Pubdate: Tue, 06 May 2008
Source: Union Leader (Manchester, NH)
Copyright: 2008 The Union Leader Corp.
Contact:  http://www.theunionleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/761
Author: Jason Schreiber
Note: Letters from newspaper's circulation area receive publishing priority

DRUG COUNSELOR FACES COKE POSSESSION CHARGE

BRENTWOOD - A longtime New Hampshire drug and  alcohol abuse counselor
who helped many troubled teens  and adults is facing a drug charge of
his own.

Floyd Jozitis, 56, of Dover was arrested April 23 after  he failed to
show up at his arraignment in March on a  cocaine possession charge.

State police first arrested Jozitis on Nov. 30 in  Seabrook after he
was allegedly found with cocaine. He  was indicted in early March by a
Rockingham County  grand jury and was scheduled to be arraigned on
March  27.

When he failed to appear at the arraignment, a bench warrant for his
arrest was issued on April 9. North Hampton police discovered the
warrant during a motor  vehicle stop on April 23 and he was arrested, 
Rockingham County Sheriff's Capt. Mark Peirce said  yesterday.

Jozitis has a long history of helping people battling  addiction. He
served as director of Odyssey House, now called OdysseyNH, for more
than 20 years. The program  offers substance abuse services and
provided the first  residential treatment program. Jozitis hasn't
worked  for the organization for several years, according to Erik B.
Johannessen, OdysseyNH's chief executive  officer.

Jozitis was a court referral officer for the state Department of
Corrections from 1997 to 2006, providing drug and alcohol abuse
counseling to adults.

Jozitis also counseled students at Winnacunnet High School who
struggled with drug and alcohol problems. He  worked as a part-time
counselor at the school, but left  a few years ago.

Peirce could not confirm his work history, but said he was aware that
Jozitis had been involved in drug and  alcohol counseling for many
years.

The amount of cocaine Jozitis allegedly had in his possession wasn't
clear yesterday. Assistant Rockingham  County Attorney Bill Pate said
only that he had a  "quantity of cocaine."

Jozitis could not be reached for comment.
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