Following a traffic stop at the intersection of Hammond and Union Streets Monday evening, Bangor Police arrested Thomas Pope, 48, of Orono initially on charges of violating the conditions of his bail.
On further investigation, police, utilizing a K9 unit, found a plastic bag containing what they believe to be cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamines.
While being transported to the Penobscot County jail, an officer noticed Pope fidgeting suspiciously in the back seat. When they reached their location, officers searched the cruiser and found another bag containing drugs. In reviewing footage from the passenger compartment afterwards, police say Pope had extracted a bag from his pocket and tossed it to where they later found the additional narcotics.
Given the amount of narcotics discovered, authorities charged Pope with trafficking in scheduled drugs, a Class A offense, as well as violation of bail conditions, a Class E crime. He is currently being held at the Penobscot County Jail.
Not the new American pope, but Thomas J. Pope of Orono, 48, photo courtesy of the Bangor Police Department
