Hazelton Inmate Foster Gets 6.5 Years for Guard Assault

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Dwight Foster, age 50, is headed back deeper into the federal pen after a jury decided his attempt to turn a prison cell into an armory warranted an additional 6.5 years. Foster, a federal inmate formerly housed at the notoriously rough United States Penitentiary Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, received a 78-month sentence today for assaulting a correctional officer.

The October 2023 trial laid bare a dangerous situation. Court documents reveal officers discovered a prison-made weapon during a routine search of Foster’s cell. It wasn’t the possession of the contraband itself that sealed Foster’s fate, but his reaction when officers moved to confiscate it. According to testimony, Foster immediately struck the officer with a fist, initiating a violent confrontation.

The jury didn’t buy Foster’s excuses, finding him guilty of assault of a correctional officer involving physical contact *and* possession of a weapon. This wasn’t a simple scuffle; it was a deliberate act of violence against someone sworn to maintain order in a volatile environment. Hazelton, already known for its high rate of incidents, saw another inmate add to the chaos.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Flower and Christie Utt relentlessly prosecuted the case, presenting evidence that left no doubt in the jurors’ minds. Their work ensures that those who target correctional officers face serious consequences. The Bureau of Prisons conducted the initial investigation, uncovering the weapon and gathering witness statements.

Foster’s time isn’t up after 78 months. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh tacked on an additional three years of supervised release, meaning Foster will be under federal watch even after he’s theoretically a free man. This sentence sends a clear message: attacking a correctional officer will not be tolerated.

Grimy Times will continue to follow federal cases in West Virginia, exposing the underbelly of the criminal justice system. The conditions inside USP Hazelton remain a concern, and we’ll be watching to see if the Bureau of Prisons takes steps to address the ongoing safety issues. This case is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who work within the walls of our nation’s prisons.