The Mineral County Inmate Population
Mineral County jail custody is served by Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility, a West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation facility in Augusta. The jail serves Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton counties, so the official population figures are regional facility figures rather than a Mineral County-only head count. That distinction matters. A person arrested in Keyser, Ridgeley, Fort Ashby, Piedmont, or another Mineral County community may be listed under the regional jail even though the housing site is in Hampshire County.
The Mineral County inmate population moves as cases move. Arrests by the sheriff, municipal police, or state police can lead to booking at Potomac Highlands. Bond decisions, court appearances, holds, sentencing, releases, and transfer to prison can change the count the same day. Sheriff Joel Whisner's office remains the local law-enforcement contact for sheriff reports, prisoner transport, court paperwork, and local custody questions, while WVDCR controls the jail roster and the regional jail facility.
Local custody rule: the public phrase "Mineral County jail" usually points to Potomac Highlands, not to the Mineral County Sheriff's Department office in Keyser.
Mineral County Inmate Population Statistics
The most useful official count for Mineral County jail custody is the Potomac Highlands regional count. WVDCR's FY2025 annual report gives a facility average daily count of 240, with 1,428 admissions and 1,347 releases for the fiscal year. A 2024 PREA audit gave designed capacity of 312, a current audit snapshot of 194, and a prior 12-month average daily population of 221. The same audit reported that the facility had not been over capacity during that prior 12-month period.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Potomac Highlands average daily count | 240 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Rated population | 312 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Designed facility capacity | 312 | 2024 PREA audit |
| Admissions | 1,428 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Releases | 1,347 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Mineral County adult prison offenders | 42 | WVDCR FY2025 county count around June 30, 2025 |
The county itself is small by state standards. U.S. Census QuickFacts estimated Mineral County at 26,792 residents on July 1, 2025, compared with 26,938 in the 2020 Census. Those population numbers help frame jail use, but they are not jail counts. WVDCR reports Potomac Highlands as a regional facility because it receives detainees and sentenced jail-level offenders from five counties.
Mineral County Inmate Population Trends
Potomac Highlands admissions fell from FY2022 to FY2024, then rose in FY2025. Releases moved in the same direction. The average daily count also dropped from the FY2022 level reported in WVDCR materials, then sat below the 312-bed rated capacity in later official snapshots. These are not Mineral County-only trends, but they are the best official trend line for the jail that serves Mineral County arrestees.
| Year / Period | Measure | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | Admissions | 1,881 | WVDCR annual report table |
| FY2022 | Releases | 1,825 | WVDCR annual report table |
| FY2022 | Average daily count | 310 | WVDCR FY2022 figure cited in research |
| FY2024 | Admissions | 1,324 | Lowest admissions in the listed span |
| 2024 audit period | Average daily population | 221 | PREA audit prior 12 months |
| FY2025 | Average daily count | 240 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| FY2025 | Admissions / releases | 1,428 / 1,347 | Both rose from FY2024 |
Who Makes Up the Mineral County Inmate Population
WVDCR's FY2025 Potomac Highlands row breaks the regional average daily count into custody categories. The row includes 109 DOC inmates, 1 federal pretrial inmate, 23 pretrial misdemeanor inmates, 9 convicted misdemeanor inmates, 66 pretrial felony inmates, and 32 convicted felony inmates. Female and male counts are also listed by category, including 5 female and 104 male DOC inmates, 5 female and 18 male pretrial misdemeanor inmates, and 8 female and 58 male pretrial felony inmates.
Those categories show why a Mineral County inmate lookup should not stop at one tool. A pretrial felony detainee, a convicted misdemeanor inmate, a DOC-classified offender held in the regional jail, and a sentenced prison offender may all require different records checks. "Pretrial" means the court case has not reached final disposition. "DOC" means the person is tied to state corrections custody, even if the person is still physically in a regional jail.
- Pretrial detainee
- A person held before the criminal case reaches a final outcome.
- Sentenced misdemeanant
- A person serving a jail-level sentence after conviction.
- DOC inmate
- A person committed to West Virginia corrections custody, sometimes housed in a regional jail while awaiting placement.
- Detainer
- A hold from another court or agency that may block release even when bond is posted.
Mineral County Jail Capacity
The regional jail's rated population and designed capacity are both 312 in the cited WVDCR and PREA materials. The 2024 PREA audit reported 194 people at the audit snapshot and an average daily population of 221 for the prior 12 months. It also stated that the facility had not been over capacity during that period. WVDCR FY2025 later reported an average daily count of 240, still below the stated rated population.
