Wells County Jail Inmate Lookup
Wells County jail mugshots and booking records are managed by the Wells County Sheriff's Office in Bluffton, Indiana. Sheriff Scott Holliday leads the department, located at 1615 W. Western Ave, Bluffton, IN 46714. The main number is 260-824-3426. The jail was built in 1985 and has a capacity of 98 inmates. Wells County participates in Indiana's INjail portal, which is the primary digital tool for current inmate searches. VINE and Indiana SAVIN also provide free statewide access to Wells County custody information. This page covers all available tools and the laws governing Wells County arrest record access.
Wells County Quick Facts
Wells County Sheriff's Office and Jail
The Wells County Sheriff's Office is at 1615 W. Western Ave, Bluffton, IN 46714. Sheriff Scott Holliday oversees all jail operations. Call 260-824-3426 to reach the department. The sheriff and jail information page is at wellscounty.org/sheriffs-office-jail-information/.
The Wells County Jail was built in 1985 and has a capacity of 98 inmates. It's a smaller facility serving a rural county in northeastern Indiana. The jail processes bookings from county deputies, Bluffton Police, and other law enforcement agencies operating within Wells County. Indiana Code IC 36-2-13-5 requires the sheriff to photograph and fingerprint every person booked on felony or misdemeanor charges. Those photos are the Wells County jail mugshots that form part of the public arrest record.
With a 98-person capacity, the Wells County Jail operates at a scale common for rural Indiana counties. The same public records laws that apply to large urban county jails apply here. Every booking generates the mandatory public disclosures under Indiana Code IC 5-14-3-5.
INjail Portal for Wells County Searches
Wells County participates in Indiana's INjail portal at public.indianajail.gov. This system aggregates inmate data from participating county jails and provides a statewide searchable database. For Wells County, the portal is the primary digital option for current booking records. Search by the person's name to find current custody information pulled directly from the Bluffton facility.
The INjail portal covers multiple counties in one search. If you're not certain which county holds a person, the statewide scope of the portal is more efficient than checking county sites individually. Wells County data flows into the system where the county participates as a reporting jurisdiction.
The INjail portal at public.indianajail.gov includes Wells County jail data and allows statewide inmate searches across participating Indiana counties.
Use public.indianajail.gov to search Wells County alongside neighboring northeastern Indiana county jails.
VINE and Indiana SAVIN for Wells County
VINE at VineLink.com is a free, 24-hour inmate search tool covering all Indiana county jails, including Wells County. Search by name for current custody status, booking date, charges, and facility location. Call 1-866-959-8463 for phone access. No account or fee needed.
VINE's notification feature is free and open to anyone. Register an email or phone number and receive automatic alerts when a detainee's status changes. This covers releases, transfers, and other custody updates. It's useful for tracking someone held at the Wells County Jail over a period of time without having to re-check manually.
Indiana SAVIN at indianasavin.in.gov connects county and state records. If someone from Wells County has been convicted and transferred to a state prison, SAVIN tracks that. Use VINE and SAVIN together to cover both county and state custody in one session.
Public Access Law: Wells County Arrest Records
Indiana Code IC 5-14-3-5 defines what must be released to the public after an arrest. For every Wells County booking, the following are mandatory public disclosures: the person's name, age, and address; the date, time, and location of the arrest; the arresting officer's name; the charges; and the bail or bond amount. Wells County jail mugshots fall within this public record framework.
The Indiana Public Access Counselor has published guidance on booking photo access. Read the opinion at in.gov/pac. If the Wells County Sheriff's Office refuses a valid records request, contact the PAC at in.gov/pac/.
IC 5-14-3-4 allows withholding of records tied to active criminal investigations. This exception is narrow. Routine booking records and mugshots from completed bookings remain public. Investigative files tied to open cases may be temporarily withheld until the investigation closes.
Court Records and Expungement
Indiana Courts offers the free MyCase portal at public.courts.in.gov/mycase/. All Wells County criminal cases from the circuit and superior courts appear in this system. Search by name to see charges, hearing dates, case outcomes, and bond conditions. No account or fee required.
Indiana Code IC 35-38-5-5 governs expungement for Wells County cases. People with certain arrests or convictions can petition the Wells County Circuit Court to restrict public access to those records. Arrests without convictions often qualify. Convictions carry waiting periods. Once expungement is granted, the Wells County Sheriff's Office and all Indiana agencies must stop disclosing the record.
People transferred to state prison after Wells County convictions can be tracked through the IDOC Offender Locator at offenderlocator.idoc.in.gov. The Indiana State Police manages statewide criminal history under IC 10-13-3-27. Visit in.gov/isp/criminal-history-services/ for certified record check information.
Nearby Counties
Wells County is in northeastern Indiana and shares borders with several counties in that region.