FLOMATON, Ala. — Three people face drug charges after a Flomaton narcotics search warrant was served at a College Street home last week by town police, backed by a county SWAT team and a regional drug task force.
The Flomaton Police Department said officers executed the warrant on Thursday, Sept. 17, as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. Investigators said they found evidence consistent with illegal drug activity inside the residence.
Police said the investigation is not over and that more charges could be filed.
Who was charged after the Flomaton narcotics search warrant
Three people at the home were arrested and charged, according to the Flomaton Police Department:
- Cynthia Goebel, 60: unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia
- Tonya Rolin: unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and second-degree possession of marijuana
- Justin White: unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and second-degree possession of marijuana
Police did not release the ages of Rolin and White. The department also did not say what type of controlled substance was found, how much was recovered or the exact address of the home.
All three are presumed innocent. The charges are accusations that prosecutors must prove in court.
Multiple agencies took part
Flomaton officers did not act alone. The department said the operation was carried out in coordination with the Escambia County (AL) Multi-Agency SWAT Team and the Lower Alabama Drug Task Force.
Specialized tactical teams are often called in when police serve drug-related search warrants, particularly at residences where officers do not know who or what may be inside.
The Lower Alabama Drug Task Force has been active in the county in recent weeks. Also this month, the task force and the Escambia County SWAT Team assisted the Atmore Police Department’s narcotics division in serving a search warrant at a home on Middleton Lane in Atmore. In that case, a 39-year-old man was charged with trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in methamphetamine and several other drug offenses.
There is no indication the two cases are connected.
The “(AL)” in the SWAT team’s name is a practical detail. Escambia County, Alabama, shares its name with neighboring Escambia County, Florida, just across the state line, and agencies in the region often specify the state to avoid confusion.
How search warrants work
A search warrant allows officers to enter and search a specific place for evidence of a crime. Under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a warrant must be issued by a judge or magistrate, must be based on probable cause supported by sworn statements and must describe the place to be searched and the items to be seized.
In narcotics cases, officers typically build that probable cause over time through an investigation before asking a judge to sign off. Flomaton police said this warrant was part of such an ongoing investigation, though they did not describe what led investigators to the College Street home.
What the charges mean under Alabama law
The three people charged in Flomaton face a mix of felony and misdemeanor counts. Here is how Alabama law classifies each offense:
- Unlawful possession of a controlled substance: A Class D felony under Alabama law. The state’s sentencing statute sets a range of one year and one day to five years for a Class D felony.
- Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia: A misdemeanor under Alabama law.
- Second-degree possession of marijuana: A misdemeanor that generally applies to possession for personal use. The maximum penalty is up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $6,000.
By comparison, first-degree marijuana possession, which applies to possession for other than personal use or to repeat offenders, is a Class C felony in Alabama. None of the three people arrested in Flomaton was charged with that offense.
Actual sentences, if any, depend on the outcome of each case, a defendant’s prior record and decisions made by prosecutors and judges.
Investigation remains open
The Flomaton Police Department said the case remains active. The department noted that additional charges may be filed as investigators continue their work.
Police did not say whether more arrests are expected or whether the investigation extends beyond the College Street home.
About Flomaton
Flomaton is a small town in Escambia County that sits directly on the Alabama-Florida state line. Its name is a blend of “Florida,” “Alabama” and “town,” a nod to its location on the border.
The community began in 1869 as a railroad junction and was incorporated as a town in 1908. It grew as a stop on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and today CSX Transportation operates a rail line through town linking Montgomery and Mobile with routes to Florida’s Gulf Coast. U.S. Highways 29 and 31 converge in Flomaton.
The town had 1,466 residents as of the 2020 census, a slight increase from 2010.
How to report suspected drug activity
Residents who have concerns about drug activity in their neighborhoods have several options:
- In an emergency: Call 911.
- In Flomaton: Contact the Flomaton Police Department.
- Countywide: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force operates a tip hotline at 251-809-2154 and accepts anonymous tips through an online form on the sheriff’s office website.
The sheriff’s office describes the drug task force’s mission as investigating people and organizations involved in narcotics trafficking, seizing assets gained through that trafficking and promoting coordinated drug enforcement among law enforcement agencies in the county. The office stresses that community participation is essential to that work.