Pendleton County Inmate Population Overview
Pendleton County, West Virginia does not operate a separate county jail with its own public roster. Adult jail custody for the county is routed to Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility, a West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation facility in Augusta. That regional jail serves Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, and Pendleton counties, so the most accurate local explanation starts with the regional model. A person arrested in Franklin or elsewhere in Pendleton County may be booked, transported, held for a first appearance, or later moved through a custody chain that crosses county lines.
The Pendleton County inmate population rises and falls with local arrests, warrants, bond decisions, court commitments, jail transfers, and sentence changes. The Pendleton County Sheriff's Office is still important because the sheriff handles law enforcement, service of legal papers, court security, prisoner transportation, mental-patient transportation, and extraditions. The jail building, mail rules, video visits, deposit accounts, current roster search, and regional population figures come from WVDCR and Potomac Highlands. That split is the main fact to keep in view when reading jail population numbers or trying to find a current inmate.
Pendleton County Inmate Population Statistics
The most defensible jail-population number for Pendleton County research is the regional facility capacity, not a Pendleton-only daily count. The WVDCR FY2025 annual report lists Potomac Highlands with a rated population of 312. The Potomac Highlands PREA audit also gives a 312-inmate capacity. Those numbers describe the facility that serves Pendleton County and four neighboring counties. They do not mean that Pendleton County alone has 312 people in jail.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Potomac Highlands rated population | 312 | WVDCR FY2025 Annual Report |
| Potomac Highlands capacity | 312 | Potomac Highlands PREA Final Audit, 2024 |
| Potomac Highlands correctional population | 273 | Prison Policy Initiative / Census 2020 listing |
| Potomac Highlands 2010-era correctional population | 215 | Prison Policy Initiative / Census 2010 listing |
| Potomac Highlands admissions snapshot | 1 admission | WV Daily Incarcerations, July 2, 2026 |
| Pendleton County resident population | 5,944 | U.S. Census QuickFacts, July 1, 2024 estimate |
Pendleton County Jail Population Trends
Trend data is limited because public sources reviewed for Pendleton County do not publish a county-of-arrest average daily population. The available trend points describe Potomac Highlands, the regional jail that serves Pendleton County. The Census-era local correctional population listed by Prison Policy Initiative rose from 215 in the 2010-era data to 273 in the 2020 data. The later WVDCR figure is a rated population, not an operating count, so it should be read as capacity context rather than proof of current occupancy.
| Year or Date | Population Measure | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 2010/census-era | 215 at Potomac Highlands | Facility local correctional population listing. |
| 2020 census | 273 at Potomac Highlands | Facility local correctional population listing. |
| FY2025 | 312 rated population | WVDCR capacity figure, not a Pendleton-only count. |
| July 2, 2026 | 1 daily admission | Daily admission snapshot for Potomac Highlands, not total jail population. |
The small size of Pendleton County makes county-only rates easy to misread. U.S. Census QuickFacts reports 6,143 residents in the 2020 census and 5,944 residents in the July 1, 2024 estimate. FRED's annual population series shows 5.826 thousand residents in 2025. A few arrests, releases, or transfers could shift a county-specific rate, but no official Pendleton-only jail numerator was located. The safer conclusion is that public reporting aggregates Pendleton County inmates into a five-county regional facility count.
Who Makes Up Pendleton County Jail Custody
WVDCR describes Potomac Highlands as detention for pretrial felony and misdemeanor detainees and sentenced felony and misdemeanor inmates from Hardy, Hampshire, Mineral, Grant, and Pendleton counties. The PREA audit adds that the facility houses male and female inmates and uses minimum-to-maximum classification levels. A Pendleton County inmate can therefore be a newly arrested pretrial detainee, a person serving a local sentence, or a person waiting on a court event before transfer to another custody level.
- Pretrial detainees are held before final case disposition, often while bond or first-appearance issues are pending.
- Sentenced local inmates may remain in the regional jail when the sentence or custody status fits WVDCR jail placement.
- Male and female inmates are both housed at Potomac Highlands, according to the PREA audit.
- Minimum-to-maximum classifications mean housing can change after intake, risk review, health screening, or discipline.
- State prisoners move to the WVDCR prison/supervision locator after prison transfer, not the regional jail search.
