Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds

Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

Address:
140 W Sixth Street
Erie, PA 16501

Phone:

814-451-7500

How do Bail Bonds work at Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

Erie County has an online method for you to use a credit card to bail out someone online. 

You can submit electronic bail payments on Magisterial District Court and Common Pleas Court cases for inmates in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility. This website has been approved by the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania 

  • Payments may be made using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or ATM card.
  • The maximum amount that can be charged to a credit card for electronic bail payments is $20,000 per transaction.
  • A non - refundable convenience fee of $2.75 will be assessed on each transaction submitted.

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 814-451-7500 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility.
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 Erie County

Because Erie County and Pennsylvania can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility at 814-451-7500, 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility or the Erie County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Erie County Sheriff's Office or to the Erie 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

If you are a landowner in Erie County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Erie 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 Erie 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility?

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 Pennsylvania state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

Erie County Justice System Flowchart

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, Erie 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 Erie 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility also allows regular postcards and envelopes to be mailed to inmates as well.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID# (call 814-451-7500 for this info)
Erie County Prison
PO Box 951
Lebanon, MO 65536


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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address above.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility 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 mail, newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID# (call 814-451-7500 for this info)
Erie County Prison
1618 Ash Street
Erie, PA 16503


 

Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID# (call 814-451-7500 for this info)
Erie County Prison
PO Box 951
Lebanon, MO 65536



Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID# (call 814-451-7500 for this info)
Erie County Prison
1618 Ash Street
Erie, PA 16503



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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & 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 Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility 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's Full Name & Inmate ID# (call 814-451-7500 for this info)
Erie County Prison
1618 Ash Street
Erie, PA 16503


 

How to Deposit Money Online for an Inmate in Erie County

To deposit money online for an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility follow these steps:

  • Register to open an account, or Sign In to JailATM, a service that acts as a bank for inmates in Erie County.
  • After registering and signing in, select 'Send Money Now'.
  • Choose Pennsylvania, then choose Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility
  • Type in your inmate's last name or their Inmate ID.
  • Select your inmate.
  • Input an amount to deposit to your inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility, and then input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much money you can send your inmate in Erie County at any one time.
  • If you need to phone customer support, call 877-810-0914.

For all information, tips and procedures for sending money to an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility, or depositing money at the jail, over the phone or by mail, check out our Send Money Page for Erie County.


 

How to Rent a Tablet for an Inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

To rent a tablet for an inmate in Erie County follow these instructions:

  • Register here.  It is recommended you use Chrome or Firefox.
  • Pay for the subscription using Paypal.
  • You get charged the 1st of each month. 
  • You get charged a full month even if it's only used for a partial month.
  • No activation or early termination fees.
  • Your Erie County inmate will recieve their tablet in 3-5 business days, after you pay.


If you have any questions:

For all Erie County information on Tablet Rentals for your inmate, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Schedule and Visit an Inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

To schedule and set up a visit, either at-the-jail or remotely from your home, follow these instructions:

  • Register and/or log in.
  • Select Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility, then your inmate.
  • Review the days, available hours and the cost of remote and on-site visits in Erie County.
  • Schedule your visit.

To get more complete instructions, and understand visit lengths, times, locations, fees and all the other rules including children, dress codes and more, check out or Visit Inmate Page.
NOTE: All visits are recorded and whatever you say and do will be monitored. It is best to never discuss sensitive information regarding your inmate's pending case.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Erie County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility follow these steps:

  • Select Pennsylvania, then select Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Erie County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Erie County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Erie County.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Erie County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility follow these steps:

  • Select Pennsylvania, then select Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with My Care Pack, also known as Access Securepak, for Erie County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Erie County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Erie County.

Customer Service Contact
Call 800-956-2747 Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST. 
Email: [email protected].


 

How an Inmate Makes a Phone Call to You or Others from Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

To set up a phone account so that your inmate can call you from Erie County do the following:

1. Enroll in an account with Securus Technologies.

2. Choose one of three account types, Securus Debit, Advance Connect or Direct Bill.
3. Choose [facility_name_1}, then connect with your inmate.
4. If you have any questions, call Securus: 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591.

To find out fees, how to's, calling times, limits on phone calls and other systems Securus has do that you can communicate with your Erie County inmate, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your inmate's phone calls are recorded and stored. It is advised not to discuss their pending case.


 

How to Send a Text or Email Message to an Inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility

To send a text or email message to a Erie County inmate, do the following:

Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility uses Securus eMessaging for Inmate Email.

Register here. (You are already registered if you signed up with Securus for 'Phone' or 'Remote Visitation' in Erie County or any jail or prison in the country).
Steps: 
1.  Sign up for eMessaging
2. Find your Erie County inmate.
3. Purchase a book of Securus ‘stamps’.
4. Type & Send message.

For all Erie County information for sending secure messages to an inmate in Erie County Sheriff's Holding Facility, including instructions, video examples, fees, limits, tablet rentals and more, check out out Text/Email an Inmate Page.


 

Photos of this facility
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