FOLEY, Ala. — Residents of a quiet Foley neighborhood say they are relieved after a drug trafficking arrest on Crown Walk Drive, where investigators searched a home and took a 36-year-old man into custody on a long list of charges, including trafficking involving cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and Xanax.
Arvia Allen, who goes by “Trey” among family and friends, was led from the home in handcuffs as neighbors looked on. Unmarked police vehicles lined the street during the search, and investigators were seen carrying out bags of evidence.
Allen appeared in court on Monday, Nov. 9, where District Judge Grant Blackburn set his bond at a combined $114,500 on all of the charges. Allen is presumed innocent, and the accusations against him have not been proven in court.
A long search on a quiet street
Neighbor Wayne Stevens said investigators spent a good part of the day at the house, and that the activity was out of character for the area.
Stevens said they were there about three or four hours, a while, and that the neighborhood has been really quiet with no problems, so it was shocking.
Another neighbor, Diane Mudge, said the scale of the police response caught her attention.
Mudge said she was a little shocked because she didn’t know how serious it was; when she saw all the vehicles and the crime van, she thought it was serious.
Neighbors say they noticed traffic
Looking back, Stevens and Mudge said some of what they had seen around the home now makes more sense to them.
Stevens said there was a lot of activity going on around the garage.
Mudge described a steady flow of visitors, with a lot of traffic, people coming and going, cars stopping and giving things through the window.
Those observations are the neighbors’ own accounts. Authorities have not publicly detailed what led investigators to the home or what was recovered during the search, and the allegations against Allen will be decided in court.
‘We don’t want them in our neighborhood’
For residents, the concern is about safety, particularly for the children who live on the street.
Mudge said they don’t want them in their neighborhood because there is a risk and there are children, and it’s just not good for the neighborhood.
Stevens put it more simply, saying he was glad they got him.
What a drug trafficking charge means in Alabama
In Alabama, drug trafficking is defined largely by quantity. Under the state’s trafficking statute, a person can be charged with trafficking when they are accused of selling, manufacturing, delivering or bringing into the state, or knowingly possessing, more than a set amount of a controlled substance. For cocaine and methamphetamine, the threshold begins at 28 grams. For marijuana, it is more than 2.2 pounds.
Trafficking is a Class A felony, the most serious category of felony in Alabama, and the law sets mandatory minimum prison sentences and fines that increase with the amount of drugs involved. Those enhanced penalties only apply if a person is convicted; at this stage, Allen is charged, not convicted, and the specific weights alleged in his case have not been made public.
Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam, a prescription anti-anxiety medication in the benzodiazepine family. It is a controlled substance under federal and state law, and possessing or distributing it without a valid prescription is illegal.
How bond works and what happens next
A bond is a financial guarantee that an arrested person will return for future court dates. It is not a fine or a finding of guilt. In Alabama, judges set bond amounts based on factors such as the seriousness of the charges, the person’s ties to the community and whether they pose a risk of flight or danger. When a person faces several charges, bond is commonly set on each one, and together those amounts make up the total a defendant must post to be released.
Felony cases in Baldwin County typically begin in district court, where a judge handles early matters such as bond and preliminary hearings. If a case moves forward, it can be presented to a grand jury and then proceed in Baldwin County Circuit Court, where felony trials and pleas are handled. Defendants have the right to an attorney and to challenge the evidence against them.
About Foley
Foley is one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in Baldwin County, located in the southern part of the county a short drive north of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Much of its growth in recent years has come in newer residential subdivisions, and neighbors on Crown Walk Drive describe their street as one where problems like this have been rare.
Reporting suspicious activity
Law enforcement agencies encourage residents who notice possible drug activity in their neighborhoods to report it rather than confront anyone directly. In Foley, residents can contact the Foley Police Department through its non-emergency line, or call 911 if they believe a crime is in progress or someone is in danger.
- Note details such as dates, times, vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers, if they can be seen safely.
- Do not approach or follow anyone you suspect of criminal activity.
- Ask about anonymous tip options if you are concerned about being identified.
Allen is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in a court of law.