Pendleton County Jail Capacity Context
The 312-capacity figure belongs to Potomac Highlands as a regional facility. It should not be labeled as the Pendleton County jail capacity. The 2020 correctional-population listing of 273 was below 312 at that census snapshot, but that does not prove current occupancy. Daily Incarcerations can show daily admissions by county or institution, while the offender search can show current custody matches. Neither page gives a public, Pendleton-only average daily population in the reviewed sources.
The PREA audit gives a useful building view. Potomac Highlands has all cell housing and no open-bay dormitory housing. It includes 24 segregation cells, multiple-occupancy cells, single-person cells, medical and mental-health units, receiving and discharge areas, visitation, commissary, a law library, chapel, classrooms, programming areas, food service, and recreation areas. These facts explain the environment behind the Pendleton County inmate population better than generic claims about a county jail that does not exist.
Laws Behind Pendleton County Jail Data
West Virginia public-records law is the starting point for inmate and booking records that are not available online. The same law has exemptions, so sealed cases, juvenile matters, privacy concerns, active investigations, and agency-specific limits can affect release. Jail operations are also governed by state standards, while court release decisions come from magistrates or other judicial officers under pretrial release law.
Key statutes:
W. Va. Code § 29B-1-1 states West Virginia's policy that people are entitled to information about public business unless law says otherwise.
W. Va. Code § 29B-1-2 defines public bodies and public records, which matters for county and WVDCR requests.
W. Va. Code § 29B-1-3 sets the inspection and copying framework for public-records requests.
W. Va. Code § 25-5-11 addresses jail standards of operation, including staffing and security duties.
W. Va. Code § 62-1C-1a governs pretrial release types and conditions after arrest.
Pendleton County State Prison Transfers
No adult state prison is physically located in Pendleton County in the WVDCR adult-facility list reviewed for this project. When a Pendleton County defendant is sentenced to state prison, the person may move from Potomac Highlands into WVDCR reception, classification, and an assigned prison. At that point the regional jail roster is no longer the best search path. The WVDCR prison and supervision search covers offenders under active supervision, in prison, or on parole status.
The state locator can be searched by the first four numbers of an Offender ID or by the first three letters of both first and last name. WVDCR states that discharged offenders or people moved out of WVDCR custody will not appear. That warning is important for past Pendleton County inmates. A lack of results can mean release, transfer out of covered custody, a spelling issue, or a custody system outside WVDCR.
Search Pendleton County Current Custody
The official current jail lookup for Pendleton County arrestees is the WV Regional Jail Offender Search. It is not a Pendleton County Sheriff roster. The search page tells users to enter at least the first three letters of the last name, with first name as an optional narrowing field. WVDCR also warns that roster details change quickly and may not reflect true current location, release date, status, or court events.
- Open the WV Regional Jail Offender Search.
- Enter at least the first three letters of the person's last name.
- Add the first name if the last name is common or spelling is clear.
- Review matches for current facility and identity details, not just name.
- Check the Daily Incarcerations page, the facility phone line, or the WVDCR prison locator if the person is not listed.
For urgent custody confirmation, call Potomac Highlands at (304) 496-1275. For local arrest, transport, or incident-record questions, call the Pendleton County Sheriff's Office during public hours at (304) 358-2214. The West Virginia Sheriff Connect app exists in app stores and advertises jail information, but no official Pendleton County page confirmed an app-only Pendleton roster or warrant module.
Pendleton County Roster Search Fields
The regional jail search is simple, but it requires enough last-name text to start. If a search fails, use fewer first-name characters, check spelling, or try the daily admissions route. A person who was sentenced to prison should be searched in the WVDCR prison locator. A federal or immigration detainee belongs in a different system.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Name, Partial or Full | Text | Yes | WVDCR says to enter at least the first three letters. |
| First Name | Text | No | Optional field that helps reduce same-name results. |
| Search button / agreement | Button | Yes | Submitting the search accepts the WVDCR public-information disclaimer. |
Pendleton County Daily Incarcerations
The WV Regional Jail Daily Incarcerations page is a second official route. It begins with a county dropdown that includes Pendleton and also displays admissions by institution. The July 2, 2026 inspection showed an admissions-by-institution entry for Potomac Highlands and a detail list with admission time, last name, first name, middle name, birth date, gender, and a View Details link. That page is useful for very recent bookings, but it is not a complete archive of all past Pendleton County inmates.
