(WBOY) — Rapper Cardi B called for an investigation into Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Hazelton in Preston County, West Virginia over the weekend, claiming that her friend was being mistreated there.
The rapper said on her Instagram page, which has more than 164 million followers, that her friend Star Brim, legally named Yonette Respass, has been denied access to her mail and heat in her room while serving a sentence at Hazelton’s secure female facility. The Instagram Stories post, which has since expired, also alleged that Respass has been ignored by prison leadership and her case manager.
Cardi B also suggested that Respass was mistreated because of their friendship.
“THEY ALL KNOW SHES CONNECTED TO ME AND I FEEL THEY DOING THAT TO BE SPITEFUL,” the post said.
NewsNation affiliate WBOY reached out to the Federal Bureau of Prisons about the claims and received the following response:
The heat and power at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Hazelton is fully operational with no disruptions in service. All living quarters are heated and have maintained targeted temperatures in accordance with Program Statement 4200.12, “Facilities Operations Manual” here: https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/4200.12.pdf “Temperature Set Points during Seasons. Temperature set points will be targeted to 76 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooling season and 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the heating season. All spaces will be maintained as close to the targeted set point as possible. However, due to issues such as the age of the cooling and heating systems and the inability to control temperatures in individual spaces, occupants may experience a range of temperatures in their space that is a few degrees on either side of the targeted set point.
Additionally, all incarcerated individuals at Hazelton have access to telephones and electronic messaging, in-person visiting, and are also able to communicate with loved ones via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). USPS mail is delivered every day except weekends and federal holidays. It is important to note that inclement weather conditions may affect the delivery of mail to FCC Hazelton, just as it may affect the delivery of mail in the local community.
Lastly, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has an Administrative Remedy Program for incarcerated individuals to seek formal review and redress of almost any concern they have regarding their incarceration. See Program Statement 1330.18, “Administrative Remedy Program” https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/1330_018.pdf for more information.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Office of Public Affairs
USP Hazelton is a medium security federal correctional institution with around 1,500 male inmates and a secure female facility with around 500 inmates, and this is far from the first time that citizens and loved ones of inmates have expressed concern about the conditions there.
12 News has received countless tips about the conditions at Hazelton, and in 2023, a whistleblower sent a letter to Bureau of Prisons and West Virginia officials, alleging that abuse, escapes and other misconduct were being covered up at the federal prison.
Last year, a bill establishing an inspections regime for the Bureau of Prisons, called the “Federal Prison Oversight Act,” became law with sponsorship from West Virginia’s two U.S. senators at the time: Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin.