Horry County Booking Releases
Horry County booking releases are public records kept by the Horry County Sheriff's Office and the J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Conway, South Carolina. Horry County is one of the largest counties in the state by both land area and population. The detention center processes booking releases for all arrests made within county lines, including those from North Myrtle Beach. Residents and the public can search booking releases online through the county portal. The Sheriff's Office also responds to written records requests for booking releases in Horry County.
Horry County Quick Facts
Horry County Sheriff's Office
The Horry County Sheriff's Office is at 1301 2nd Avenue, Conway, SC 29526. Call (843) 915-5450 for questions about booking releases. Sheriff Phillip Thompson leads the office. You can reach the Sheriff at phillip.thompson@horrycountysc.gov. The office serves all of Horry County, which spans from the coast to rural inland areas.
Horry County has grown fast over the past two decades. The Myrtle Beach area drives much of that growth. More people means more law enforcement activity. The Sheriff's Office handles a high volume of arrests each year. All of those arrests create booking releases that become part of the public record. Deputies patrol a wide range of areas, from busy tourist zones to small towns in the western part of Horry County.
South Carolina Code § 30-4-10 et seq. is the Freedom of Information Act. It gives the public a right to access government records, including booking releases. Horry County must respond to valid requests within the time limits set by this law. Records less than 24 months old must be provided within 10 business days. Older records may take up to 15 additional days to locate and produce.
The Horry County government website provides access to public records and county services.
The Horry County website serves as a starting point for public records requests and general county information.
J. Reuben Long Detention Center Booking Releases
The J. Reuben Long Detention Center is at 4150 J. Reuben Long Avenue, Conway, SC 29526. Call (843) 915-6500 or (843) 915-5140 for booking release information. This is one of the largest detention centers in South Carolina. It processes a high number of bookings each year due to the size and tourism traffic of Horry County.
Every person brought to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center goes through intake. Staff record the name, date of birth, and physical details. Charges are logged. Mugshots are taken. Bond amounts are set based on the charges. The arresting agency is noted in the record. All of this becomes part of the booking release file. When the person leaves custody, release details are added.
Bookings from North Myrtle Beach are also processed through this facility. The detention center is the central point for all arrests in Horry County, no matter which local agency made the arrest. Marcus Rhodes serves as administrator and can be reached at rhodesma@horrycounty.org for questions about detention center records.
Note: The J. Reuben Long Detention Center handles all bookings for Horry County, including arrests by municipal police departments within the county.
Search Horry County Booking Releases Online
Horry County offers a free online portal for booking releases. Go to horrycounty.org/bookings to search records. The tool lets you look up booking releases by name, booking date, or release date. Results show mugshots, charges, bond amounts, and the arresting agency. This is the fastest way to check booking releases in Horry County.
The portal is updated regularly. It covers both current and past bookings. You do not need an account to use it. Simply enter a name or date range and the system returns matching booking releases. Each result links to a detail page with full booking information for that person in Horry County.
For records not available through the online portal, you can submit a FOIA request. Send it to foia@horrycountysc.gov or mail it to the Records Division at 1301 2nd Avenue, Conway, SC 29526. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Under South Carolina Code § 30-4-30, agencies must provide records that are not exempt from disclosure. Booking releases are generally public records in Horry County.
| Online Portal |
horrycounty.org/bookings Search by name, booking date, or release date |
|---|---|
| FOIA Email | foia@horrycountysc.gov |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
Booking Releases Through State Tools
VINELink tracks custody status across South Carolina. You can use it to check if a person booked in Horry County is still in custody. The system also lets you sign up for alerts when someone is released. It is free and does not require an account to search.
The South Carolina Courts case records search shows court filings from all 46 counties. For Horry County, you can search by name or case number. Court records connect to the original booking releases. They show how a case moved forward after the arrest.
SLED at sled.sc.gov keeps statewide criminal records. The CATCH system offers criminal background checks that include Horry County arrests. South Carolina Code § 17-1-60 requires law enforcement agencies to report arrest data to SLED. This ensures that booking releases from Horry County are part of the statewide record.
SLED provides statewide criminal history records that include Horry County booking data.
The SLED homepage gives access to criminal history checks and arrest data from all South Carolina counties, including Horry County.
Horry County Booking Release Details
Booking releases from Horry County contain specific data points about each arrest. These are created during the intake process at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. The records are updated as the case progresses through the system.
A typical Horry County booking release shows the full name of the arrested person and date of birth. It lists all charges at the time of booking. The arresting agency is noted. Bond amounts appear when they have been set. The booking date and time are recorded. Mugshots are part of the file. When the person is released, the date and method of release are added to the record.
A booking release is a factual record of an arrest. It does not show guilt. A person listed in a booking release in Horry County has been arrested but may not have been convicted. Charges can change after the initial booking. For case outcomes, check the SC Courts records search.
South Carolina Code § 30-4-40(a)(3) covers the types of law enforcement records that are available to the public. Booking releases fall within the scope of records that agencies must provide upon request. Some portions of a record may be redacted if they fall under a specific exemption, but most booking release data in Horry County is accessible.
Note: South Carolina Code § 17-1-40 addresses the reporting requirements for arrest records across the state.
Other Ways to Find Arrest Records
Beyond the county portal, there are other ways to search for booking releases in Horry County.
Always verify booking release details through official Horry County sources for the most current and accurate information. The Horry County government website and the Sheriff's Office remain the most reliable sources for booking releases in Horry County.
- Search the Horry County online bookings portal by name or date
- Submit a FOIA request to the Records Division
- Call the detention center at (843) 915-6500
- Use VINELink for current custody status
- Check SLED CATCH for statewide criminal history
Each method gives a different level of detail. The Horry County portal is best for recent booking releases with mugshots and charge lists. FOIA requests work well for older records or bulk data. SLED provides the broadest view across the state. Together, these tools give a full picture of booking releases in Horry County.
Cities in Horry County
Horry County includes several cities and communities. Booking releases for arrests in these areas are processed through the Horry County system at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.
Myrtle Beach is the largest city in Horry County and generates a significant share of arrests during peak tourist season. Conway is the county seat and home to the detention center.
Nearby Counties
Horry County borders several other South Carolina counties. If you are searching for booking releases and are not sure which county handled the arrest, check the neighboring counties as well.