Capacity still affects Mineral County families. When a facility serves five counties, bed pressure, classification, court transport, and state-prison backlog can affect where a person is housed and when a transfer occurs. WVDCR FY2025 reported that the statewide backlog of DCR-committed inmates waiting in county or regional jails had decreased to 621 in 2024 from a high of 1,782 in 2012. That state context helps explain why some sentenced offenders may remain in a regional jail instead of appearing only in a prison setting.
Laws for Mineral County Inmate Records
West Virginia law supports public access to many government records, but jail, law-enforcement, court, juvenile, medical, safety, and sealed records may have limits. For Mineral County inmate population questions, the first step is to identify the record holder. WVDCR controls regional jail roster data. The Mineral County Sheriff's Department may hold sheriff arrest or incident reports. Magistrate and Circuit clerks hold court filings and case records.
Key Statutes:
West Virginia Code § 29B-1-1 states the public policy favoring full information about government affairs unless law provides otherwise.
West Virginia Code § 29B-1-3 gives a right to inspect or copy public records, subject to lawful limits.
West Virginia Code § 29B-1-4 lists exemptions that can affect law-enforcement, privacy, security, and confidential records.
West Virginia Code § 25-5-11 concerns jail and correctional facility standards for staffing, security, transport, and operation.
West Virginia Code § 61-12-8 covers deaths reportable to medical examiners, including deaths in custody.
Mineral County State Prison Population
State prison records are separate from the regional jail roster. West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs both the regional jail system and the prison locator, but the public searches serve different custody groups. The WVDCR FY2025 report listed 42 adult prison offenders from Mineral County by county count around June 30, 2025. That number is not the Mineral County jail population. It is a state-prison offender count tied to Mineral County.
For a sentenced person in prison or on parole status, use the WVDCR prison offender search. For someone recently arrested and awaiting court action, use the regional jail search or Daily Incarcerations first. A person can also move between systems as the case changes from arrest, to bond, to plea or trial, to sentence, to transfer.
Search the Mineral County Inmate Population
The main online path for a Mineral County jail roster search is WVDCR's Regional Jail Offender Search. It is the correct starting point for current jail custody, including many people arrested in Mineral County and held at Potomac Highlands. The search is captcha-gated and requires at least the first three letters of the last name. The first name is optional but helps narrow common names.
If the arrest happened the same day, check Daily Incarcerations as well. The research inspection saw a county dropdown that includes Mineral and a visible admissions-by-institution table. Because WVDCR warns that information changes quickly, a failed search does not prove the person is not in custody. Call Potomac Highlands for jail status when timing matters.
- Open the WVDCR offender search landing page or the Regional Jail Offender Search.
- Enter at least the first three letters of the last name, then add the first name if known.
- Complete the reCAPTCHA and submit the search.
- For same-day arrests, also check Daily Incarcerations and select Mineral from the county dropdown.
- If the person is sentenced to prison or on parole, switch to the WVDCR prison locator.
- For federal or immigration custody, use BOP, ICE, federal court, or U.S. Marshals channels instead.
Current Mineral County Inmate Lookup
WVDCR's jail search form is narrow by design. The visible form asks for a last name and offers first name as a filter. It does not work like a county-run booking gallery. The same public search page warns that regional jail data is updated regularly but can change quickly and may not show the true current location, release date, status, or full offender information at the moment a reader searches.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Name (Partial or Full) | Text | Yes | Enter at least the first three letters; maximum length listed as 100. |
| First Name (Optional) | Text | No | Useful for common surnames; maximum length listed as 100. |
| reCAPTCHA | Captcha | Yes | Search submission requires Google reCAPTCHA. |
| Search | Button | Yes | Submitting means accepting WVDCR terms and disclaimer language. |
The Mineral County sheriff law-enforcement page states that the department handles jail administration and inmate custody duties, court paperwork, bailiff duties, prisoner transport, and court-order enforcement. That makes the sheriff a local records and transport contact, but WVDCR remains the source for the public regional jail roster.
Past Mineral County Inmate Records
Released or transferred people may not stay visible in a current jail search. WVDCR's own notice says a search result may not reflect the latest location, release date, status, or complete information. For older booking records, write to the public body likely to hold the record. Use the sheriff for sheriff arrest or incident reports, WVDCR or Potomac Highlands for jail custody records, and the court clerk for court filings.
West Virginia FOIA is the framework for many public-record requests, but court files follow court access rules and sealed or expunged records are handled differently. If the arrest led to a criminal case, the West Virginia Judiciary court-record access page, Magistrate Case Record Search, and WVPASS are better tools than the jail roster for case history. For custody notifications after release or transfer, use West Virginia VINE.
