It is indicated in the custodial death report prepared on Eddie Christian Vargas by the Travis County Sheriff’s Department in Austin, Texas, that 6:35 PM on 6/9/2021 was his time and date of death. Mr. Vargas had only been in pre-booking custody since 5:20 PM the same day. The cause of death is pending autopsy results, and the report shows that no shooting was involved.

What Happens During the Booking Process? Continued

Continuing from the previous installment of this series, next, inmates are searched with more thoroughness than what occurs in the field. The level of search an inmate is subjected to is determined by the severity and type of offense. If an inmate has been arrested for a drug offense or has been in the past, he or she will most likely be strip-searched.

Depending upon the anticipated length of confinement, an inmate will be provided with jail clothing to change into. The following clothing items are provided: a jail uniform, sandals, a mattress, a mattress cover, a blanket, and a towel.

Everything that an individual brings into a jail cell can and will be searched. Personal items are all turned in voluntarily or by force, and the items are placed in storage. If contraband is brought into a county jail or any correctional facility, the inmate could be charged with a felony offense.

Jail personnel fill out a medical intake form on each inmate. A basic physical evaluation is included.

Learn more about what happens during the booking process in Part 1 of this ongoing series.

There is no intention on this website to suggest that a person or entity is a participant in misdeeds. Posts on this site aim to provide assistance to inmates in Texas county jails.

–Guest Contributor