Fayette County Jail Inmate Search
Fayette County Jail Inmate Lookup
Most local arrests end up at the Fayette County Jail, 221 South 7th Street, Vandalia, IL 62471 (618-283-2141). To find someone, start with VINELink. VINELink tracks custody and sends alerts when the Sheriff's Office books someone. Booking at the county jail can lag; a Bond County jail may have the person. Call 618-283-2141. Below: the county jail, jails next door, release, prison and more.
How do I search for an inmate?
- Open VINELink and type the full name.
- Search VINELink online, or with the VINELink app for iPhone and the VINELink app for Android.
- Ask the Fayette County Sheriff's Office directly at 618-283-2141.
What other jails should I check besides Fayette County?
Search empty? Call each county jail next door:
- Bond County Jail, Greenville: 618-664-2151
- Clay County Jail, Louisville: 618-665-3316
- Clinton County Jail, Carlyle: 618-594-4556
- Effingham County Jail, Effingham: 217-342-3866
- Marion County Jail, Salem: 618-548-2141
- Montgomery County Jail, Hillsboro: 217-532-9511
State prisoners show on the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search; federal ones on the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
↑ Back to the question listWhere do county prisoners go after sentencing?
Prison-bound inmates here go to Illinois Department of Corrections intake. For moves, use the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search; see our Illinois state prisons guide.
↑ Back to the question listMoney, mail and visits for county inmates
- Calls: see our phone page.
- Deposits: our money guide.
- Snacks and supplies: Local commissary page.
- Visits: Local visitation rules.
- Letters: our mail guide.
- Messages: Local inmate email.
Can I get a booking photo?
Illinois treats adult booking photos as public (5 ILCS 140/2.15). Ask the Fayette County Sheriff's Office with an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request, or call 618-283-2141. Youth photos and most U.S. Marshals Service photos are withheld (5 U.S.C. 552). ICE records for someone held by the Sheriff's Office go through the ICE FOIA request page and list the arrest date.
↑ Back to the question listWhat about youth arrested in the county?
Youth stay off the roster (705 ILCS 405/1-7). A judge here picks the juvenile detention center for detained youth. Call 618-283-2141 to learn about a detained child's hearing.
↑ Back to the question listWill this county hold someone for ICE?
- ICE can ask Fayette County to hold someone with a Form I-247A.
- The Illinois TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/15) stops the county from honoring the 48-hour hold.
- Agents may wait outside the County Jail.
- After an ICE arrest, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System with the A-number of the detainee.
How does release work after an arrest?
Illinois ended cash bail in 2023 under the Pretrial Fairness Act, so there's no money to post in Fayette County (725 ILCS 5/110). Within 48 hours, a judge rules on release (725 ILCS 5/109-1). More on our pretrial release guide.
↑ Back to the question listWhere is a federal defendant from Fayette County held?
The U.S. Marshals Service may hold federal defendants in county jails nearby. Their case is in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Melvin Price U.S. Courthouse, 750 Missouri Avenue, East St. Louis, IL 62201 (618-482-9371). Use VINELink before sentencing; the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator after.
↑ Back to the question listWhat is the population of this county?
The county has about 20,790 residents (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate, released 2026). Vandalia, IL is the county seat.
↑ Back to the question listWhat are the police numbers for Vandalia and nearby towns?
If an officer from Vandalia or another town made the arrest, call:
- Vandalia Police: 618-283-2131
- St. Elmo: no listed number here yet; the sheriff's office, 618-283-2141, can direct you
Fayette County Jail Inmate Services Information
Phone: 618-283-2141
Physical Address:
221 South 7th Street
Vandalia, IL 62471
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Fayette County Jail - IL
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Fayette County Jail - IL
221 South 7th Street
Vandalia, IL 62471
Every year Fayette County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain 1,520 offenders, and maintain an average of 76 inmates (county-wide) in their custody on any given day.
The weekly turnover rate of inmates is approximately 55%, meaning that every week more than half of these inmates are released and then replaced with new offenders being booked into jail.
The charts below break down the men, women, races, ethnicities and the types of crimes that people are arrested and incarcerated for in both Fayette County and state prisons throughout the country. This information is compiled from local police and the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, as well as the state of Illinois and the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau.
If you are looking for a prisoner in Illinois or Federal custody, click on the appropriate institution below.
If you are searching for an inmate being held in another county in Illinois, click below.
STATE OF Illinois COUNTY JAILS
If you are searching for a prisoner in a Illinois State Prison click below.
If you are searching for a United States Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate click below.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Search
For ICE Detainees (Immigration) being held at a detention facility in the United States, click below.
Fayette County Inmate Race & Ethnicity - 10/28/2026
| Race | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 48 | 82.76% |
| Black | 3 | 5.17% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3 | 5.17% |
| American Indian/Native Alaskan | 1 | 1.72% |
| Asian | 1 | 1.72% |
| Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian | 1 | 1.72% |
| Other | 1 | 1.72% |
| Total | 58 | 100.0% |
Fayette County Inmate Criminal Charges - 10/28/2026
(many inmates have multiple charges)
| Charge | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Felony (3rd Degree) | 16 | 27.59% |
| Felony (2rd Degree) | 11 | 18.97% |
| Felony (1st Degree) | 4 | 6.90% |
| State Jail Felony | 5 | 8.62% |
| Felony (Uncategorized) | 12 | 20.69% |
| Misdemeanor (Class A) | 10 | 17.24% |
| Misdemeanor (Class C) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Holds | 0 | 0.00% |
| Uncategorized | 0 | 0.00% |
Fayette County Inmate Sex - 10/28/2026
| Sex | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 52 | 89.66% |
| Female | 6 | 10.34% |
| Total | 58 | 100.0% |
Fayette County Inmate Age - 10/28/2026
| Age | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 2 | 3.45% |
| 18-20 | 3 | 5.17% |
| 21-24 | 7 | 12.07% |
| 25-30 | 12 | 20.69% |
| 31-35 | 10 | 17.24% |
| 36-40 | 8 | 13.79% |
| 41-45 | 6 | 10.34% |
| 46-50 | 3 | 5.17% |
| 51-55 | 2 | 3.45% |
| 56-60 | 2 | 3.45% |
| 61-65 | 1 | 1.72% |
| 66-75 | 1 | 1.72% |
| 76-85 | 1 | 1.72% |
| Total | 58 | 100.0% |
- Jail (Main): 618-283-2141
- Sheriff: 618-283-2141
The Fayette County Jail serves the following cities and towns of Fayette County: Brownstown, Ramsey, Vandalia and Wheatland.