Forest County Jail Roster and Inmate Records
Forest County maintains a small correctional facility in Tionesta, Pennsylvania for short-term inmate housing. The Forest County jail roster is a public record of people held in county custody. Because Forest County is one of Pennsylvania's smallest and least populated counties, the jail roster reflects a small facility with limited capacity. Long-term inmates from Forest County may be housed in neighboring counties under intergovernmental agreements. This page explains how to find someone in Forest County custody and how to access related records.
Forest County Quick Facts
Forest County Jail Facility and Roster
The Forest County Jail is located at 526 Main Street in Tionesta, Pennsylvania 16353. The phone number is 814-755-3541. Tionesta is a small borough on the Allegheny River and serves as the county seat for Forest County. The jail operates under the Forest County Sheriff's Office, which handles law enforcement across the county and processes arrests into the jail roster.
Forest County was established in 1857. It has one of the lowest populations of any county in Pennsylvania. Because of its size, the jail at 526 Main Street is designed for temporary and short-term holding rather than long-term incarceration. Inmates who need to serve longer sentences may be transferred to a neighboring county facility under formal intergovernmental agreements. When this happens, the jail roster entry for Forest County will reflect the transfer, and the person will appear on the roster of the receiving facility.
Calling the jail directly at 814-755-3541 is the most reliable way to confirm whether someone is in Forest County custody. Staff can tell you if a person is currently held there or has been transferred to another facility. For bail, visitation, and release procedures, contact the jail by phone first.
| Facility |
Forest County Jail 526 Main Street Tionesta, PA 16353 Phone: 814-755-3541 |
|---|---|
| Operated by | Forest County Sheriff's Office |
| County Seat | Tionesta, Pennsylvania |
How to Search Forest County Inmate Records
Searching the Forest County jail roster works best by calling the Sheriff's Office directly. Because of the county's small size, staff can usually confirm in one call whether a person is in local custody. If the person has been transferred to a neighboring county, the Forest County Sheriff's Office can tell you where they were sent and provide the receiving facility's contact information.
For court records connected to a Forest County arrest, the Pennsylvania UJS Portal is the right tool. You can search at no cost by name or case number. The portal shows dockets for criminal cases at both the Magisterial District Judge level and the Court of Common Pleas level. Forest County's court records are part of the statewide UJS system and are searchable the same way as any other Pennsylvania county. If a case has been filed, the docket will show the charges, bail status, and hearing schedule.
The VINELink victim notification system at vinelink.com may carry custody data for Forest County. This system sends automatic alerts when an inmate's status changes. Registering for notifications is free and can provide peace of mind for families or others tracking someone on the Forest County jail roster.
Pennsylvania State Inmate Search for Forest County
When a Forest County inmate is transferred to a Pennsylvania state prison, the PA DOC Inmate Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov is where you find them. This tool covers all state-operated correctional institutions.
People held at the Forest County Jail will not appear in this state database. The PA DOC Inmate Locator is for people serving sentences in state facilities. County jail inmates are in county custody and are tracked by the county, not the state. Once a sentence is transferred to the state system, the locator tool becomes the correct search point.
Criminal History Records for Forest County
Pennsylvania's ePATCH system provides certified criminal history reports through the State Police. Visit epatch.pa.gov to request a background check for anyone with a criminal record in Pennsylvania. ePATCH is a paid service and produces official documentation of arrests and convictions. This is different from the jail roster, which shows only who is in custody right now. A criminal history report shows past arrests and their outcomes across the state, not just Forest County.
The UJS Portal also shows past court activity for Forest County cases. Closed cases, prior convictions, and old dockets are all searchable through the portal. This gives you a more complete picture of someone's history with the Forest County court system than the jail roster alone provides. Combining a UJS search with a phone call to the Forest County Jail gives you the best view of someone's current situation.
ePATCH is the official channel for background checks in Pennsylvania. It is used by courts, attorneys, and government agencies across the state, including those in Forest County.
Parole, Probation, and Warrants in Forest County
Some Forest County jail roster entries involve parole or probation violations. Pennsylvania state parolees are supervised by the Board of Probation and Parole, accessible at pbpp.pa.gov. County-supervised probationers are handled by the Forest County Court. A violation of either type can result in a detainer and re-arrest, placing the person back on the jail roster while the violation is reviewed.
The Forest County Sheriff's Office handles warrant service for the county. Outstanding warrants mean a person can be arrested at any time and placed on the jail roster. If you believe someone has an active warrant in Forest County, contacting the Sheriff's Office is the proper way to confirm it. Warrant information is not always available through online databases for small rural counties like Forest County, so direct contact is the most reliable approach.
The Pennsylvania Megan's Law registry at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov is a public database maintained by the State Police. It is separate from the jail roster but may overlap with it when registered individuals are taken into Forest County custody. Both systems are public and searchable.
Note: For open records requests related to Forest County jail data, use the state's Right-to-Know process at openrecords.pa.gov or contact the county directly.
Nearby Counties
Forest County is surrounded by other rural Pennsylvania counties. Long-term Forest County inmates may be housed in one of these neighboring facilities.