Woman At Center of Baldwin Fentanyl Investigation Arrested In Florida

Erica Thomas • January 2, 2026

Bailey Hart was arrested by Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies

Woman at center of extensive Baldwin Co. fentanyl investigation

A woman arrested in Escambia County, Fla., for cocaine possession and drug possession had a history of alleged drug activity in Baldwin County.


Bailey Hart was arrested Monday after Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies pulled her over for driving erratically on Nine Mile Road. Deputies discovered 20 grams of cocaine in the vehicle and arrested her.



Hart was at the center of a months-long investigation in Baldwin County in 2024 that ended in one of the largest fentanyl busts in county history.


According to deputies, Hart was living in a home that was raided on Jan. 9, 2024. Investigators found more than 2,000 fentanyl tablets in the home. Hart was arrested and charged with trafficking dangerous drugs (fentanyl), possession of marijuana and tampering with physical evidence. Matthew Lyle Crider was also arrested in the raid.


Hart was released from jail and ordered into a treatment program on Feb. 16, 2024, but was later expelled from the program.


According to Baldwin County jail records, Hart was arrested again on July 29, 2024, for possession of cocaine, possession of dangerous drugs and distribution, and her bond was revoked.


Hart was again released on Dec. 16, 2024, but landed back behind bars for one day in July 2025, after failing a drug test and failing to appear in court.


The Baldwin County cases were bound over to the Grand Jury.



Hart is considered innocent until proven guilty.


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