Mercer County Jail Inmate Search
Mercer County Jail Inmate Lookup
Most local arrests end up at the Mercer County Jail, 906 S.W. 3rd Street, Aledo, IL 61231 (309-582-5020). 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 Henderson County jail may have the person. Call 309-582-5194. The sections below run from the county jail to state and federal custody.
1. How do I search for an inmate?
- Go to VINELink and type the full name.
- Use VINELink, or the VINELink app for iPhone or the VINELink app for Android.
- Ask the Mercer County Sheriff's Office directly at 309-582-5194.
2. What about youth arrested here?
Youth stay off the roster (705 ILCS 405/1-7). A judge locally picks the juvenile detention center for detained youth. Call 309-582-5194 to learn about a detained child's hearing.
↑ Back to the question list3. What if someone from Mercer County faces federal charges?
The U.S. Marshals Service may hold federal defendants in county jails in this county. The Central District of Illinois hears it at U.S. Courthouse, 600 E. Monroe Street, Springfield, IL 62701 (217-492-4020). Check VINELink while the case is open, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator after sentencing.
↑ Back to the question list4. How do I find someone from Mercer County taken by ICE?
- ICE may send the jail a Form I-247A detainer.
- 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.
5. Which nearby jails take people from Mercer County?
Search empty? Call each county jail next door:
- Henderson County Jail, Oquawka: 309-867-4291
- Henry County Jail, Cambridge: 309-937-3940
- Knox County Jail, Galesburg: 309-343-9151
- Rock Island County Jail, Rock Island: 309-558-3425
- Warren County Jail, Monmouth: 309-734-8505
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 list6. County inmate calls, mail, visits and money
- Calls: see our phone page.
- Deposits: our money guide.
- Commissary: Local commissary guide.
- Visiting: our visitation guide.
- Letters: our mail guide.
- Email: our messaging page.
7. Where 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 list8. How does release work after an arrest?
There's no cash bail in Mercer County: the Pretrial Fairness Act ended it in 2023. Within 48 hours, a judge rules on release (725 ILCS 5/109-1). More on our pretrial release guide.
↑ Back to the question list9. How do I request a mugshot?
Illinois treats adult booking photos as public (5 ILCS 140/2.15). Send an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request to the Mercer County Sheriff's Office (309-582-5194). Juvenile photos are not released. Most U.S. Marshals Service photos stay private too, under 5 U.S.C. 552. ICE records for someone held by the Sheriff's Office go through the ICE FOIA request page with the jail name and dates.
↑ Back to the question list10. What is the population of the county?
This county has about 15,229 residents (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate, released 2026). The county seat is Aledo, IL.
↑ Back to the question list11. Is there a Mercer County warrant?
The Mercer County sheriff's number is 309-582-5194; Viola, Keithsburg and New Boston are covered by deputies, who check warrant names by phone. Every local case is heard at the one courthouse, so open yours on the statewide re:SearchIL case portal and read the newest events for a warrant. Let your lawyer open it, or open it yourself after the clerk ties in your email. A local attorney can arrange your surrender at the Mercer County Jail, sparing you a surprise arrest near the Mississippi. The third-floor clerk handles rescheduling a missed date at 100 Southeast 3rd Street, Aledo, IL 61231, phone 309-582-7122.
↑ Back to the question list12. Which police departments can I call?
No town police numbers for Mercer County are on file yet; the Sheriff's Office can help.
- Aledo: no listed number here yet; the sheriff's office, 309-582-5194, can direct you
Mercer County Jail Inmate Services Information
Phone: 309-582-5020
Physical Address:
906 S.W. 3rd Street
Aledo, IL 61231
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Mercer County Jail
906 SW 3rd St.
Aledo, IL 61231
Mailing Address (legal mail or subscriptions):
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Mercer County Jail
906 SW 3rd St.
Aledo, IL 61231
Every year Mercer County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain 2,040 offenders, and maintain an average of 102 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 Mercer County and state prisons throughout the country. This information is compiled from local police and the Mercer 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.
Mercer County Inmate Race & Ethnicity - 10/28/2026
| Race | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 66 | 84.62% |
| Black | 2 | 2.56% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6 | 7.69% |
| American Indian/Native Alaskan | 1 | 1.28% |
| Asian | 1 | 1.28% |
| Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian | 1 | 1.28% |
| Other | 1 | 1.28% |
| Total | 78 | 100.0% |
Mercer County Inmate Criminal Charges - 10/28/2026
(many inmates have multiple charges)
| Charge | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Felony (3rd Degree) | 21 | 26.92% |
| Felony (2rd Degree) | 15 | 19.23% |
| Felony (1st Degree) | 6 | 7.69% |
| State Jail Felony | 6 | 7.69% |
| Felony (Uncategorized) | 16 | 20.51% |
| Misdemeanor (Class A) | 14 | 17.95% |
| Misdemeanor (Class C) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Holds | 0 | 0.00% |
| Uncategorized | 0 | 0.00% |
Mercer County Inmate Sex - 10/28/2026
| Sex | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 70 | 89.74% |
| Female | 8 | 10.26% |
| Total | 78 | 100.0% |
Mercer County Inmate Age - 10/28/2026
| Age | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 2 | 2.56% |
| 18-20 | 4 | 5.13% |
| 21-24 | 9 | 11.54% |
| 25-30 | 17 | 21.79% |
| 31-35 | 13 | 16.67% |
| 36-40 | 11 | 14.10% |
| 41-45 | 8 | 10.26% |
| 46-50 | 5 | 6.41% |
| 51-55 | 3 | 3.85% |
| 56-60 | 3 | 3.85% |
| 61-65 | 1 | 1.28% |
| 66-75 | 1 | 1.28% |
| 76-85 | 1 | 1.28% |
| Total | 78 | 100.0% |
- Jail (Main): 309-582-5020
- Sheriff: 309-582-5194
The Mercer County Jail serves the following cities and towns of Mercer County: Aledo, Joy, Keithsburg and Milan.