Cross County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Cross County bail and bond: the Wynne detention center and the one number that gives the amount
Adults arrested in Cross County are booked at the Cross County Detention Center, 1600 South Falls Boulevard, Wynne, where the sheriff's office also works. The sheriff's own roster tells bond companies and families to call detention staff at 870-238-5784 for the correct bail amount, charges, and case numbers; the 24-hour non-emergency line is 870-238-5700. Court records are at the courthouse, 705 E. Union Avenue, where the circuit clerk is in Room 9, 870-238-5720. The district court for misdemeanors is at 205 South Mississippi Street, 870-238-9171. Use Cross County Inmate Search to confirm custody first.
The roster shows charges but no dollar amount. Why?
The sheriff's roster shows charges but warns that charges and bail amounts "may change after court appearances and may not be current," and it does not print the bond. That is deliberate: the office wants you to call. Also, a blank can mean the judge has not yet set bond on a felony, or that a hold is attached. Use the roster to confirm the booking number, then phone detention staff.
Which number gives the bond figure?
The detention staff line, 870-238-5784, which the sheriff's roster names for anyone wishing to post bail. Keep the person's name, birth date and booking number handy. Ask for the amount on each charge, the case number, and whether any charge is still waiting on a judge. If that line is busy, the 24-hour non-emergency number, 870-238-5700, reaches the same building. Office hours for everything else are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
How quickly will a judge act?
Rule 8.1 calls for a prompt first appearance, and in practice that tends to mean two days, or three if a weekend falls in between. Ask detention staff whether any amount is already on file. When the judge does take up a felony, Rule 9.2 puts the charge, record, local ties, and missed-court history on the scale, and Rule 9.3 lets the judge order conditions in place of money. Cross County felony cases then move to circuit court in the First Judicial Circuit.
Which counter takes the bond payment?
At the detention center, 1600 South Falls Boulevard, where release is processed. After a case has been to court, the clerk of that court may take the payment during business hours instead; ask staff at 870-238-5784 which office is collecting for this case. The jail's bail steps say to contact the detention center before making any payment, and to pay only the correct officer or clerk, never a stranger. Show photo ID, and keep the receipt that lists the case number.
What forms of payment work in Wynne?
Wynne staff reliably take a cashier's check, a money order or the full sum in cash. Personal checks are refused. Card payment, and any fee for it, depends on the equipment in the lobby that day, so ask before you count on it. The sheriff's online payment site at ar.gov is built for circuit court fines, not jail bonds, so confirm with staff before treating an online payment as a release.
Is a bail bondsman worth the cost?
It depends on the size of the bond. Under Arkansas Code 17-19-301 the agent must charge 10 percent, rounded up to the nearest $5, plus a $10 state board fee and a $15 processing fee: $1,025 on a $10,000 bond, never refunded. For a bond you can cover yourself, paying cash means the principal comes back when the case ends. For a large bond, the agent is the practical route. Ask any agent to show a license from the state's bail bond licensing board before you hand over a dollar.
Can farmland secure the bond?
Under Arkansas Code 16-84-103, an in-state owner can put up visible property if its net worth after debts and exemptions covers the bond. A sworn property statement goes to the sheriff to sign, and the court then reviews it. The judge on the case decides if land can replace cash, and if it has to be inside Cross County. Ask the circuit clerk at 870-238-5720 what this judge wants to see; a deed and this year's tax bill are a good start.
Which district court division and department?
Cross County District Court has two judges. Division 1 sits at 205 South Mississippi Street in Wynne, 870-238-9171, where its clerks work. Division 2 is based in Forrest City, 870-261-1410, and also hears Cross County cases. Departments sit in Wynne, Parkin, and Cherry Valley; the Parkin department's clerk answers 870-755-5491. Misdemeanors, traffic cases, and felony first appearances start here. The circuit clerk at 870-238-5720 holds felony files afterward.
Wynne, Parkin, or Cherry Valley police arrested the person. Who do I call?
Call the department for the arrest report and the county jail for the bond, since adults from all three towns are booked at the detention center. Wynne Police are at 206 Falls Boulevard South, 870-238-8718. Parkin Police share the city hall number, 870-755-5491. Cherry Valley Police are at 870-588-3323. The judge, not the officer, decides the bond.
What does "hold for other agency" mean on the roster?
It means another county, state, or agency wants the person, and paying the Cross County bond alone will not open the door. It could come from a warrant in a nearby county, a parole or probation problem, or a federal agency. Ask detention staff at 870-238-5784 which agency placed it and get that agency's phone number. Often the person is transferred rather than released, so find out before you spend anything here.
Can a charge be held with no bond?
Only a capital charge, when the proof is evident, can be denied bail under Article 2, Section 8 of the Arkansas Constitution. Someone out on felony bond who is charged with another felony can also be kept in jail by a judge. Any other "no bond" entry usually means the judge hasn't acted yet or another agency has a hold, and detention staff can say which one.
