Lake County Busted Mugshots is a private reference, not a government office. It cannot confirm whether someone is in custody or has been released, post bond, schedule a visit, send funds, or pull an official booking record. For a current answer, contact the government office that holds the record.
Where to Look for Lake County Records
Lake County questions do not all go to the same desk. The Sheriff's Office handles general agency and records matters, Adult Corrections handles jail functions and records in its custody, and jail reception is the direct starting point when the question is whether someone is being held in Lake or McHenry County.
Lake County Sheriff's Office
25 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Waukegan, IL 60085
Main: 847-377-4000
Non-business: 847-549-5200
Sheriff Records Section
25 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Waukegan, IL 60085
Records: 847-377-4200
Adult Corrections Division
Corrections Division information
29 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue
Waukegan, IL 60085
Corrections: 847-377-4150
Jail Reception
Adult Corrections Facility directory
20 South County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Reception: 847-377-4107
Use this number to determine whether the person is in Lake County Jail or McHenry County Jail.
For a mugshot or booking record, begin with the Lake County search page, which routes the official inmate search, recent activity, and records-request options. A warrant question belongs on Most Wanted. A filed case or disposition belongs with the Lake County Circuit Clerk's record search. Other custody questions follow these paths:
- Current or recent county activity: use the home page for the official roster gateway and the Sheriff's published arrest information.
- Sentenced state prisoner or parolee: search the Illinois Department of Corrections system. IDOC is separate from Lake County Jail.
- Federal custody: use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator.
- Immigration detention: use the ICE Online Detainee Locator.
Requesting records from the Sheriff
The Sheriff's FOIA instructions direct requesters to the online FOIA portal, mail to Sheriff, Attention FOIA, 25 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Waukegan, Illinois 60085, fax 847-984-5974, or hand delivery. The published response rule is five business days, with a possible five-business-day extension. A request should name the person, approximate booking or arrest date, arresting agency, booking or SO number if known, and the record sought.
The Sheriff's published copy rule makes the first 50 black-and-white pages free, with additional black-and-white pages at $0.15 each. Electronic records may be requested. A booking photo should be requested as a record maintained and releasable by the custodian, not assumed to be present in the online search.
Adult Corrections FOIA route
The Adult Corrections FOIA instructions provide an online request portal, mail to Lake County Sheriff's Office Adult Corrections Facility, Attention FOIA, 20 South County Street, Waukegan, Illinois 60085, fax 847-984-5817, and hand delivery at 29 South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. This is the separate route for booking records or photographs held by Adult Corrections. The published instructions also describe electronic delivery, the first-50-pages-free rule, and the $0.15 charge for later black-and-white pages.