Mohave County Busted Mugshots
Mohave County busted mugshots are no longer available through the online inmate search tool that previously operated on the sheriff's website, as that system has been disabled in response to the Houston v. Maricopa County federal court ruling from September 2024. The Mohave County Sheriff's Office now posts current inmate information through PDF lists published on their press release page rather than maintaining a searchable database with booking photos. This northwestern Arizona county includes Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Bullhead City, with the main jail facility at 501 S. Highway 66 in Kingman processing all bookings from throughout the county. You can still obtain Mohave County busted mugshots by submitting formal records requests to the sheriff's office, and staff maintains 24-hour phone availability at the jail for current custody inquiries, but the convenient online search portal that once displayed mugshot images is no longer operational for public use.
Why Mohave County Mugshot Search Was Disabled
The online inmate search previously located at mohave.gov/departments/sheriff/jail/inmate-search/ no longer functions. Mohave County Sheriff's Office disabled this tool following the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Houston v. Maricopa County. That decision held that routinely posting pretrial mugshots could constitute unconstitutional punishment before conviction. Rather than face potential litigation, Mohave County proactively shut down public web access to booking photos and detailed inmate searches.
Current inmate information now gets published through PDF documents posted to the sheriff's press release webpage. These lists show who's in custody. They include basic details like names and charges. What they don't include are busted mugshots or the detailed searchable interface that previously existed. This represents a significant reduction in public online access compared to the former system.
Whether this disabled status is permanent or temporary remains unclear. Some counties are developing modified systems that comply with court rulings while still providing some level of public information. Mohave County may eventually implement a new approach. For now, the online search stays disabled. Check the sheriff's website at mohave.gov/departments/sheriff/ periodically for any policy updates or new systems that might launch.
How to Get Mohave Busted Mugshots Now
With online access disabled, obtaining Mohave County busted mugshots requires either calling the jail directly or submitting formal public records requests. The administrative office is at 600 W. Beale Street in Kingman. The actual jail facility operates at 501 S. Highway 66, also in Kingman. The jail phone at (928) 753-0759 runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can call anytime to ask about current custody status or basic booking information.
For general sheriff's office business, call (928) 753-0753 during regular hours. Email inquiries go to sheriff@mohave.gov. Include specific details about what records you need when contacting them. Provide full names and approximate dates if possible to help staff locate correct files efficiently.
In-person visits for records requests can be made at 501 S. Highway 66 in Kingman during business hours. Mail requests to Mohave County Sheriff, Att: Jail Records, 501 South Highway 66, Kingman, AZ 86401. Be sure to address correspondence to "Jail Records" to route it to the right unit. Include your contact information so they can reach you with questions or when records are ready.
Fees for historical jail records run $5 per page with a maximum of 20 pages provided per request. If your needs exceed that page limit, you may need to submit multiple requests or arrange special handling. Processing times vary depending on workload and how far back the records go. Recent bookings typically get fulfilled faster than old records requiring archive retrieval.
Mohave County Jail System
The main detention facility in Kingman processes all arrests from across Mohave County's sprawling territory. This includes Lake Havasu City in the southern part of the county, Bullhead City along the Colorado River, and numerous smaller communities scattered throughout the region. Whether the arrest happens in an urban area or rural location, booking occurs at this central jail where busted mugshots are captured during intake processing.
Mohave County covers substantial area in northwestern Arizona. The Colorado River forms much of the western boundary with Nevada and California. Distance creates logistical challenges for transporting arrestees from remote locations to the Kingman facility. Despite this, centralized booking ensures all mugshots and records end up in one system even if the online search no longer makes them publicly visible.
PDF inmate lists posted on the sheriff's press release page provide current roster information without mugshots. These documents update periodically. They serve basic notification purposes but don't replace the comprehensive searchable database that used to exist. For any detailed information or actual booking photos, you must go through the formal request process described above.
Mohave County Cities
Lake Havasu City is the largest municipality in Mohave County with population around 59,037. Kingman serves as the county seat where the jail and sheriff's administrative offices are located. Bullhead City represents another significant community along the Colorado River. All these cities send arrestees to the county jail system for booking and detention, so the disabled online search affects mugshot access for arrests in any Mohave County community.
Note: The disabled status applies county-wide, impacting all jurisdictions within Mohave County boundaries.
Adjacent Counties
Coconino County borders to the east with its consolidated records system in Flagstaff. Yavapai County runs along the southeastern edge. La Paz County sits to the south. Nevada's Clark County and California's San Bernardino County form the western borders. Each maintains independent booking and records systems with varying online access policies.