The Preston County Inmate Population
Preston County does not run a standalone county jail in Kingwood. The main local jail path is Tygart Valley Regional Jail and Correctional Facility, a WVDCR Bureau of Prisons and Jails facility in Belington. That distinction matters because an arrest by the Preston County Sheriff's Department can lead to a regional jail record outside the county seat. The Preston County inmate population therefore cannot be read as one local roster at the sheriff's office.
The local count also has to be separated from state and federal custody. WVDCR reports people in state prison by county of commitment, and its FY2025 annual report lists 106 Preston County prison offenders on or around June 30, 2025. Federal Correctional Complex Hazelton is inside Preston County, but USP Hazelton and FCI Hazelton are federal sentenced-inmate institutions. They are not used as the ordinary booking site for a Preston County arrest.
Preston County Inmate Population Statistics
Official data gives several useful Preston County inmate population measures, but not every desired figure is public. Tygart Valley's rated population is published in the WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report. A current Tygart Valley average daily population, Preston County annual jail booking total, and average length of stay were not located in the official public sources reviewed for this build. Those missing rows should not be estimated.
| Measure | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Tygart Valley rated population | 368 | WVDCR Annual Report FY2025 |
| Tygart Valley admissions by institution | 5 | WV Daily Incarcerations, July 2, 2026 admissions table |
| Preston County prison offenders | 106 | WVDCR Annual Report FY2025, on or around June 30, 2025 |
| USP Hazelton total population | 1,310 | BOP public popreport, modified June 25, 2026 |
| FCI Hazelton total population | 1,678 | BOP public popreport, modified July 2, 2026 |
The WV Daily Incarcerations page is best read as a new-admissions tool, not a county population dashboard. During research, the statewide admissions-by-institution table showed five admissions at Tygart Valley on July 2, 2026. That figure should not be treated as the number of Preston County inmates in custody.
Preston County Inmate Population Trends
WVDCR publishes a statewide sentenced-inmate trend table that helps frame the Preston County inmate population, even though it is not a Preston-only jail trend. The FY2025 annual report shows the average sentenced inmate total falling from 6,340 in 2020 to 5,837 in 2024. The jail backlog part of that count fell sharply from the 2012 high noted by WVDCR and was 621 in 2024.
| Year | Average sentenced inmate total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,340 | 4,492 prisons; 1,460 jail backlog; 388 contracted |
| 2021 | 6,021 | 4,016 prisons; 1,614 jail backlog; 391 contracted |
| 2022 | 5,874 | 4,462 prisons; 1,031 jail backlog; 381 contracted |
| 2023 | 5,891 | 4,862 prisons; 624 jail backlog; 405 contracted |
| 2024 | 5,837 | 4,875 prisons; 621 jail backlog; 341 contracted |
For Preston County, the safer reading is cautious. Tygart Valley's current daily population was not found in official public material, so no occupancy rate can be computed from the 368 rated population. The broader WVDCR trend still matters because sentenced people from Preston County can move from regional jail custody into state prison or parole records.
Where Preston County Inmates Are Held
The most common mistake is assuming Preston County jail custody is at the sheriff's office in Kingwood. The sheriff's department remains the local law-enforcement office for arrest reports, deputy reports, and some warrant questions, but WVDCR handles the regional jail. Federal inmates at Bruceton Mills are in a separate BOP system.
- Tygart Valley Regional Jail and Correctional Facility holds Preston County pretrial and sentenced jail custody through WVDCR's regional jail system.
- USP Hazelton is a high-security federal penitentiary with a minimum-security camp for male federal inmates.
- FCI Hazelton is a medium-security federal institution with a Secure Female Facility for federal custody.
ICE did not have a Preston County detention facility listed in the research. Immigration custody still belongs in the fallback chain because a person may be held under federal immigration authority outside the county.
Preston County Inmate Records Laws
West Virginia law frames how Preston County inmate population records are requested and used. Public access does not mean every field appears online, and a jail roster is not a full court file. The agency that created or maintains the record controls the official copy.
W. Va. Code §29B-1-3 gives people the right to inspect or copy public records unless an exemption applies, and public bodies generally must act within five business days.
W. Va. Code §15A-3-16 requires jail facilities or units to keep incarceration date and time records for per-diem charging.
W. Va. Code §25-5-11 sets regional jail standards for staffing, supervision, security, maintenance, programs, and related operations.
W. Va. Code §62-1-6A limits law-enforcement social-media sharing of booking photos for minor offenses, with exceptions.
Search Preston County Inmates
Current jail custody for Preston County starts with the WV Regional Jail Offender Search. The form requires at least the first three letters of the last name, allows an optional first name, and uses captcha before search submission. Its own disclaimer says information is public and updated regularly, but it may change quickly and may not reflect the true current location, release date, or status.
- Open the WV Regional Jail offender search.
- Enter at least three letters of the last name.
- Add the first name when the surname is common.
- Complete the captcha and run the search.
- Use the result as custody-location data, then check court records for the filed case.
