Search Sierra Temporary Holding Custody

Sierra Holding Facility Overview

The Sierra County Temporary Housing Facility page is the key source for understanding custody in Downieville. It states that the former Sierra County Jail began Temporary Housing Facility operations on March 17, 2015. That status matters. The facility is operated by the Sierra County Sheriff-Coroner and is used for temporary local holding and booking before a person is released, appears in court, or is moved to a contract jail. It serves both pre-sentenced and sentenced custody needs during the short local stage, but Sierra County does not present it as a standard public jail with a public roster, public visiting, regular mail, or commissary services.

The custody role is narrow but important. Sierra County arrests still create booking records, property records, phone-call access, release decisions, and court routing. The physical jail bed for longer custody is usually outside Sierra County. The county's own custody information says Sierra inmates are primarily housed at Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada County and occasionally at Plumas County Jail in Quincy. That is why the public lookup path for this facility is a chain: call Sierra first when the location is uncertain, check Nevada County's in-custody report for Wayne Brown housing, ask whether Plumas is involved, and use VINE for release notification.

The official Sierra page is a good visual match for this facility page because it shows the local custody information and the county's links to outside housing. The source is the Sierra County Temporary Housing Facility page.

The screenshot reinforces the main practical point: Sierra's Downieville facility is the place to confirm temporary custody rules, while many housed inmates are searched through the Nevada County route.

Sierra Holding Capacity Notes

Current rated capacity for the Sierra County Temporary Holding Facility was not located in the official sources reviewed for this build. That absence should not be filled with a guessed bed count. The better way to read Sierra County capacity is through its operating status. The Type II jail closed to ordinary jail operation in 2015, and later county materials describe the Sheriff facility as daytime or temporary holding rather than a full county jail. Vera's 2021 fact sheet reported zero county jails in Sierra County, while local materials still describe arrests, booking, and contract housing.

Population counts tied to Sierra custody are therefore a mix of local booking activity and contract-housing demand. Historical Sierra reports showed small average daily populations before and near the 2015 change, while the 2025 jail-services item describes ongoing contract housing with Nevada County. For current custody status, a number in a population report is less useful than confirming where the person is actually housed that day.

Look Up Sierra Holding Inmates

There is no Sierra-hosted jail roster for this temporary holding facility in the official sources reviewed. The Sierra County inmate lookup path starts with the Sheriff-Coroner when a recent arrest may still be in Downieville or when the family does not know the transport destination. After that, Sierra points users to the Nevada County Inmates in Custody report for Wayne Brown Correctional Facility. If that search fails, ask Sierra whether Plumas County Correctional Facility is involved. VINE is also available for custody notification.

1. Call Sierra County Sheriff-Coroner at 530-289-3700 when the arrest is recent or the housing location is unclear.
2. Search the Nevada County in-custody report by entering the first few letters of the person's last name.
3. If Nevada County does not show the person, ask Sierra whether the person was sent to Plumas County Correctional Facility.
4. Use California VINELink or CA VINE by phone for custody-status notification when available.
5. Use CDCR CIRIS only after a state-prison sentence and transfer, not for a same-day Sierra County booking.

The linked Nevada roster shows custody confirmation and visiting-window data, but it is not a full Sierra booking profile. If the needed item is a report, booking photo, or older record, use the Sierra Sheriff records process described on the Sierra County jail inmate records page.

Sierra Holding Contact Card

Use the Downieville contact for temporary holding, booking-status questions, and routing questions. Use the actual contract jail's phone number after Sierra confirms the person has been accepted by Nevada County or Plumas County. Do not assume staff at the temporary holding facility can schedule a visit, accept property, receive mail, or take money for a person who is housed elsewhere.

Sierra Holding Visitation Rules

Sierra County's temporary holding rules are stricter than the rules many readers expect from a county jail. The official page says no inmate visitation is permitted at the Sierra facility. That means a family member should not drive to Downieville expecting a public jail visit. If the person is later housed at Wayne Brown or Plumas, the receiving facility controls visit approval, schedule, identification requirements, video options, and suspension rules.

Note: Confirm the person's physical housing location before traveling, because Sierra County custody can move between Downieville, Nevada City, and Quincy.

Sierra Holding Mail and Money

The Downieville facility does not accept inmate mail, packages, gifts, food, drink, or any other item for an inmate. Sierra also states that inmates cannot receive personal messages through jail staff by phone or otherwise, and incoming calls are not permitted. This is not a minor mailroom detail. It changes the way families should act after an arrest. Wait until the housing location is confirmed, then follow the mail, property, phone, and money rules of the facility actually holding the person.

Sierra Booking and Transfer

Booking at Sierra County Temporary Holding Facility can include identity confirmation, property handling, medical or mental-health screening, classification screening, booking photographs, and release or transport decisions under the Sheriff's custody policies. Sierra's public page says booked inmates receive three calls: one to an attorney, one to a bail bonds company, and one to anyone needed. California Penal Code section 851.5 also supports the three-call rule after booking, with additional calls for custodial parents in certain circumstances.

After booking, the path can split. Some people are released, some appear in Sierra Superior Court, and others are transported for housing under the Nevada County jail-services agreement or, less often, to Plumas County. The 2025 agreement explains why a Sierra arrestee may have records in two county systems at once: Sierra remains the arresting and court county, while Nevada County may provide booking support and the jail bed. The agreement also says Nevada County may accept, decline, or return Sierra inmates as necessary, and that Nevada County will not accept Sierra sentences under 24 hours.

Temporary holding

Short local custody before release, court, or transport to a contract jail.

Contract housing

A jail bed provided by another county under agreement.

Classification

The jail process used to assess security, health, and housing needs.

Sierra Holding Court Records

A Sierra County arrest remains a Sierra County court matter unless another county or agency has its own case. Court dates, filed charges, dispositions, and copy requests should usually go through Sierra Superior Court for Sierra cases. Plumas officers may release charges and bail amounts when a person is housed there, but that is not the same as a Sierra court docket. Nevada County's roster can confirm custody and visiting information, but the filed complaint, plea, and disposition are court records.

For older law-enforcement reports or booking-related records, Sierra Sheriff says active criminal matters under investigation, DA review, or court action may be limited and routed to the District Attorney. Closed or non-criminal records may be available through written request and fee payment. Government Code public-record rules provide the broad access framework, while correctional and investigatory files can still have lawful limits.