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Jail FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

When may I visit an inmate?

You may visit an inmate via video over a capable electronic device, for a fee, at your convenience, from any location outside of the jail, every day between 7:00AM and 1:45PM, and again from 2:15PM to 5:30PM. Each inmate may engage in a maximum of one hour of visitation daily by this visitation method.

You may also visit an inmate via video through the video kiosks located in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Office, which are available for your use on a first-come, first served basis. There is no charge for this method of visitation, which may occur during the same hours as noted above. Each inmate may engage in a maximum of one hour of visitation weekly by this visitation method.

How can I mail a letter to an inmate?

Any letter for a jail inmate should be addressed as follows:

Erie County Sheriff's Department
Attn: (Inmate's Name)/Jail
2800 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870

How can I deposit funds into an inmate's commissary account?

Funds may be deposited into an inmate's commisssary account by any of the following methods:

Online at www.inmatecanteen.com; and/or
With cash, debit card, or credit card through the kiosk located in the lobby of the Sheriff's Office.

How can I post bond at the jail for an inmate?

Other than surety bonds posted by an approved bond agent, bond in the correct amount must be posted in the form of a money order only. The money order must be made payable to the court of jurisdiction, and the purchaser's or remitter's information must be included on the money order. Money orders that have been altered, are damaged, have questionable validity, and/or have been issued by foreign banks will not be accepted for bond. Cash, checks in any form, and/or credit cards will not be accepted for bond.

Bonds are not accepted at the jail for the Vermilion Municipal Court. All bonds for the Vermilion Municipal Court are accepted at the Court during normal business hours, or at the Vermilion Police Department after hours.

Surety bonds, for any court except for the Vermilion Municipal Court, are accepted at the jail any time from an approved bond agent

What do I do if my phone will not accept collect calls from the jail?

Contact the jail telephone service provider, Correctional Billing Services, at 1-800-844-6591 for a resolution.

How can I have collect calls originating from the jail blocked from my phone?

Contact the jail telephone service provider, Correctional Billing Services, at 1-800-844-6591 for a resolution.

Are telephone or written messages accepted to be relayed to inmates?

No. However, text or email messages may be forwarded to an inmate via www.inmatecanteen.com for a fee.

What items can a jail inmate take to prison? What happens to an inmate's personal property that is

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction policies prohibit the possession of any personal property by an inmate conveyed to prison from the county jail. Any personal property left behind at the jail by an inmate conveyed to prison will be released to a person of the inmate's choosing within fourteen (14) days after the inmate leaves the jail. Any property not claimed after that fourteen (14) day time period wil be discarded.

Can a jail inmate's property be released to me or another person by the inmate?

Keys, credit cards, and legal documents may be released by an inmate to a person of the inmate's choosing at the discretion of the Corrections Officers. No other property will be released.

What can I send through the mail to an inmate? Is mail checked for contraband?

Personal mail is accepted for all inmates. All mail is checked for contraband that is prohibited by policy prior to being distributed to the inmate. Only postage pre-paid postcards (no stamps; not in envelopes) are accepted for inmate mail, except for legal mail. Legal mail received from an attorney or a court may be contained in an envelope. Such mail will be opened in the presence of the inmate. The mail will be checked for the presence of contraband and, if no contraband is found, will be immediately handed to the inmate. The inmate will not receive the envelopes that contained legal mail; those envelopes will be discarded.