Drug Recovery Coach Accused Of Domestic Violence: Report

LAVALLETTE, NJ — A prominent addiction recovery specialist has been arrested in a domestic violence case where he is accused of slapping his ex-wife, according to a report.

John Brogan, who was the face of addiction recovery efforts in Ocean County during the tenure of Joseph Coronato as Ocean County prosecutor, was arrested last week in the domestic violence case, the Asbury Park Press reported.

Brogan is accused of slapping his ex-wife during a daylong dispute between the two, the report said. It did not give the nature of the argument, but the report said Brogan slapped his ex-wife's arm hard enough to leave red marks. He has been charged with simple assault, the report said. More is available here.

Brogan, through his company Lifeline Recovery Support Services, became a key part of the prosecutor's office's efforts to fight the opioid crisis, speaking at various events about his experience as a recovering addict. He spoke at an event where every high school in Ocean County was equipped with naloxone in case of overdoses in the schools.

But those efforts were publicly called into question in called into question after Michel A. Paulhus, the former executive assistant Ocean County prosecutor, was fired in July 2018. Coronato at the time said Paulhus was fired for creating a hostile work environment. Coronato later said Paulhus had sexually harassed two members of the prosecutor's office staff, Jersey Shore Online reported.

Paulhus filed a whistleblower lawsuit in March, accusing Coronato and first assistant prosecutor John R. Corson Jr. of turning a blind eye to Brogan's activities in connection with those battling addiction and the court system.

Paulhus alleges he warned Coronato and Corson in May 2018 that Brogan was personally benefiting from his personal relationship with Coronato and his business relationship with the prosecutor's office, and raised questions about the legality of some of Brogan's activities.

One of the incidents cited in the lawsuit alleges a young woman who was released from the Ocean County Jail was taken to Brogan's office and an assistant in Brogan's office took her to a place where she could take drugs before boarding a plane to Florida. Once in Florida, testing positive for drugs would gain her entry to a drug rehabilitation facility. Brogan then allegedly told the parents he would not speak to the probation court on the daughter's behalf about her having gone to Florida until the parents signed a contract and paid him, according to the lawsuit.

Brogan has denied the allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated in an interview with NJ.com.

Paulhus's lawsuit is attached below.

Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Toms River Patch on Facebook.