Gaston County Jail Annex Overview
The Gaston County Jail Annex is operated by the Gaston County Sheriff's Office and sits within the same Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way jail complex used for the main jail. The sheriff's detention page says the annex opened on May 3, 1996, and was initially built for added inmate housing. It is not just an overflow building. Research identifies the annex as the location for male and female pretrial inmates, convicted inmates, weekenders, court-ordered work release, and federal Bureau of Prisons work-release contract inmates.
The annex has a different public role from the main jail, so the housing facility field in the roster matters. A person may appear in the same county inmate inquiry portal, but the dropdown can isolate "Gaston County Jail Annex." That filter helps when arranging visits, checking mail identifiers, or confirming whether work-release references apply.
The sheriff's visitation and mail page gives the annex schedule, registration route, scanned mail address, and Tech Friends deposit notice.
Those details are especially important for the annex because its general population video visitation hours differ from the main jail hours.
Gaston County Annex Capacity
The sheriff detention page lists the annex at 24,740 square feet and 176 beds. Research also records 159 operating capacity from older PREA-era language. County RFP materials describe eight dorms with 20 beds each and 16 single cells used for special watches and mental-health issues. Those layout details help explain why the annex can hold work-release and weekend-sentence populations while also supporting custody categories that need closer watch.
The combined jail and annex complex is listed at 664 beds in the 2025 county RFQ. For this facility page, the annex-specific bed count is the better number. The combined number is useful only when discussing total county jail capacity.
Gaston County Annex Roster
The annex uses the same Gaston County Inmate Inquiry as the main jail. Search by last name first, then narrow with first name, Global Subject Number, booking number, or date range if needed. The key annex step is the housing facility dropdown. Select "Gaston County Jail Annex" when the search needs to separate annex housing from the main jail.
- Open the official Inmate Inquiry search form.
- Search by last name, or add first name for common names.
- Use the housing facility dropdown and choose "Gaston County Jail Annex."
- Open the profile to review booking history, custody status, prisoner type, charges, bond, and booking photos.
- Call jail information if the roster does not show a recent arrest or if the housing field is blank.
The database covers the current year plus two prior years. It can show released or historical bookings, so a blank in-custody or housing field should not be read as a live placement. For sentenced state prisoners, use NCDAC instead. For federal custody, a BOP work-release participant can involve both local annex facts and federal custody records, depending on status.
Gaston County Annex Contact
Public contact for the annex routes through the sheriff's jail complex. The same main number and jail information line serve both jail buildings, while visitation accommodation questions have a separate phone line. The sheriff's visitation page also says registration and scheduling can be done in the front lobby of the Annex or through ICSolutions.
Gaston County Jail Annex
425 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Gastonia, NC 28052
704-869-6800
Jail information: 704-869-6868
Visitation: 704-866-3550
After-Hours Supervisor
Gaston County Sheriff's Office
425 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way
704-869-6869
After hours, weekends, and holidays
Gaston County Annex Visits
Annex visits are video visits. The sheriff page says registration and scheduling can be completed in the front lobby of the Annex or online through ICSolutions. Offsite visits are fee-based and require a prepaid account. Onsite visitors must bring valid government photo ID, follow the dress code, arrive early, and leave phones, cameras, bags, wallets, and electronic devices out of the visitation area.
| Population | Onsite Schedule | Remote Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| General Population Annex | Monday-Thursday, 1:05 p.m.-9:05 p.m. | Monday-Sunday, 1:05 p.m.-9:05 p.m. |
| Closed / Protective Custody | Monday-Thursday, 1:05 p.m.-3:35 p.m.; 5:05 p.m.-8:00 p.m. | No remote visits listed |
Each inmate is allowed one visit per week, while inmate workers can receive two onsite visits per week. Visits last 25 minutes. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Schedules can be cancelled or changed for holidays, security, and facility needs.
Gaston County Annex Money
The annex follows the sheriff's county jail mail, phone, video, and deposit rules. Non-legal mail is scanned and delivered electronically to inmate tablets. Mail must use the inmate name and identifier, which can be found as the Global Subject Number on the roster or confirmed through jail information. Legal mail follows separate handling and may be opened in the inmate's presence for contraband checks.
| Service | Provider or Detail |
|---|---|
| Mail address | Gaston County Jail, Inmate Name, Inmate Identifier, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131 |
| Video visits | ICSolutions / The Visitor, with registration before scheduling |
| Phone accounts | ICSolutions online, 1-888-506-8407, or mailed payment to ICSolutions customer service |
| Deposits | Tech Friends / Inmate Canteen kiosk in the annex lobby, main lobby kiosk, or online deposit |
| Remote visit prepaid funds | At least $7.50 in the ICSolutions prepaid account for remote visit scheduling |
Phone calls have a 15-minute maximum. Funds should not be sent until custody and housing are confirmed, especially when a person may be released, transferred, or moved between the main jail and annex.
Gaston County Annex Work Release
Work release is one of the annex facts that should not be blurred into generic jail language. The research identifies court-ordered work release, weekenders, and federal BOP work-release contract inmates as annex populations. State work-release inmates pay a daily rate based on yearly income, with a documented minimum of $18 per day and maximum of $36 per day. Federal work-release participants pay 25 percent of gross wages as subsistence.
| Program Detail | Published Rule |
|---|---|
| State work release | Daily rate based on yearly income, minimum $18 and maximum $36 |
| Federal work release | 25 percent of gross wages as subsistence |
| Weekend sentences | Annex population identified in sheriff detention research |
Work-release status is different from ordinary pretrial custody. A roster profile may still be the starting point, but employment, release windows, and subsistence rules depend on court or custody authority. Jail staff should confirm current eligibility and schedule details.
Gaston County Annex Programs
The annex shares many jail system services with the main facility. Medical staff are available for jail and annex inmates, and RFP materials identify 24-hour onsite comprehensive inmate healthcare as the county's contract goal. The sheriff detention page also lists local jail programs, including GED through Gaston College, High School Program through Gaston County Schools, substance abuse programming through Gaston County, Domestic Violence Awareness through The Shelter, AA, HIV Awareness, Father's Forever, Making Proud Choices, and Birds and Bees.
PREA reporting applies to the annex as part of the sheriff detention system. Reports can be made to staff, through inmate grievance routes, by writing the PREA compliance manager, or through the anonymous and confidential PREA mailbox. Because the annex can house work-release, weekend, male, female, and protective-custody populations, confirming a person's exact status is important before visits, mail, or money deposits are arranged.
Note: Confirm the annex housing field and visit class before scheduling, because main jail and annex visitation windows are different.