The WVDCR offender search hub also links daily incarcerations, jail search, prison search, and escapee or absconder tools. For custody alerts rather than one-time lookups, West Virginia VINE is available.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Name | Text | Yes | Minimum 3 letters, maximum 100 |
| First Name | Text | No | Helps narrow common surnames |
| Captcha | Google reCAPTCHA | Yes | Required before submission |
| Search | Button | n/a | Runs the public jail search |
Preston County Roster Screens
The official WV Regional Jail search form is the roster path for Preston County jail custody.
This screen supports the key local point: Preston County users search WVDCR's regional jail system rather than a Preston-only jail roster.
The official Tygart Valley facility page gives the facility contact, directions, counties served, and visitation table used for Preston County jail visits.
The facility image belongs with the regional jail discussion because it shows why custody details, visits, and facility calls route to WVDCR.
Past Preston County Inmate Records
The public regional jail search is strongest for current custody. Released or older Preston County inmate records may require a custodian-specific request. Sheriff-generated arrest or incident reports route to the Preston County Sheriff's Department or its official report request form. Regional jail booking records route to WVDCR or Tygart Valley. Court charge records route to the clerk of the court where the case was filed.
FOIA requests should name the person, date of arrest or booking, agency, requested record type, and any known case number. West Virginia's public-records statute allows inspection and copying unless an exemption applies, but it does not turn every record into an instant online profile.
Preston County Inmate Record Fields
A full WV Regional Jail sample profile could not be inspected because the search is captcha-protected. The research therefore treats roster fields with care. A result should be read as custody-location information, and formal charge status should be checked in court records.
| Field | How to read it |
|---|---|
| Name | Match spelling carefully, especially with common surnames or aliases. |
| Facility or location | For Preston County jail custody, this is often Tygart Valley Regional Jail. |
| Booking or admission detail | Useful for custody timing, but not a complete court history. |
| Charges or bond | May differ from charges later filed by the prosecutor. |
| Status or release detail | Can change quickly, so confirm before travel or bond action. |
County Jail vs State Prison
Preston County inmate lookup often fails when the person has moved systems. A new arrest and local jail custody are searched through the WV Regional Jail tool. A sentenced state prisoner, active supervision case, or parole case belongs in the WVDCR DOC locator. A federal inmate at Hazelton belongs in BOP records.
| Question | Regional jail | State prison | Federal custody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs it? | WVDCR Bureau of Prisons and Jails | WVDCR | Federal Bureau of Prisons or another federal agency |
| Who appears? | Pretrial and sentenced jail custody | Active supervision, prison, or parole | Federal inmates from 1982 to present in BOP locator |
| Preston County example | Tygart Valley Regional Jail | Preston County commitment counted by WVDCR | USP Hazelton and FCI Hazelton |
| Main search | WV Regional Jail Offender Search | WVDCR DOC Offender Search | BOP Find an Inmate |
State and Federal Inmate Search
The WVDCR DOC offender search is for active supervision, prison, or parole, and it excludes discharged offenders or people no longer in WVDCR custody. It can be searched by OID number or by first and last name, with captcha. It is the wrong tool for a new Preston County jail booking, but the right one after a state-prison transfer or active supervision record.
The BOP inmate locator covers federal inmates from 1982 to present and supports number or name searches. The BOP result template includes name, register number, age, race, sex, release date, location, and related contact links. ICE custody is searched through the ICE Online Detainee Locator, which is not county-specific and usually requires an A-Number and country of birth or biographical data.
- Detainer
- A hold request from another agency that can delay release from jail.
- Remand
- A court order keeping a person in custody.
- Classification
- The facility's custody and security assessment after intake.
- DOC
- The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Preston County Sheriff and Courts
Sheriff Scott Spiker's department is listed at 103 W Main Street, Kingwood, WV 26537, with phone 304-329-1611. That office is relevant for sheriff reports, arresting-agency records, and local law-enforcement questions. It is not the operator of Tygart Valley Regional Jail, so visitation, housing, commissary, and current jail location should not be routed there first.
After arrest, court records route to Preston County magistrate or circuit court. The Magistrate Case Record Search can return up to 30 records by first name, last name, or case number, but documents are not available online. Copies must be requested from the clerk in the county where the case is filed.
Preston County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Preston County inmate population?
No official current Preston County jail average daily population was found. The sourced figures are Tygart Valley's 368 rated population, 106 Preston County prison offenders in the WVDCR FY2025 county table, and current BOP counts for USP Hazelton and FCI Hazelton.
How do I search the Preston County inmate population?
Use WV Regional Jail Offender Search for current local jail custody, WVDCR DOC search for prison or parole, BOP locator for Hazelton federal inmates, and ICE ODLS for immigration custody. The office or portal depends on the custody type.
Is the Preston County jail in Kingwood?
No. The local sheriff's office is in Kingwood, but WVDCR regional jail custody for Preston County is handled through Tygart Valley Regional Jail and Correctional Facility in Belington.
Does Hazelton hold Preston County arrestees?
Not in the ordinary local jail sense. USP Hazelton and FCI Hazelton are federal BOP institutions in Preston County for federal custody. A Preston County local arrest normally routes to the regional jail system if the person remains jailed.
Can I get custody notifications?
West Virginia VINE is available for custody or case notification. It is useful when a reader needs updates instead of a single roster check.