West Virginia Code Chapter 62. Criminal Procedure § 62-8-8. Orders and warrants for arrest of inmates; authorization to obtain arrest warrants

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the Commissioner of the Division of Corrections, or his or her designee, may issue an order of arrest for inmates who have been released from the custody of the division due to a clerical error, mistake or due to the failure of a sentencing court to timely transmit an order of commitment prior to the release of an inmate from the commissioner's custody or to the commissioner's custody. All law-enforcement officers shall honor and enforce orders of arrest in the same manner afforded warrants of arrest issued by magistrate or circuit courts notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary.

(b) The Commissioner of the Division of Corrections, or his or her designee, may file criminal complaints and obtain from a court of competent jurisdiction an arrest warrant for any inmate under commitment to the commissioner for service of a sentence of incarceration who has escaped from a facility or otherwise absconded from a furlough or temporary release.

(c) The Commissioner of the Division of Corrections, or his or her designee, may enter such orders of arrest or warrants referred to in this section into all criminal reporting databases and other computerized systems utilized by law enforcement for the reporting and apprehension of criminals and fugitives.