FOIA Request to Webster County Sheriff’s Office regarding 2023 arrest records on September 24, 2025.
The Mountain State Times has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Webster County Sheriff’s Office in West Virginia. The request, dated September 24, 2025, seeks access to all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The requested data includes specific details such as the arrestee’s name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status. Additionally, the request asks for booking IDs, dates of arrest, booking photos, names of arresting officers, types of crimes committed, locations and dates of crimes.
The request was made under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§29-B-1-1 et seq.) with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format. The Mountain State Times emphasizes its role in gathering and reporting news to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public. As a media organization involved in disseminating information to the public, they have requested a fee waiver for accessing these records.
Furthermore, the requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
