Penmate Inmate Support Guides
Phone & Messaging

How to Contact an Inmate at Facility

Waiting on a call from East Mesa Detention Facility? The biggest challenge right now is making sure you don't miss it because of a phone number change or spam filtering.

• 3 min read Based on general CA policies
How to Contact an Inmate at Facility

The detention facility recently switched phone providers. Calls from inside now come from 727-349-1561. If you don't recognize the number, it's easy to ignore, especially with all the robocalls people get these days. Some mobile carriers also flag 727-349-1561 as spam. That means the call might never ring through, go straight to voicemail, or get buried in a spam folder on your phone.

Action: Save 727-349-1561 as a contact and keep an eye out for it. If calls still get filtered, your carrier may be treating the number as spam.

Phone calls from San Diego County Sheriff’s Office jails have been free since July 1, 2021. That includes local, long distance, and international calls, so you should not be asked to pay just to receive a standard call.

Each call is limited to 15 minutes. Once time runs out, the call cuts off automatically. This keeps the phones available for everyone. People in custody can make unlimited calls per day, so don't be surprised if you hear from them more than once when they're able to get back to the phone.

Steps to Follow

  • ✓ Plan for shorter conversations, each call is limited to 15 minutes
How to Contact an Inmate at Facility
  1. Confirm the calling number. The current number listed for calls from inside the detention facilities is 727-349-1561.
  2. Check for recent notices about phone service changes. The number changed after a provider change, so updates may be posted if anything changes again.
  3. Ask your carrier how to stop spam filtering. Some carriers flag 727-349-1561 as spam, and your carrier can tell you how to unblock or allow the number on your specific plan and device.
  1. Confirm calls are still free. The Sheriff’s Office states calls have been free since July 1, 2021, including local, long distance, and international.
  2. Confirm the time limit. Each call is limited to 15 minutes, so you will want to prioritize the most important information first.
  3. Ask about calling access if you are not hearing from them. People in custody can make unlimited calls per day, but access depends on when they can get to a phone.

Tip: When you confirm the free-call policy, jot down the date of the notice you're referencing. The current policy states calls have been free since July 1, 2021.

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