Mineral County Inmate Record Fields
The research could not inspect a full WVDCR jail profile because the public form uses reCAPTCHA. The form and agency notices still show what a reader should expect from the access path. WVDCR says the information can include current location, release date, status, and other offender details, while sentencing information should be checked against court records. The Escapees and Absconders list also shows that WVDCR can publish OID numbers and offender pictures in some public contexts.
| Field or Item | What the Research Verified |
|---|---|
| Name search | Last name is required; first name is optional on the jail search form. |
| Current location | WVDCR disclaimer implies location may appear, but warns it may change quickly. |
| Release date or status | WVDCR notice references these items, with accuracy limits. |
| Sentencing information | WVDCR says court records should control the underlying criminal action. |
| Booking photo | Not verified on normal jail profiles; WVDCR photos were verified on the escapee/absconder list. |
| Charges, bond, housing | Not verified in a public profile because captcha blocked full inspection. |
Mineral County Jail vs Prison Lookup
Many inmate search errors come from using the right name in the wrong system. Potomac Highlands and the regional jail search cover jail custody. The WVDCR prison search covers active prison, parole, and state supervision records. BOP and ICE are separate federal systems. A federal defendant may be held under contract before sentencing, but the research did not locate a Potomac Highlands USMS contract statement.
| Custody Type | Where to Look | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Recent Mineral County arrest | Regional Jail Offender Search and Daily Incarcerations | Pretrial and jail-level custody at Potomac Highlands |
| Sentenced state prisoner | WVDCR prison offender search | Active prison, parole, or supervision records |
| Custody notification | West Virginia VINE | Release, transfer, and custody-status alerts where available |
| Federal prisoner after sentencing | BOP Inmate Locator | Federal inmates from 1982 to present |
| Immigration detainee | ICE Online Detainee Locator | Current ICE custody and CBP custody over 48 hours |
State and Federal Inmate Search
The WVDCR prison search can be run by Offender ID or by name. When searching by OID, enter at least the first four numbers. When searching by name, WVDCR requires at least three letters of both first and last name. The DOC locator covers active supervision, prison, or parole status only. A "no results" message may mean the person has discharged or is no longer in WVDCR custody.
Federal and immigration custody use different portals. The BOP locator searches by register number, DCDC number, FBI number, INS number, or name, and BOP states it covers federal inmates from 1982 forward. ICE's locator can search by A-number or by biographical details with country of birth. ICE does not operate like a county jail roster and does not provide a public mugshot gallery.
Mineral County Detention Facility
Mineral County does not have a separate official county-owned jail page in the research. Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility is the primary detention facility for Mineral County jail custody. It is operated by WVDCR, located in Augusta, and serves a five-county area near the Virginia and Maryland borders.
- Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility - regional jail and correctional facility for pretrial felony and misdemeanor detainees and sentenced jail-level offenders from Mineral County and four neighboring counties.
Mineral County Custody Contacts
Use the contact that matches the record. The Mineral County Sheriff's Department main page lists Sheriff Joel Whisner, 105 East Street, Keyser, WV 26726, phone (304) 788-0441, fax (304) 788-4102, and email jewhisner@mineralsheriff.com. The office hours in the research are Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. For jail housing, visitation, and immediate custody, call Potomac Highlands at (304) 496-1275.
Court records are separate. The Mineral County Circuit Clerk page lists the Circuit Clerk as the official record keeper for pleadings, documents, funds, and related court records. The Judiciary's Mineral County page lists the Magistrate Court clerk at 105 West Street, Keyser, and the Circuit Clerk at 150 Armstrong Street, Keyser. For charges after arrest, the prosecutor and court record control the formal case path.
Mineral County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Mineral County inmate population?
No official Mineral County-only jail population was located. The jail serving Mineral County is Potomac Highlands, a regional facility. WVDCR FY2025 reported a Potomac Highlands average daily count of 240, and the 2024 PREA audit reported designed capacity of 312 and a prior 12-month average daily population of 221.
How do I search the Mineral County inmate population?
Use the WVDCR Regional Jail Offender Search for current jail custody and Daily Incarcerations for recent arrests. Enter at least three letters of the last name and complete reCAPTCHA. If the person is sentenced to prison, use the WVDCR prison offender search instead.
Why is a Mineral County inmate held in Augusta?
West Virginia uses regional jails for many counties. Potomac Highlands is in Augusta, Hampshire County, but WVDCR lists it as serving Mineral County along with Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, and Pendleton counties.
Can I get release alerts?
West Virginia VINE is available for custody status and notification service. It is useful when release, transfer, or custody change is the main concern, but it does not replace the jail search or court record.