Reviewed on: May 04,2026

How Do I Find Where My Ex Is Incarcerated If I Fear Him?

My ex fiance was arrested for an outstanding warrant 3 years ago and need to know where he is. I'm afraid of him finding me. How do I find out where he is?

Asked: December 17, 2019
Author: Jennie
Ask the inmate answer
1

Your safety is the priority here, and knowing where he is gives you information that actually helps you stay ahead of the situation rather than being caught off guard.

The starting point is VINELink at vinelink.com. VINE, which stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday, was built specifically for situations like yours. It is a free public tool that lets you search for an inmate's current custody status by name, and more importantly, it allows you to register for automatic notifications. If his status changes, if he is transferred, released, or escapes, you get alerted directly. That notification feature is the most valuable part of the service for someone in your position.

To search effectively, you will need to know the general area where he was arrested three years ago, specifically the state and ideally the county. From there you can search the state department of corrections database if he was sentenced to state prison, the county jail's inmate locator if he is still in county custody, or the federal Bureau of Prisons locator at bop.gov if federal charges were involved.

If you do not know which jurisdiction handled the arrest, start with VINELink using his full legal name and work through the states you believe are most likely. InmateAid's inmate locator is another resource worth trying if VINELink does not surface results.

Once you have confirmed where he is, registering for release notifications through VINE is the single most important step you can take. You should not be in a position where you find out he is out after the fact.

https://www.inmateaid.com/ask-the-inmate/how-do-i-find-where-my-ex-is-incarcerated-if-i-fear-him#answer
Accepted Answer Date Created: December 18,2019