide.
• Foster parents or other caregivers, under certain circumstances.

There are a number of services and programs designed to help victims and their families. You can find out about these services by contacting the courthouse, or local law enforcement agency.

Victim Notification

The Department of Justice Victim Notification System (VNS) is a system that provides victims with information pertaining to their case and/or any defendants in the case. You will receive a Victim Identification Number (VIN) and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will allow you to access VNS via the internet or by phone. Here, you will find information about future court hearings, historical court events, and detailed information about the defendant. This will include criminal charges filed, the outcome of charges, sentence imposed, custody location, projected release date and any other release information. The VNS website is updated daily. You will also receive any ongoing information by mail or email.

Have you, a family member or friend ever used the Victim Notification System? If so, was it effective? Did you get the information in a timely manner? Was the system difficult to use? We would like to hear from you, so please post any comments here.

Click here to share your story

Sex Offender Information and Search

All people registered as sex offenders are registered on either a national or state sex offender database. The people on these databases have been convicted of a sex or kidnapping crime. You can access this information online, but bear in mind that you will not get the exact address, rather the block that they live on.

Domestic Violence

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there are services to help you. Your county will have a Domestic Violence Services office. They provide free and confidential services, such as emergency shelter information, legal advocacy, support groups and domestic violence education. They will work to help you create a safe and violence-free life, and heal from the trauma of abuse.

Important Note: If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, call 911.


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Reviews

Reviews of this Jail

Have you ever spent any time at this jail? Do you know someone that is a prisoner there? Have you ever visited someone at this jail?

If so, then please write your review about it. Write down your experience because others can learn what to expect.

Things you could write in your comment:

• Conditions in Alleghany County Jail.
• Jail, yard and pod layout and facility
• Guards and jail staff
• Jail food and commissary
• Visitation
• The other inmates – what are they like?
• Inmate safety
• Gang activity
• Inmate programs and activities


Speak Your Mind

Tell Your Story

Everybody who’s been arrested and thrown in jail has some stories to tell about the whole experience. How’d you get locked up? Were you fairly treated? How was day to day life at Alleghany County Jail? What about the other inmates? How did getting locked up affect your life?

Click here to leave a comment

Send a Message to Your Cell Mate

Did you make friends in jail? Do you need to say wassup to a person you met in jail? Leave a message for them here.

Send a message to people still locked up at Alleghany County Jail


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