Former NBA guard Tony Allen arrested on drug charges in Arkansas

Former NBA guard Tony Allen was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop in Poinsett County, Arkansas, and charged with two drug-possession offenses, authorities said. The stop occurred on Interstate 555 about 50 miles northwest of Memphis, where deputies approached a vehicle driven by 33-year-old William Hatton of Memphis and found substances they say led to the arrests.

Deputies reported detecting a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car and ordered the occupants to exit. They said officers found a package of a leafy substance on Allen that was later identified as marijuana. A search of the vehicle turned up a cigarette box in the passenger seat that tested positive for cocaine, officials said. Both men were booked at the county detention center and face charges including possession of a controlled substance less than two grams and possession of marijuana less than four ounces. Hatton is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and an improper lane change, according to the sheriff’s office.

Allen, 43, was the passenger in the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. The investigation remains active and prosecutors will determine whether to file additional charges.