Address:
425 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Gastonia, NC 28052
Phone:
704-869-6800
Gaston County Jail uses a third-party, Inmate Canteen, to let you use a credit or debit card to deposit funds into an inmate's account so that they can pay their bail and get released after an arrest.
There will be a delay between the time you deposit the money and when Inmate Canteen forwards it to the inmate's account, but the sooner you notify the inmate and the Gaston County Jail, the quicker they will be released.
Please call the jail at 704-869-6800 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Gaston County Jail.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.
Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Gaston County
Because Gaston County and North Carolina can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Gaston County Jail at 704-869-6800, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked.
Ask the staff at the Gaston County Jail or the Gaston County Court Clerk these specific questions:
If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released.
This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.
Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at Gaston County Jail
The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.
Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.
To pay a cash bond, go to Gaston County Jail or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.
Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to Gaston County Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Gaston County Sheriff's Office or to the Gaston County Court.
To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.
Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at Gaston County Jail
In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.
This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.
For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.
A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.
Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.
Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at Gaston County Jail
If you are a landowner in Gaston County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Gaston County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.
To find if property located outside of Gaston County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.
Click here for additional information on how to post bail at Gaston County Jail.
Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Gaston County Jail?
Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.
In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.
Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a North Carolina state licensed Bail Bond firm.
Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.
When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?
Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, Gaston County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.
What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?
The Gaston County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.
If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.
Postcards
The Gaston County Jail allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.
Envelopes
The Gaston County Jail also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.
Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate: First, Middle, Last Name
Gaston County Jail
PO Box 1578
Gastonia, NC 28053
Legal Mail
Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate: First, Middle, Last Name
Gaston County Jail
PO Box 1578
Gastonia, NC 28053
Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.
Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.
Books
The Gaston County Jail allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Gaston County Jail standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.
All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate: First, Middle, Last Name
Gaston County Jail
PO Box 1578
Gastonia, NC 28053
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Gaston County Jail follow these steps:
For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Gaston County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Gaston County.
To send a secure email message to an inmate in Gaston County Jail follow these steps:
For all information on how to Text/Email an Inmate in Gaston County Jail, the costs, rules, policies and more check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Gaston County.
For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Gaston County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Gaston County.
To receive phone calls from inmates in Gaston County, or to assist them in making phone calls to other people, follow these steps:
Note: All your calls with an inmate are recorded, stored and shared with law enforcement if the conversation deals with your case or any criminal activity. Anything communicated can be used against you or your inmate in court.
For all the information regarding phone calls with Gaston County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.
To visit an inmate in Gaston County follow these steps:
For full instructions on all the benefits of using IC Solutions to visit a Gaston County inmate, visiting an inmate at the jail itself, rates, policies, rules, dress codes, bringing children, attorney and clergy visits and more, go to our official Visit Inmate Page.
