MOBILE, Ala. — A two-month drug enforcement push along the U.S. Highway 90 corridor has led to the arrests of 26 people, with a 27th arrest announced Friday, according to the Mobile Police Department.
The effort, which police named “Operation Take Back 90,” was carried out by the department’s Narcotics/Vice Unit from August through September 2026. Police said the operation began because people living and working along Highway 90 and in nearby neighborhoods had complained about illegal drug activity in the area.
Over the course of the operation, investigators served six search warrants and seized $6,851 in cash, more than 10.5 kilograms of drugs, four vehicles and five guns, according to figures released by the department. Police valued the drugs at more than $217,000, with marijuana making up the overwhelming share of that total.
All of the people named by police are charged or were arrested on warrants, and none has been convicted in connection with the operation. Every person arrested is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Operation Take Back 90 at a glance
- Who: Mobile Police Department Narcotics/Vice Unit
- When: August through September 2026
- Where: The Highway 90 corridor in Mobile and surrounding areas
- Why: Community complaints about illegal drug activity
- Search warrants served: 6 during the operation, plus a follow-up warrant on Sept. 25
- People arrested: 26, with one additional arrest announced Sept. 25
- Cash seized: $6,851
- Vehicles seized: 4, valued at $24,000
- Guns seized: 5, valued at $2,000
What police say the operation targeted
According to the department, narcotics investigators focused on proactive enforcement rather than waiting for calls. That included targeted interdiction work and follow-up investigations meant to identify street-level dealers and the customers who buy from them.
Police said the goals were to improve public safety, build community confidence and support ongoing efforts to cut drug-related crime along the corridor.
The arrests ranged widely in seriousness. Many of the people listed by police face a single misdemeanor-level marijuana possession count. A smaller group faces felony charges such as drug trafficking, distribution or possession with intent to distribute. Several people were also picked up on outstanding warrants for traffic offenses, contempt of court or probation matters.
What investigators seized
Mobile police released an itemized list of drugs recovered during the operation, along with the estimated street value the department assigned to each:
- Marijuana: 10,484.83 grams, valued at $209,696.60
- Cocaine: 33.7 grams, valued at $3,370
- THC liquid and edibles: 104 grams, valued at $2,600
- Synthetic marijuana, also known as spice: 24 grams, valued at $480
- Crack cocaine: 4 grams, valued at $400
- Heroin: 1.89 grams, valued at $283.50
- Crystal methamphetamine: 20.6 grams, valued at $206
- Mushrooms: 18 grams, valued at $180
- Codeine: 8 grams, valued at $160
- Hydrocodone: 1 gram, valued at $100
- MDMA, or ecstasy: 3.65 grams, valued at $54.75
Police also reported seizing 130 pills. The department has not publicly broken down what those pills were.
The roughly 10.5 kilograms of marijuana works out to a little more than 23 pounds. By weight, it accounts for about 98% of the drugs recovered, and by the department’s estimates it represents roughly 96% of the total dollar value.
Street values are estimates set by law enforcement and can vary depending on the drug, the quantity and local market conditions.
Additional arrest on Branford Court
Late Friday afternoon, Sept. 25, Mobile police announced that the operation had produced one more arrest.
Officials said the Narcotics and Vice Unit executed a search warrant Friday at a home in the 3800 block of Branford Court. Terry Pettway, 30, was arrested after that search, police said.
Pettway is charged with trafficking marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, illegal possession of a prescription drug and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to police.
Those arrested and their charges
The Mobile Police Department released the following names, ages and charges for the 26 people arrested during the operation. Charges marked as warrants reflect outstanding warrants that were served at the time of arrest.
