Lewes Jail Mugshots
Lewes Jail Mugshots are held in the state system. Each adult arrested in Lewes is booked at the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown. The Lewes Police Department runs its own records unit for local arrest files. State Police Troop 7 covers Lewes and the coastal part of Sussex County. You can search Lewes Jail Mugshots through the DOC inmate locator and court dockets. The city also has a FOIA request form for public records on the local site.
Lewes Overview
Lewes Police Department
The Lewes Police Department serves the city of Lewes. Address: 114 East Third Street, Lewes, Delaware 19958. Phone: (302) 645-6264. Fax: (302) 645-1080. The department keeps local arrest records and runs fingerprinting services for residents. It works with Delaware State Police Troop 7 on cases that cross into coastal Sussex County.
The City Council has 5 elected members serving 3-year terms. Meetings run the second and fourth Monday at 6:30 PM. City Hall is at 114 East Third Street, Lewes, DE 19958.
Visit the city of Lewes site for more info.
The site has links to the police department, city clerk, and records forms.
Lewes FOIA Request Form
The City of Lewes has a Freedom of Information Act Request Form as a PDF or online form. The online form needs the date of request, name of public body, your name, address, city, state, zip, phone, email, and a list of records sought. Be as specific as you can on the types of records, dates, parties, and subject matter.
The city has 15 business days from the day the request is received to either give access to the records, deny the request, or state that more time is needed. Under Delaware FOIA, a FOIA request may itself be a public record open to disclosure.
See the Lewes FOIA page for the form.
The page has cost info, access rules, and links to both the PDF and online request forms.
Note: Lewes Jail Mugshots tied to open cases may be held back under § 10002(o)(3) as investigatory files. Cases must be closed before some records become open.
Lewes Jail Mugshots and Sussex Correctional
Lewes arrests are processed through the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown. Address: 23203 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone: (302) 856-5280. The site holds pre-trial detainees, short-term misdemeanor sentences, and long-term felony sentences.
Use the DOC inmate locator to find a person in custody.
The portal runs 24 hours a day.
Records at the Sussex Correctional Institution include the full legal name and aliases, date of birth, mugshot, prints, SID number, DOC number, current charges, bond data, court dates, and projected release date. Written requests go to Sussex Correctional Institution, Records Department, 23203 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947.
State Police Troop 7 Coverage
Delaware State Police Troop 7 covers the coastal part of Sussex County, including Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, and Dewey Beach. The troop runs law enforcement for beach communities, traffic work on coastal highways, criminal cases, seasonal patrol during tourist season, and coordination with the city beach police forces.
Recent Troop 7 arrests in Lewes include Megan Barczak, arrested for burglary and assault on law enforcement, and Michael Gallo, arrested for weapons charges. The State Police arrest archive posts the press releases with names, ages, charges, and notes.
The Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit works major motor vehicle crashes in Sussex County. For certified criminal history tied to Lewes Jail Mugshots, use the SBI fingerprint page.
Court Records for Lewes Cases
Court proceedings for Lewes arrests are held at the Sussex County Courthouse at 1 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. The site holds the Superior Court for felony cases, the Court of Common Pleas for misdemeanors, and the Prothonotary's Office. The Prothonotary's Office phone is (302) 855-7055.
Search Lewes case records on CourtConnect. The portal shows case status, hearing dates, dispositions, and docket filings. Mugshots may be on file with case records when the court has them. Misdemeanor case files run 7 to 10 years after case close. Felony case files run 25 years to long-term.
Sealing Lewes Arrest Records
Lewes residents can apply to seal arrest records through the SBI expungement process. If you were arrested but not found guilty, you can apply right away. A misdemeanor conviction has a three-year wait. A felony has a seven-year wait.
The initial fee is $72 through the SBI. If the court signs a mandatory seal, you add a $75 money order. The petition goes to the Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown for Lewes cases. Once sealed, the Lewes Jail Mugshots tied to that case come off the public file. Juvenile booking photos are held as confidential under Title 10, § 1063.
Under House Bill 115, signed in November 2021, Delaware bars any public release of juvenile booking photos. The law stopped most charges against kids under 12 and barred most transfers of youth under 16 to Superior Court. The Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services handles youth custody matters in Lewes and across the state.
State FOIA Rules for Lewes
Delaware FOIA at 29 Del. C. § 10003 covers all public bodies in the state, including Lewes. The state portal at delaware.gov/topics/foia lays out the base rules. Appeals of a denial run to the Attorney General's Office within 60 days.
The Delaware Department of Justice posts formal FOIA opinions that bind both state and local bodies. Opinion 25-IB45 held that a public body must say why a denial was made but need not cite the exact statute. Opinion 20-IB30 made clear that served arrest warrants are held by the courts, not by the police.
Under Title 11, § 4322, law enforcement records may be withheld if release would hurt an open case, deny a fair trial, invade privacy, or out a source. For Lewes Jail Mugshots in active cases, the city police or State Police Troop 7 may hold back the photo until the case is resolved.
Requests for arrest records in Lewes can also go to the Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification. The SBI is the central hub for criminal history data in the state. A certified state criminal history runs $72. A state and federal check runs $85 when the law calls for it. The SBI has an IdentoGO site in Georgetown, a short drive from Lewes.
The Delaware Public Archives takes older records once they age out of active storage at city and state sites. For historical research, researchers may reach out to the Archives for access to long-term records.
The Sussex County Sheriff's Office also plays a role in Lewes records, though it does not run a jail. The Sheriff's Office coordinates with municipal police departments and can direct the public to the right body for arrest record requests. Processing times for FOIA requests through the Sheriff typically run 15 to 30 business days.
Nearby Cities
Other cities in Sussex County.