PARIS – The man accused of a string of burglaries and thefts – as well as a day-long standoff with police – is being isolated from other inmates at the Oxford County Jail.

“I think we feel he just needs to be by himself,” said Capt. Ernest Martin, the jail’s administrator. “It just works better.”

Norman “Bo” Thompson, 35, of Mexico and Lewiston, is charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, and violating conditions of release as part of a Pearl Street burglary.

Thompson was arrested Oct. 11 after a 14-hour standoff with police at his mother’s home on Oxford Street in Mexico.

Martin said there were early indications that Thompson was anti-social and that it would be more prudent to segregate him from other inmates.

The jail has an administrative segregation unit, which is a single-occupancy cell. Martin said the cell can be used for punishment or quarantining sick inmates, but is most often used for people with “some degree of mental illness.”

“I don’t know if he’s mentally ill or not,” Martin said. “I’d say he has a personality disorder.”

Martin said an inmate must display psychotic or suicidal tendencies to be sent to the Riverview Psychiatric Center in Augusta, and that inmates are often returned to the jail with diagnoses of behavioral issues.

Martin characterized Thompson as a “compulsive talker,” who occasionally discusses his case with staff at the jail.

“He’s very argumentative,” Martin said. “I’ve heard that with my own ears.”

Martin said Thompson is not aggressive, but believes his personality would lead to clashes with other inmates if he were put in a cell block.

“He’d probably wear out his welcome within hours,” Martin said.

Besides the administrative segregation unit, the jail has a holding cell where inmates may be put on suicide watch. Although Thompson’s family said he was suicidal following the standoff earlier this month, Martin said an initial suicide assessment conducted at the jail came up negative.

“There were no red flags brought up, or we would have been more cautious with him,” he said.

Martin said Thompson was “virtually unknown” at the jail prior to the charges brought up in the standoff.

Thompson is a suspect in several home and vehicle burglaries as well as vehicle thefts from Oct. 6 to Oct. 11. He was released from the Androscoggin County Jail on Oct. 5, two days after Sun Journal photographer Russ Dillingham helped Lewiston police apprehend him. Dramatic photos Dillingham took of Thompson as he attempted to elude police gained national attention.

Thompson had been a suspect in other vehicle thefts prior to that arrest.

Following the standoff in Mexico, Thompson was ordered held without bail at the Oxford County Jail.

Assistant jail administrator Lt. Loretta Sanborn said Thompson did have another inmate stay with him in a cell for a time, and that he has been adjusting to the jail.

“I think in the future he’ll probably be integrated,” Sanborn said.