BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A judge set bond at $50,000 on Monday for a former Orange Beach police officer accused of sexually abusing a child under the age of 12, following a hearing at the Baldwin County Courthouse.
Timothy Gavin, 44, of Foley, was taken into custody the previous Friday and held without bond at the Baldwin Corrections Center while the case moved through the early stages of the court process. Gavin had stepped down from his position with the Orange Beach Police Department in the days surrounding his arrest, according to court proceedings.
Baldwin County District Court Judge Scott Taylor presided over Monday’s bond hearing, ultimately setting the amount at $50,000. As a condition of any release, Taylor ordered that Gavin be placed under house arrest and fitted with an electronic monitoring device to track his location. The judge additionally barred Gavin from any contact with the alleged victim or with any child under 18 years of age while the case is pending.
The arrest and subsequent court appearance drew attention in Baldwin County, both because of the seriousness of the allegation and because of Gavin’s prior role in law enforcement along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Officers who leave a department under a cloud of criminal allegations often face intense scrutiny from the communities they once served, and this case was no exception, with residents and local officials watching closely as it proceeded through the Baldwin County court system.
Court records indicate the case remained in its preliminary stages at the time of the bond hearing, with additional proceedings expected as prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare for the next steps. Sexual abuse cases involving children are typically handled with heightened caution by Baldwin County courts, including strict release conditions like those imposed on Gavin, aimed at protecting potential victims and witnesses while the legal process unfolds.
As with many criminal matters that wind through the Bay Minette courthouse, the case is expected to continue for months before reaching trial or resolution. Local authorities have not released additional details about the specific circumstances of the alleged abuse, citing the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.