Is there a public defender in Wynne?
Yes. The First Judicial District public defender office is in Wynne at 870-238-2412 and serves Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis and Woodruff counties alike. At the first hearing the person requests a lawyer and swears to their income, and the judge appoints the office. Its lawyer can ask for a lower bond, so bring proof of work, a local address, and the names of family in the county.
Where would a teenager be taken?
Not to the adult detention center. Anyone younger than 18 goes to circuit court's juvenile division. There a judge holds a detention hearing and decides between home and continued custody. A youth who is held may be placed in a licensed juvenile center outside Cross County, so ask the sheriff's office where the child was taken. The circuit clerk at 870-238-5720 keeps juvenile records and can connect you to that officer. Look to the clerk, not the adult roster, for news of a child.
Does an inmate account deposit help with release?
It doesn't. Commissary and account deposits named on the sheriff's jail page buy phone time, video visits, and store items. It stays in the inmate's account and never reaches the court. Bond is paid separately to the detention center or clerk and comes with its own receipt. Even a small deposit lets the person phone family and a lawyer.
The hearing came and went and the person was not there. What now?
A warrant goes out, a failure-to-appear charge follows, and the court starts taking the bond. The surety has some time to deliver the person before the loss is final, which is why you should phone the court's clerk that same day about a new date and then reach a lawyer. Any search a bondsman makes is charged to you.
When does the court give cash bond back?
After the case closes with every appearance made, the court subtracts fines, costs, and restitution and mails what is left to whoever's name appears on the bond receipt. If you're the one paying, make sure the receipt is in your name. Bondsman premiums and card fees are never returned. How long the refund takes is up to the clerk's office, so ask there.
What does a bail scam call sound like?
Be wary of anyone wanting payment by gift card, wire or phone app, especially if they say to keep quiet. Pay only a jail officer or the clerk of court, never a caller. Hang up and dial 870-238-5700 yourself.
Which Cross County court has my relative's case, and where is it?
Felony files are kept at the courthouse in Wynne. District court handles the smaller cases in town departments, and a second district judge is based in Forrest City:
- Cross County Circuit Court (felonies, juvenile division, district court appeals): Cross County Courthouse, 705 E. Union Avenue, Room 9, Wynne, AR 72396 · circuit clerk 870-238-5720
- District Court, Division 1, Wynne Department (also takes Cherry Valley cases): 205 S. Mississippi Street, Wynne, AR 72396 · 870-238-9171
- District Court, Parkin Department: 870-755-5491
- District Court, Division 2 (based in Forrest City, also hears Cross County cases): 870-261-1410
Wynne's department is the busiest. Circuit judges travel among the six counties of the First Judicial Circuit, so felony hearing days are spread out.
How does a Cross County arrest play out when the charge is federal?
A federal case skips the Wynne detention center's bond process, and a state bondsman has no role in it. By law Cross County falls within the Northern Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, which meets at the federal courthouse in Jonesboro, 615 South Main Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401, 870-972-4610. Most cases follow these steps:
- Federal agents swear out a complaint, or a grand jury hands up an indictment.
- A U.S. magistrate judge in Jonesboro handles the opening hearing.
- Pretrial Services asks about jobs, family and record, then reports to the judge.
- When the government wants no release before trial, a judge settles that question at a hearing a few days out.
- People let out must keep federal release terms, which can include drug tests and reporting.
While the case is pending, the U.S. Marshals decide which jail houses the person. Their office is U.S. Marshals Service, 600 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-324-6256.
If bond is paid in Wynne, can ICE still keep the person?
That can happen. Through a detainer under 8 CFR 287.7, ICE can request notice before release and an extra hold of up to 48 hours, weekends and holidays included. State law in Arkansas allows jails to honor these requests.
The Cross County case keeps going after ICE steps in, and missing those court dates still causes trouble. Arkansas sits within the ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360. Detainees from eastern Arkansas are often moved to Louisiana, to places such as:
- LaSalle ICE Processing Center: 830 Pinehill Road, Jena, LA 71342 · 318-992-1600
- Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center: 1133 Hampton Dupre Road, Pine Prairie, LA 70576 · 337-599-2400
Check the ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/) after the move. Entering the A-number and birth country is most reliable; the full name with birth country is the backup.
Which searches show where a Cross County prisoner is now?
After Wynne, a prisoner may turn up in a different jail, an ADC unit or a federal hold. Use these to follow them:
- Cross County jail: Cross County Inmate Search. The roster gives charges and booking number but leaves out bond, so write down the booking number before calling detention staff.
- VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/). Pick Arkansas from the list and search a name. Results list custody status and the holding facility, and release alerts are free.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/). Search a BOP register number, or a name plus age, race and sex. Pretrial federal detainees often don't show up there, so the Marshals at 501-324-6256 are the better call.
