USP Hazelton | United States Penitentiary Hazelton

United States Penitentiary Hazelton is a high-security federal prison located in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. It is also known as USP Hazelton. USP Hazelton Camp is located adjacent to the main institution. Both facilities house male inmates.

USP Hazelton Contact Information

Facility Address & Contact Information

United States Penitentiary Hazelton
1640 Sky View Drive
Bruceton Mills
, WV 26525

Phone: 304-379-5000
Fax: 304-379-5039
Email: [email protected]

BOP Website: Bureau of Prisons Page
Wikipedia: Wikipedia Page

Inmate Correspondence Address

USP Hazelton

Inmate Name and Registration Number
USP Hazelton
United States Penitentiary
P.O. Box 2000
Bruceton Mills
, WV 26525

USP Hazelton Camp

Inmate Name and Registration Number
USP Hazelton Camp
Satellite Prison Camp
P.O. Box 2000
Bruceton Mills
, WV 26525

How to Send Money

Do not send money to inmates directly. See our page on sending money to federal prisoners.

United States Penitentiary Hazelton Inmate Information

Inmate Gender

Male Inmates

Prison Security Level

Facility Location

USP Hazelton is in the mountains of Preston County, West Virginia, approximately 35 minutes from Morgantown; 45 minutes from Uniontown, PA; and 45 minutes from Cumberland, MD.

BOP Region

Mid-Atlantic Region

BOP Institution Code

HAZ for USP Hazelton, HAX for Hazelton Federal Correctional Complex

Medical Care Level

Level 2. See our page on Medical Care Levels and Procedures for more information.

Mental Health Care Level

Level 3.

Judicial District

Northern District of West Virginia

Population Number

Hazelton Federal Penitentiary houses approximately 1,315 inmates. The camp houses around 60 inmates.

USP Hazelton Prison Services Information

USP Hazelton | United States Penitentiary Hazelton

Background

United States Penitentiary Hazelton is a high-security federal prison in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia. It was opened in 2004 and is part of the Hazelton Federal Correctional Complex. United States Penitentiary Hazelton Camp was opened in 2004 and is located adjacent to the main institution. Male inmates are housed at both institutions.

USP Hazelton was built due to the need for modern facilities to house the growing number of high-security inmates. Along with 768 general population cells, the prison contains 120 Special Housing Unit (SHU) cells for those confined to segregation. USP Hazelton has a history of violence and inmate deaths.

Notable inmates at the camp include former Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner and University of Kentucky basketball player Richie Farmer (who served 27 months for corruption).

Media reports indicate at least three inmates have been murdered at USP Hazelton, and one guard has been convicted of sexually abusing an inmate.

Inmate Housing

Inmates are housed in one-person and two-person cells. At the camp, inmates are housed in dormitories.

Health Services

Urgent care, medications, preventive care, and diagnosis or treatment of chronic infectious diseases are provided at USP Hazelton. Emergency medical and dental care is available 24 hours a day. Routine care is available through the submission of triage forms at the Health Services Unit.

Psychology Services

Psychologists are available for individual and/or group psychotherapy. Inmates are notified of new classes and groups through postings on inmate bulletin boards. The Challenge Program, a residential program for inmates with drug abuse and/or mental health problems, is available. A self-help lending library is also available.

Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP)

Hazelton Federal Penitentiary and the satellite camp do not provide a Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). Both institutions do offer Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the Drug Education class, and the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP). Those wanting to enroll in these programs should send a request form to the psychology staff.

USP Hazelton Educational, Library, and Recreation Offerings

Education Services

USP Hazelton provides GED, English-as-a-Second Language (ESL), and parenting programs. Adult Continuing Education (ACE), career counseling/Pre-Release Program (RPP) courses, and Microsoft Office 2010 are also offered. High school diplomas and post-secondary education are available through paid correspondence programs.

Advanced Occupational Education/ Vocational Training

USP Hazelton does not offer any advanced occupational education or vocational training.

Apprenticeship

The camp offers apprenticeships in Electrician and Powerplant Mechanic.

Library Services

The law library is located in the USP Hazelton Education Department and contains a variety of legal reference materials for use in preparing legal papers. Inmates have access to the TRULINCS Electronic Law Library, typewriters, and a copy machine.

The Education Department also maintains a leisure library. The library stocks reference books, magazines, newspapers, and both fiction and nonfiction books are available for checkout, as is a DVD movie program.

UNICOR

USP Hazelton manufactures Army Combat Uniform (ACU) trousers, Diplomatic Bags, and GSA Tarps.

Commissary

Inmates are permitted to spend up to $360.00 each month. Soda, food, clothing, shoes, and other items are available for inmate purchase. Inmates submit their orders in the morning, then collect their purchases in the afternoon.

Recreation Services

USP Hazelton offers formal and informal recreation programs. Inmates have access to hobby crafts such as canvas painting, watercolor painting, crocheting, and drawing. Wellness and sports programming include:

Indoors:

  • Treadmills
  • Stationary Bikes
  • Ellipticals
  • Basketball
  • Tables
  • Band Room
  • Art Room
  • TVs
  • Barbershop

Outdoors:

  • Basketball
  • Softball
  • Soccer
  • Football
  • Handball
  • Horseshoes
  • Bocce Ball
  • Walking/Running Track.

Visitation Information for USP Hazelton

On Sunday and Saturday, visiting hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. On federal holidays visiting hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. See our page on prisoner visitation rules for more information.

USP Hazelton | Hazelton Federal Penitentiary

USP Hazelton Prison Culture Information

Prison Politics at United States Penitentiary Hazelton

This is a very political yard where all inmates must belong to a car, and clean paperwork is required.

Level of Violence

Inmates report significant violence with weekly fights and monthly stabbings. There are also frequent lockdowns as a result of the violence.

Vulnerable Populations

While some respondents said that sex offenders, informants, and LGBT inmates are not allowed to stay, others reported that only sex offenders can’t stay and that informants and LGBT inmates are severely ostracized if they do remain.

Good at USP Hazelton

“Respect and great rec.”

Bad at USP Hazelton

“Violence, politics, and frequent lockdowns.” “There are frequent lockdowns due to violence in the yard.”

Other Inmate Comments

“Depends on their time. Good for harder, political time.” “Sex offenders, informants, and LGBT inmates would be killed if they stayed.” “Gangbangers should go there, and that’s about it. Those who want to put in work will like it.”

USP Hazelton in the News

In April 2018, Ian Thorne, a prisoner at the Hazelton Federal Penitentiary, was killed by another prisoner in a fight between the two, which included the use of homemade weapons. Richard Heldreth, president of the local guards union, and Senator Joe Manchin blamed the fight and death on a shortage of guards.

In December 2009, a racially-motivated fight among six prisoners at USP Hazelton resulted in the death of one of the prisoners, Jimmy Lee Wilson.

Also in 2009, Lori Sue Helmick, a nurse at USP Hazelton, engaged in sex with a prisoner and was sentenced to five months in prison.

In 2007, USP Hazelton prisoners Kevin Bellinger and Patrick Andrews stabbed fellow prisoner Jessie Harris to death. Bellinger and Andrews, who were already serving life sentences, were later sentenced to additional life sentences.

More Information About United States Penitentiary Hazelton

For a comprehensive look at life in federal prison, pick up a copy of Christopher Zoukis’ Federal Prison Handbook: The Definitive Guide to Surviving the Federal Bureau of Prisons. For more detailed information about USP Hazelton, please buy a copy of the Directory of Federal Prisons: The Unofficial Guide to Bureau of Prisons Institutions by Christopher Zoukis.