Four charged in Bangor drug raids

BANGOR – Police and drug agents raided two apartments on Third Street late Monday night, arresting three people and summoning a fourth, all on drug charges.

Acting on search warrants, authorities recovered prescription medications, cocaine and drug paraphernalia from the two apartments at 97 Third St., residences where they said drugs have been used and sold.

Members of the Police Department’s heavily armed and armored Special Response Team made a “no knock” forcible entry into the first-floor apartment Norman Hightower, 23, shared with his girlfriend and 4-year-old son, police officials said Tuesday. Hightower has a history of violence. Police confiscated a .44 Magnum revolver from him while investigating a complaint in December 2004.

As the last member of the SRT entered the first apartment, another group of officers made their way to the second-floor apartment where drug activity also had been reported, Bangor police Officer Eric Tourtelotte said Tuesday.

When no one answered the door, the officers, members of the department’s Special Enforcement Team and drug agents forced their way in.

Inside they found several people including Hightower’s 4-year-old son, who had been playing with a 6-year-old boy whose father was in the same apartment but who was not charged in the incident.

Authorities have contacted the Department of Health and Human Services for both youths, Bangor police Officer Shawn Green said.

Hightower and his girlfriend, Brandy Lyons, 20, were charged with possession of a Schedule W drug after authorities said they found cocaine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and marijuana roaches in their possession or in their apartment.

Lyons was summoned but was not taken into custody so she could stay with her son, the police said.

At the time of his arrest, Hightower was out on bail and was charged with violation of condition of release, according to police.

The upstairs neighbors, Toby Thurston, 45, and his roommate, Terri Nichols, 35, each were charged with unlawful possession of Schedule W drugs and unlawful possession of Schedule Z drugs after police reported finding narcotics, including Percocet and the muscle relaxant Flexeril, and a large amount of drug paraphernalia, including hypodermic needles.