| Daily Page Field | Type | Use |
|---|---|---|
| County dropdown | Dropdown | Filter daily records to Pendleton or another West Virginia county. |
| Institution admissions | Link list | Open the Potomac Highlands entry when admissions are shown. |
| View Details | Link | Open a listed admission detail when available. |
Pendleton County Inmate Record Fields
The public fields vary by search route and profile availability. The inspected Daily Incarcerations admission summary for Potomac Highlands showed basic identity and admission details, while a full profile could not be captured in the research browser. Court records remain the source of record for formal charges and case outcomes because WVDCR warns that sentencing information in the roster is not meant to represent the underlying criminal action.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Name | Daily summaries showed last, first, and middle name columns. |
| Birth date | Used to separate people with the same or similar names. |
| Gender | Visible in the inspected daily admission list. |
| Admission time | Shown for daily admissions by institution. |
| Current facility | Should be checked against Potomac Highlands or another listed jail location. |
| Charges and bond | Must be confirmed with court records or the facility when time-sensitive. |
Pendleton County Jail vs Prison Search
Custody searches work best when the correct system is used first. Pendleton County's regional jail path covers pretrial and local jail custody. The WVDCR prison locator covers prison, active supervision, and parole. BOP and ICE locators are separate federal tools and do not replace West Virginia jail or court records.
| Custody Type | Correct Search | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Regional jail custody | WV Regional Jail Offender Search | Recent arrest, pretrial hold, local sentence, or regional jail placement. |
| State prison or parole | WVDCR prison/supervision search | After transfer to state prison or active WVDCR supervision. |
| Federal sentenced custody | BOP inmate locator | Federal inmates from 1982 to present. |
| Immigration custody | ICE Online Detainee Locator | Current ICE detention searched by A-number or biographical data. |
Pendleton County Detention Facility
Only one detention facility was resolved for this Pendleton County build. It is outside Pendleton County in Hampshire County, but it is the official regional jail serving Pendleton adult jail custody. The sheriff, magistrate court, circuit clerk, and prosecutor remain in Franklin for local records and court questions.
- Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility is the WVDCR regional jail for Pendleton County arrestees, pretrial detainees, and sentenced jail inmates, along with four neighboring counties.
The Pendleton County Sheriff's Office page is useful for local law-enforcement contact details, including the sheriff's Franklin office. The screenshot below shows that local contact source, while custody logistics still route to WVDCR and Potomac Highlands.
Use the sheriff for local arrest, incident, transport, and records-request routing. Use Potomac Highlands or WVDCR for current custody, visitation, mail, deposit, and regional jail roster questions.
Pendleton County Custody Terms
Regional jail records use words that can sound similar but mean different things. These definitions help separate arrest, booking, court, and prison status.
- Booking
- Administrative intake after arrest or court commitment.
- Pretrial detainee
- A person held before the criminal case is resolved.
- Detainer
- A hold or notice from another agency, such as another county, parole authority, federal agency, or ICE.
- Classification
- A jail review of housing, security level, health needs, and supervision concerns.
- PR bond
- Personal recognizance release based on a promise to appear, sometimes with conditions.
Pendleton County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Pendleton County inmate population?
Public sources reviewed for this build did not publish a Pendleton-only average daily jail population. The official regional facility serving Pendleton County, Potomac Highlands, has a rated population of 312 in the WVDCR FY2025 annual report. That number is a five-county regional facility capacity, not a Pendleton-only head count.
How do I search Pendleton County jail custody?
Use the WV Regional Jail Offender Search for current regional jail custody. Enter at least the first three letters of the last name and add the first name when known. If the person was recently booked, the Daily Incarcerations page can help. If the person was sentenced to prison, use the WVDCR prison/supervision search.
Where are Pendleton County inmates held?
Adult jail inmates from Pendleton County are generally held through Potomac Highlands Regional Jail and Correctional Facility in Augusta. Local arrest, warrant, and court paperwork remains tied to the sheriff, magistrate court, circuit clerk, and prosecutor in Franklin.
Can I find past Pendleton County inmates?
Current custody is searched online through WVDCR tools. Past or released jail records may require a focused West Virginia FOIA request to WVDCR, Potomac Highlands, or the Pendleton County Sheriff's Office, depending on who created or holds the record. Court case records are checked through the magistrate search and court clerks.