AUGUSTA — A Waterville man and a woman made initial court appearances Wednesday on drug charges from separate incidents that occurred over the weekend, with a judge hiking bail in one case in order to draw attention to the deadliness of fentanyl.
Tommy L. Glidden, 29, was charged with aggravated trafficking of fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid.
Natalie Johansmeier, 36, was charged with unlawful trafficking of fentanyl, unlawful furnishing of cocaine base, unlawful possession of Suboxone, and violating conditions of her release.
Court documents filed at the Capital Judicial Center say Glidden was arrested Saturday on an outstanding warrant for failure to pay restitution related to a criminal mischief. A police affidavit filed in court said a search turned up “contraband” that was seized from Glidden. Waterville Police Officer Daniel Goss said in the affidavit that a plastic bag with nine druggist folds was in Glidden’s possession.
Goss wrote that there were two substances in the folds, one white and one brown. The white substance did not test positive for any illicit drug. Police found 3.1 grams of the brown powder, which tested positive for fentanyl.
Glidden had a prior conviction for selling drugs, police said. Coupled with the weight of the drugs in his possession, the charge was elevated to aggravated trafficking, a Class A felony.
Glidden’s bail was initially set at $5,000. State attorneys argued for $10,000 bail, while Glidden’s attorney Scott Gurney argued for $3,000 cash bail and a pre-trial agreement. Justice Tom Nale increased it to $25,000, citing the deadliness of fentanyl.
On Sunday, Johansmeier was the passenger in a car pulled over on Water Street in Waterville, police said. Johansmeier was subject to random search and ordered not to possess illegal drugs as a result of bail conditions related to prior charges of unlawful possession on crack and Suboxone and unlawful trafficking on fentanyl back in November.
According to an affidavit written by Officer Cody Vigue, a needle was found in the vehicle along with a purse that contained 11.32 grams of crack, 0.77 grams of heroin, 2.38 grams of fentanyl and four pills and one strip of Suboxone.
Nale set bail for the December charges at $10,000, but revoked the previous bail and ordered her held without bail on the other charges.
Sam Shepherd — 621-5666
Twitter: @SamShepME
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