- Kelly Jackson, 41: possession of a controlled substance
- Terrell Armstrong Jr., 30: first-degree possession of marijuana
- Frederick Weston Jr., 35: possession of a controlled substance
- James Morgan, 23: possession of paraphernalia and second-degree possession of marijuana; warrants for driving with a suspended license, no insurance, improper lane change and running a stop sign
- Antwon Wilson, 38: second-degree possession of marijuana
- Jewon Lee, 27: second-degree possession of marijuana
- Jalen Lee, 25: second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia
- Jermaine Turner, 52: possession of a controlled substance and second-degree possession of marijuana
- Jonathan Eady, 44: possession of a controlled substance; warrants for two counts of driving with a suspended license, two counts of no insurance, improper lights and failure to show vehicle registration
- Everick Jones Jr., 32: second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia; warrants for no insurance and failure to show vehicle registration
- Robert Timmes, 60: first-degree possession of marijuana; warrant for contempt of court
- Stephen Stewart, 44: possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, trafficking illegal drugs (opium), trafficking illegal drugs (cocaine) and unlawful possession with intent to distribute; warrant for running a red light
- Terry Fletcher, 61: warrants for possession of a controlled substance and probation revocation
- Santarrio Capell, 33: trafficking illegal drugs (marijuana)
- Michael Bonner Jr., 28: second-degree possession of marijuana and tampering with physical evidence
- Clarence Lee Jr., 58: second-degree possession of marijuana
- John Rather, 23: possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of marijuana, certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm and loitering for the purpose of drug activity
- Anthony Harris, 24: possession of a controlled substance
- Alwaahid Foster, 47: two counts of first-degree possession of marijuana
- Terrance Mabens, 32: second-degree possession of marijuana
- Carmella Staten, 35: two counts of second-degree possession of marijuana, four counts of chemical endangerment of a child, four counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, four counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia; warrants for four counts of no insurance, driving with a suspended license, two counts of expired tag, no child restraint, driver’s license not in possession, failure or refusal to display insurance, and harassment or harassing communications
- George Walker, 63: possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of distribution of a controlled substance
- Patrick Walker, 63: possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia
- Heriberto Hernandez, 61: possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of probation violation
- Kendal Benjamin, 38: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia
- Demetrius Quinnie, 37: possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute (methamphetamine), attempting to elude, second-degree possession of marijuana and tampering with physical evidence; warrants for two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree possession of marijuana, tampering with physical evidence and no driver’s license
Understanding the charges
The list includes a mix of misdemeanors and felonies under Alabama law. Here is a general look at some of the most common charges, based on the state’s criminal code. The specific penalties any person could face depend on the facts of the case, criminal history and the outcome in court.
Marijuana possession
Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Alabama. The state created a tightly regulated medical cannabis program in 2021, but it does not allow smokable or raw plant marijuana, and it does not permit recreational use.
Second-degree possession of marijuana generally applies to possession for personal use and is a Class A misdemeanor. First-degree possession is a felony and generally applies when the marijuana is possessed for something other than personal use, or when a person has a prior marijuana possession conviction.
Drug trafficking
Trafficking charges in Alabama are based largely on quantity. For example, possessing more than 2.2 pounds of marijuana, or 28 grams or more of cocaine, can support a trafficking charge. Trafficking is a Class A felony and carries mandatory minimum sentences and fines that increase with the amount involved.
Possession of a controlled substance
Unlawful possession of a controlled substance, such as cocaine, methamphetamine or a prescription opioid without a valid prescription, is a felony in Alabama. Distribution and possession with intent to distribute are more serious felonies than simple possession.
Chemical endangerment of a child
Alabama’s chemical endangerment law makes it a crime to knowingly, recklessly or intentionally cause or allow a child to be exposed to, ingest, inhale or have contact with a controlled substance, chemical substance or drug paraphernalia. At its base level, the offense is a felony, and the penalties increase sharply if a child is seriously injured or dies.
Certain persons forbidden
This charge refers to an Alabama law that bars certain people, including those previously convicted of violent offenses and some other categories of people, from owning or possessing a firearm.
Why the Highway 90 corridor
U.S. Highway 90 is one of the oldest east-west routes across the Gulf Coast. In Mobile, it runs along Government Street and Government Boulevard and continues west through Tillmans Corner and the communities of south Mobile County toward the Mississippi state line.
The highway is lined with homes, apartment complexes, businesses, churches and busy commercial strips, and it carries a steady flow of local and through traffic. That mix of residential and commercial activity is part of why complaints from people who live and work along the corridor carry weight with police.
Police have not said which specific streets or neighborhoods along the corridor generated the most complaints, or where each of the six original search warrants was served.
What happens next
Each person arrested in the operation will move through the court system separately. Misdemeanor cases generally are handled in Mobile Municipal Court or Mobile County District Court. Felony cases typically begin in district court and, if they proceed, are presented to a grand jury before moving to Mobile County Circuit Court.
Any case can be dismissed, reduced, resolved through a plea agreement or taken to trial. Charges announced at the time of arrest can also change as prosecutors review the evidence.
Seized cash, vehicles and guns may become the subject of separate legal proceedings. Under Alabama law, prosecutors can ask a court to order the forfeiture of money and property they believe is tied to drug crimes, and owners have the right to contest those requests in court.
Mobile police have not said whether the Narcotics/Vice Unit plans similar operations in other parts of the city, but the department said the effort supports its ongoing work to reduce drug-related crime.
How to report drug activity
Police said the operation grew out of complaints from the community, and the department encourages residents to continue reporting suspected drug activity. Residents can:
- Call the Mobile Police Department: 251-208-7211
- Send an anonymous text tip: 844-251-0644
- Call 911 for any crime in progress or emergency
When reporting, it helps to note addresses, times, vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers, while staying at a safe distance and avoiding any direct confrontation.