Lake County Jail and Released Inmate Records

Lake County released inmate records are published by the Lake County Sheriff's Office in Two Harbors, where Sheriff Nathan Stadler oversees a 25-bed facility that serves not only Lake County but also neighboring Cook and St. Louis counties on a contract basis. The jail website provides public inmate information in line with Minnesota data practices law, and statewide tools can fill in additional details for anyone who moved through the state prison system.

Lake County Jail

The Lake County Jail is located at 613 Third Avenue, Two Harbors, MN 55616. Jail Administrator Janel Peer manages daily operations. The jail information page is at co.lake.mn.us/sheriff/lake-county-jail. Inmate information on the site is public data provided under Minnesota Statutes 13.82, 13.85, and 641.05, which are the state laws that define what jail data is available to the public.

The jail has a capacity of 25 inmates. It houses Lake County's own inmates and also accepts inmates from neighboring Cook County and St. Louis County when those facilities need additional space. This regional function means the roster at any given time may include people from other counties, not just local cases. If you are looking for someone arrested in a nearby county, the Lake County Jail is worth checking as a possible housing location.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office published inmate data online, though the office notes that the information may not always be fully current or complete and should not be relied on for legal action. The jail retains the right to modify its site content based on policy or public safety needs. An arrest at the Lake County Jail does not indicate guilt; people are presumed innocent until found guilty in court. For the current status of any pending legal matter, MCRO (the state court records system) is the right tool to use alongside the jail roster.

Visitation at the Lake County Jail is available on a set schedule. In-person visits are offered Saturday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Sunday from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, and Wednesday from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Video visits can be done remotely using the Reliance Connect app, available on Android and Apple devices, between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM any day of the week. The cost for video visits is $0.25 per minute. Mailing to an inmate can be done through the jail; contact the facility for the correct address format and any restrictions on mail content.

Minnesota DOC Offender Locator

When someone receives a state prison sentence after prosecution in Lake County, they leave the local jail system and enter the state Department of Corrections system. The MN DOC Public Viewer tracks these individuals separately from county jail records.

The viewer is at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer. You can search by name or offender ID. It shows facility location, current custody status, supervision details, and release date information. If someone you are looking for served time at the local Lake County Jail and was then sentenced to a state facility, the DOC viewer is where their record will be. The tool is free and does not require you to create an account.

The DOC viewer is updated continuously. It covers all Minnesota state prisons and is the authoritative source for state-level custody status.

VINE Victim Notification

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free service that monitors custody status and sends automatic alerts when an inmate is released, moved, or escapes. It covers the Lake County Jail and all Minnesota state facilities. Anyone can use it, not just crime victims.

Search at vinelink.com or call 877-664-8463. The line is open 24 hours a day. You will need the person's name or offender ID to register for notifications. VINE will contact you by phone, email, or text as you choose. Because the Lake County Jail also houses inmates from Cook and St. Louis counties, VINE is especially useful for people tracking someone who may have been moved between facilities in this part of northeastern Minnesota. You set up one registration and VINE tracks the person wherever they go in the system.

Predatory Offender Registry

Minnesota's Predatory Offender Registry lists individuals who must report their address to the state after release for qualifying offenses. These people are in the community, not in custody, but their registration status and location are publicly accessible. Search by name or location at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicRegistrantSearch.

Registration is required under Minnesota Statute 243.166. The risk classification system is set by Minnesota Statute 244.052. Level 3 registrants are the highest risk and are subject to community notification through the local Sheriff's Office. Level 1 and Level 2 individuals are in the database but are not subject to the same broad disclosure. The Lake County Sheriff's Office handles any required local notification for high-risk registrants in the Two Harbors and surrounding area.

Court Records and Criminal Case Information

Lake County District Court cases are searchable through Minnesota Court Records Online at publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us. MCRO covers the full state court system and lets you search criminal and civil cases by name, case number, or date. For someone held at the Lake County Jail, MCRO shows the underlying charges and how the court case is proceeding or was resolved. This is the official source for current legal case status, which the Lake County Sheriff's website specifically points to for pending matter updates.

Some MCRO searches are free; document copies may carry fees. Juvenile records are protected. The Minnesota BCA at dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca handles certified criminal background check requests for formal purposes like employment screening.

What Minnesota Law Says About Jail Records

The Lake County Jail cites three statutes as the legal basis for its public inmate data: Minnesota Statute 13.82 (law enforcement data), Minnesota Statute 13.85 (corrections data), and Minnesota Statute 641.05 (county jail data). These statutes together define what booking information is public, what must be kept private, and how counties are expected to manage inmate records.

Under these laws, name, arrest date, charges, and bail information are public. Details of ongoing investigations and juvenile records are not. The Lake County Sheriff's Office cannot share more than the statutes allow, and the online data reflects those limits. Distribution of information on juveniles is specifically restricted by Minnesota law, which is noted on the jail's website. If you need records that go beyond what is posted online, contact the county directly to ask about the formal data request process.

Cities in Lake County

Two Harbors is the county seat of Lake County. No cities in Lake County reach the 100,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Lake County. Each has its own released inmate records.