Find Dukes County Released Inmates
Dukes County released inmate records are kept by the Dukes County Sheriff's Office in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. The island has one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the country, with more than 330 years of continuous service. If you want to search for someone who was held and then let go from the Dukes County jail, you need to reach out to the sheriff's office by phone or mail. There is no public online lookup tool for this county. Released inmate data covers booking info, charges, and the date a person got out. This page walks through how to look up released inmates in Dukes County and what records are on file.
Dukes County Overview
Dukes County Sheriff's Office
The Dukes County Sheriff's Office handles all jail operations and inmate records for the county. Sheriff Robert W. Ogden leads the office. He was first elected in 2017 and won re-election in 2022. Before taking the top spot, Ogden had a 26-year career in law enforcement that included time as a D.A.R.E. officer. The Special Sheriff is Kayla Pachico. Together they run one of the smallest but most unique sheriff's offices in Massachusetts. The office sits on an island, which adds layers of complexity to how inmates are held, moved, and released.
Dukes County is located entirely on Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. You can only get there by air or boat. That geographic fact shapes every part of the jail system. When someone gets arrested on the island, they are processed at the Dukes County jail in Edgartown. Released inmates leave from the same facility. The jail processes roughly 900 arrests each year, which is a high number given that the year-round population is just 20,000. During summer months, the population can swell past 200,000 as tourists and seasonal residents arrive, and that spike brings more arrests and more releases.
To look up a released inmate from Dukes County, contact the sheriff's office at (508) 627-5173. You can also send mail to P.O. Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539. The physical address is 149 Main Street, Edgartown. Give them the person's full name and any other details you have, like a date of birth or an approximate arrest date. Staff can check their records and let you know if that person was held at the Dukes County jail and when they got out.
| Agency | Dukes County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Robert W. Ogden |
| Special Sheriff | Kayla Pachico |
| Phone | (508) 627-5173 |
| Address | 149 Main St, Edgartown, MA 02539 |
| Mailing | P.O. Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539 |
Dukes County Jail and Released Inmate Processing
The Dukes County jail is one of the most unusual correctional facilities in the state. The current building was built in 1873 under Sheriff Francis Smith. Twelve of the original cells are still in use today, complete with the original 1873 locks. That makes this one of the oldest active jail buildings in Massachusetts. The facility has 20 cells total and holds an average daily population of 10 to 12 inmates. It is small by any measure, but it handles a surprising volume of work for an island community.
The jail serves a dual function that is rare in Massachusetts corrections. It operates as both a house of corrections and a regional lockup. That means it holds both sentenced inmates serving short terms and pre-trial detainees waiting for their court dates. Released inmates come from both categories. Some get out when they post bail. Others finish their sentence. A few get transferred to other facilities on the mainland. Each release gets logged in the sheriff's records.
The Dukes County Sheriff's Office website provides details about the facility and how it operates on Martha's Vineyard.
A 2021 audit found that the jail could not meet state standards. Poor plumbing was one of the main issues cited. The state has since allocated $6 million in funding for repair or replacement of the facility. That was part of a 2023 funding package. Until upgrades are complete, the jail continues to operate under its current conditions. Released inmates from this facility go through the same front door they came in through. There is no separate release processing area given the small size of the building.
Note: The Dukes County jail accepts protective custody inmates from other counties in some cases, so a person held here may not have been arrested on the island.
Dukes County Released Inmate Records
When you request records about a released inmate from Dukes County, the sheriff's office can pull several types of files. Massachusetts public records law under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10 gives the public the right to access government records, including jail and booking data. Not every piece of information is available, but basic release details are generally accessible if you ask the right way.
Records tied to released inmates in Dukes County typically include the booking date, charges at the time of arrest, the release date, and the type of release. The type of release matters because it tells you whether the person posted bail, had charges dropped, finished a sentence, or was transferred elsewhere. The sheriff's office keeps these records on file and can look them up when you call or write in. There is no fee for a basic phone inquiry, but formal written requests for copies of documents may involve a small charge under the state's public records fee schedule.
Some records may be withheld under M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10A. This law allows agencies to hold back records that could harm an ongoing case or violate someone's privacy. Juvenile records are always sealed. Cases that a court has ordered sealed will not show up in a records search either. For most adults who were booked and released from the Dukes County jail, the basic facts of their stay are public.
The Dukes County Sheriff's news page posts updates about the office and can include information relevant to released inmate searches and facility changes.
Dukes County Inmate Programs and Community Work
The Dukes County Sheriff's Office runs several programs that affect released inmates and the community. One is a community service and road crew program. Inmates nearing the end of their sentence can participate in supervised work details around the island. This gives them a head start on reentry before their release date. The program has been a part of Dukes County corrections for years and is one way the office keeps a connection between the jail and the wider community.
Project Lifesaver is another initiative run by the sheriff's office. While not directly tied to released inmates, it shows the scope of what this small office does beyond basic jail operations. The office also runs the Island Youth Impact program, which has reached more than 4,000 young people on Martha's Vineyard. These outreach efforts aim to reduce the number of people who end up in the system in the first place. In 2024, the Dukes County Sheriff's Office won the Innovation of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association for its work.
The Massachusetts Sheriffs Association page for Dukes County includes background on the office and its long history of service dating back to the 1600s.
Health care at the jail falls under Amanda Cimeno, RN, CCHP, who serves as the Health Services Administrator. Inmates who are released from Dukes County may need to continue medical care or medication they started while in custody. The jail staff can provide discharge paperwork that outlines what treatment was given during the person's stay. This is important for families picking up a released inmate who has ongoing health needs.
How to Search Dukes County Released Inmates
Searching for a released inmate in Dukes County comes down to direct contact. There is no web portal or online database. Here is what you can do:
- Call the sheriff's office at (508) 627-5173 and ask about a specific person
- Send a letter to P.O. Box 252, Edgartown, MA 02539 with the person's name and details
- Visit the sheriff's office at 149 Main Street in Edgartown during business hours
- File a formal public records request under M.G.L. Chapter 66 for detailed documents
When you call, have the person's full name ready. A date of birth helps narrow the search. If you know the approximate date of the arrest or release, that speeds things up too. The Dukes County jail is small enough that staff often know who has come through recently without needing to dig deep into old files. For older records, it may take a day or two to pull the information.
The Vineyard Gazette has reported on the state of the Dukes County jail and the sheriff's efforts to secure funding for improvements. News coverage like this can provide context about the facility and its operations that you won't find in official records alone.
Local news coverage provides important context about the Dukes County jail, including the sheriff's efforts to address aging infrastructure and maintain standards at the 1873 facility.
Note: Dukes County is an island community, so in-person visits to the sheriff's office require ferry or air travel to Martha's Vineyard.
Cities in Dukes County
Dukes County covers Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. The county includes the towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. Released inmates from any of these towns pass through the Dukes County jail in Edgartown.
Nearby Counties
These counties are closest to Dukes County. If you are looking for a released inmate and are not sure which county handled the arrest, check where the booking took place. Each county in Massachusetts runs its own jail with separate records.