Search Steele County Released Inmates

Steele County released inmate records are managed by the Steele County Sheriff's Office, which operates the Steele County Detention Center in Owatonna. The Sheriff's Office maintains a current inmate roster showing booking information, charges, and release dates for people in county custody. If you are trying to find someone who was held at or released from the Steele County Detention Center, the Sheriff's Office and statewide tools like VINE are your best options for getting accurate, up-to-date information.

Steele County Jail Roster and Inmate Search

The Steele County Detention Center posts a current inmate roster through the Sheriff's Office website. The roster shows booking information and charges for people currently in custody. If someone has already been released, they will no longer appear on the current list. For recently released individuals, calling the jail directly is the fastest way to confirm a release date and time.

The Detention Center is located at 2500 Alexander St. in Owatonna. The main Sheriff's Office phone number is (507) 444-3800. The fax is (507) 444-3801. For emergencies, dial 911. The Sheriff's Office handles all county detention needs and serves as the central contact point for inmate inquiries.

The Steele County Sheriff's Office website is the starting point for jail roster access. The roster shows current inmates with their charges and booking details. If the person you are looking for is not on the roster, check the statewide VINE system or the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator to see if they were transferred or released to supervision.

The Steele County Sheriff's Office website provides access to the county jail roster and inmate booking information for Steele County released inmate searches.

About the Steele County Detention Center

The Steele County Detention Center provides booking, detention, and inmate services for all of Steele County. The facility holds people who are awaiting trial, serving sentences of under one year, or being held on warrants and detainers from other jurisdictions. When local police departments in Steele County make an arrest, individuals are transported to the Detention Center for processing.

The facility runs around the clock. If you need to reach the administrative side of the operation, call during regular business hours for the best response. After hours, the on-duty staff can handle urgent inquiries but formal requests are processed during the day. The Detention Center is part of the same operation as the Sheriff's Office, so both share the Alexander St. address in Owatonna.

If someone held at the Detention Center is sentenced to more than a year, they will likely be transferred to a Minnesota Department of Corrections facility. At that point, the local roster will no longer show them, and you would need to use the DOC Offender Locator to track them.

Statewide Released Inmate Search Tools

When a Steele County inmate moves to state prison or is placed on supervised release, the Minnesota DOC Offender Locator is the tool to use. It covers all individuals in the Minnesota corrections system and shows their current location, sentence length, and projected release date. The tool is free and searchable by name.

VINE is the Victim Information and Notification Everyday service. It connects to the Steele County Detention Center and lets you check custody status online at vinelink.com or by calling 877-664-8463. You can also register to receive automatic alerts when a specific person's custody status changes. The service is free and confidential. It does not share your information with the inmate or the jail.

For sex offenders released in Steele County, the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry lists individuals required to register under Minnesota Statute 243.166. Risk levels assigned under Minnesota Statute 244.052 determine how much community notification happens when a registrant moves into or out of Steele County.

Public Data Rules for Steele County Jail Records

Steele County jail booking data is public information under Minnesota Statute 13.82. The law requires that basic booking information, including name, booking date, charges, and arresting agency, be available to the public. The Detention Center's roster fulfills this requirement. You do not need to file a formal records request to view the information already on the roster.

Some records stay private. Medical data, mental health information, and certain investigative details are protected under Minnesota Statute 13.85. If you need records beyond what the roster shows, submit a data practices request in writing to the Steele County Sheriff's Office. Minnesota law requires a response within a set number of business days.

For court records related to Steele County cases, the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system provides free access to district court filings. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) handles statewide criminal history requests for those who need a broader record check.

VINE Notification for Steele County

VINE connects to the Steele County Detention Center system. If you need to know when a specific person is released, transferred, or booked, you can register with VINE for free. Registration can be done online at vinelink.com or by phone at 877-664-8463. Once registered, the system sends automatic alerts by phone, text, or email based on your preference.

Registration is anonymous. VINE does not share your contact information with the facility or the inmate. This makes it a practical option for anyone who needs to monitor custody status without contacting the jail directly. The service is available at all hours and covers the full spectrum of custody changes including bookings, releases, and transfers.

VINE covers the Steele County Detention Center and provides free, confidential custody status alerts for anyone registered to receive them.

Minnesota DOC Offender Locator

The Minnesota DOC Offender Locator tracks individuals who are in state prison or on supervised release statewide. If someone was sentenced in Steele County and sent to a DOC facility, you can search by name on the Offender Locator to find their current location and expected release date. The tool is free and accessible at coms.doc.state.mn.us/PublicViewer/.

Not everyone who gets arrested in Steele County ends up in the DOC system. Short sentences are served at the county level, and many people are released from the Detention Center directly. But for anyone serving more than a year or on supervised release, the DOC Offender Locator is the right tool. It covers all DOC facilities across the state and is updated regularly.

The Minnesota DOC Offender Locator is the statewide tool for tracking individuals in state prison or on supervised release, including those with cases originating in Steele County.

Cities in Steele County

Owatonna is the county seat of Steele County. No cities in Steele County meet the population threshold for a dedicated released inmate city page on this site.

Other communities in Steele County include Medford, Blooming Prairie, and Ellendale. All jail and released inmate records for residents of these communities are handled through the Steele County Sheriff's Office at 2500 Alexander St. in Owatonna.

Nearby Counties

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