Inmate Sentenced for Having Weapon at FCI Beckley

BECKLEY, W.Va. - United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Troy Covington, 20, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Beckley, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, to run consecutively to the sentence he currently is serving, for possessing a weapon at the facility. He also was sentenced to three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.

“For possessing a makeshift weapon in the prison, Covington added another year to his prison stay,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “I commend the staff of the  Federal Bureau of Prisons for their vigilant efforts to maintain a secure environment within correctional facilities.”

Covington admitted that on February 8, 2020, he possessed a handcrafted weapon, commonly referred to as a “shank,” while he was an inmate at the FCI Beckley.   The “shank” was a four inch piece of plexiglass sharpened to a point on one end, with a handle made of tape on the other end.  A staff member with the FCI Beckley found the shank concealed in a pair of shorts Covington was wearing. Covington admitted that the shank was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-cr-00178.

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