- Arkansas Division of Correction: Arkansas Division of Correction Inmate Search (https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/). The search takes an ADC number or last name and returns the unit, a photo and parole eligibility.
Which offices can confirm bond and the hearing date ahead of a trip to Wynne?
Bond and housing details change, so call before you leave. Detention staff at 870-238-5784 give the bond on each charge, and the 24-hour line at 870-238-5700 reaches the same building. Felony hearing dates are on file with the circuit clerk at 870-238-5720. Misdemeanor settings come from Wynne's district court at 870-238-9171 or the Parkin clerk at 870-755-5491.
Cross County contacts for bond questions
- Jail: Cross County Detention Center, 1600 South Falls Boulevard, Wynne, AR 72396; bond amounts 870-238-5784; 24-hour line 870-238-5700
- Sheriff: Cross County Sheriff's Office, 1600 South Falls Boulevard; 870-238-5700; weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Circuit clerk: 705 E. Union Avenue, Room 9, Wynne; 870-238-5720
- District court: Division 1, 205 South Mississippi Street, Wynne, 870-238-9171; Division 2, 870-261-1410; Parkin department 870-755-5491
- City police: Wynne, 206 Falls Boulevard South, 870-238-8718; Parkin 870-755-5491; Cherry Valley 870-588-3323
- Public defender: First Judicial District office, Wynne; 870-238-2412
- Juveniles: Juvenile division through the circuit clerk, 870-238-5720
Hours and accepted payments in Wynne can change, so phone detention staff before carrying money there. Wynne families should read this as an overview, never as legal advice.
Cross County Detention Center
Address:
1600 Falls Blvd. South
Wynne, AR 72396
Phone:
870-238-5700
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Cross County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cross County?
Who can set bail in Cross County?
When is bail set in Cross County Arkansas?
Does Cross County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Cross County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cross County?
Cross County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. The judge in Arkansas considers one of the following bonds:
1. An unsecured bond in an amount set by the judicial officer.
2. An unsecured bond with 10% cash or securities valued at 10% of the bail amount. 90% of the 10% will be returned at the end of the proceedings as long as the conditions have been met.
3. Secured bond by cash or property from the defendant family or a qualified bond agent.
Who can set bail in Cross County?
A sheriff or police officer is authorized to set bail during the time of the arrest. If held in a city jail, a police officer can accept bail and a sheriff can accept bail in a county jail. In the higher courts, the judge sets bail at the initial appearance.
It is the law in Arkansas that the judicial officer can only set money bail if it is determined that no other conditions will guarantee that the defendant will appear in court.
Who can set bail in Cross County?
Bail can be sent by the arresting officer at the time of booking and if the offence was a misdemeanor the bail is immediately paid, the date for the initial appearance before a judge will be made.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Cross County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Cross County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Cross County Detention Center until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different.
The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions.
Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Cross County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in Cross County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid. Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid. Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Does Cross County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Cross County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cross County?
Cross County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. The judge in Arkansas considers one of the following bonds:
1. An unsecured bond in an amount set by the judicial officer.
2. An unsecured bond with 10% cash or securities valued at 10% of the bail amount. 90% of the 10% will be returned at the end of the proceedings as long as the conditions have been met.
3. Secured bond by cash or property from the defendant family or a qualified bond agent.
Who can set bail in Cross County?
A sheriff or police officer is authorized to set bail during the time of the arrest. If held in a city jail, a police officer can accept bail and a sheriff can accept bail in a county jail. In the higher courts, the judge sets bail at the initial appearance.
It is the law in Arkansas that the judicial officer can only set money bail if it is determined that no other conditions will guarantee that the defendant will appear in court.
When is bail set in Arkansas?
Bail can be sent by the arresting officer at the time of booking and if the offence was a misdemeanor the bail is immediately paid, the date for the initial appearance before a judge will be made.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Cross County Arkansas?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction if a judge already set the initial bail.
In Cross County Arkansas, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Arkansas could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Cross County Arkansas?
Almost all counties in Arkansas accept online payments or payment by phone with an associated fee. It is important that you pay the correct officer or Cross County Clerk of Court and not pay a scammer.
What options are there to pay bail in Cross County Arkansas?
Cash is accepted in some counties and not others and it is dependent on the amount. Most all jails and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted.
Go to the Cross County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Cross County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Arkansas?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished.
There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount including an $80 minimal fee imposed by the court.
If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Cross County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Arkansas?
All professional bond companies must collect a 10% fee before the defendant is released from jail and there non-refundable are court fees in addition. The court can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies in Cross County.
If you have an attorney, it is a good idea to ask which has the best reputation or you can read reviews by others who have used them. It would be advisable to find out exactly how much they would charge, including extra costs.
You can call several bond companies and negotiate the best rate and conditions for you, although not all bond companies are obligated to execute a bond for you.