ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY
A 15-year city police department veteran accused of improperly obtaining medical benefits for his sister will be suspended without pay, authorities said Tuesday.
A 15-year city police department veteran accused of improperly obtaining medical benefits for his sister will be suspended without pay, authorities said Tuesday.
Alix Antoine, 36, a patrolman
since 2000, was arrested Monday by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's
Office and charged with official misconduct, tampering with public
records, conspiracy and insurance fraud, Police Chief Anthony Salerno
said.
Antoine is accused of filing documents in
connection with his employment as a police officer that enabled his
sister, Patricia Louis, 43, of Clifton, to get medical benefits she
wasn't entitled to receive, according to the Monmouth County
Prosecutor's Office.
Louis
is charged with conspiracy to commit official misconduct and insurance
fraud, according the Prosecutor's Office. She was released pending a court date.
Antoine is being held at the Monmouth County Jail and bail is set at $150,000 with no 10 percent option. He was ordered to surrender his passport and all firearms.
As of Tuesday afternoon, he was still in custody, according to county jail officials.
Salerno declined to comment on the nature of crimes Antoine is charged with.
"That's all part of the prosecutor's office investigation and I can't go into that," Salerno said.
Charles
Webster, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, said
early Tuesday he didn't have any information on the investigation. He
did not respond to subsequent calls and emails left by the Press.
Acting City Manager Tony Nuccio said Antoine would remain suspended pending further investigation by the prosecutor's office.
"Beyond that it's a personnel issue and there will be no other statement about it," Nuccio said.
Antoine
has been a patrolman for the Asbury Park Police Department since July
16, 2000, Salerno said. His base salary was $90,384 in 2014.
The Asbury Park Press requested a mugshot of Antoine, but the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office declined to provide one.
Nicquel Terry; nterry@gannettnj.com; 732-643-4023