Anthony Trimble was suspended Wednesday from his state position as a substance abuse counselor
WOODBRIDGE -- A drug counselor accused of blackmailing a patient at a private rehab facility is also a New Jersey employee with a similar position, officials confirmed.
Anthony Trimble, 54, of Howell Township The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office charged Anthony Trimble, 54, with extortion last week following the accusations from his part-time job.
On Wednesday, the state suspended the Howell man from his full-time state position as a substance abuse counselor at a treatment facility in Woodbridge, said Ellen Lovejoy, a spokeswoman for the Department of Human Services.
County authorities have accused Trimble of demanding an undisclosed amount of cash from the unnamed patient on Dec. 14 following a failed a drug test in exchange for a favorable report.
The alleged incident occurred while Trimble was working at his part-time job at Journey to Wellness, a privately-owned substance abuse and treatment facility in Perth Amboy. He has since been fired from that position over the allegations.
Trimble is currently an employee at the Special Treatment Unit at Avenel with an annual salary of $63,470, according to state payroll data. He has worked for the state since 2010.
The state will hold a hearing on administrative charges following Trimble's accusations, which were unrelated to his state job, Lovejoy said. It was unclear if Trimble was still being paid by the state while suspended.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.