Spokane drug counselor charged with selling drugs

Prosecutors say a Spokane drug and alcohol counselor was distributing and possessing meth and heroin in December and January.

Prosecutors filed eight new charges against Anthony L. Williams, 59, who appeared Wednesday in Spokane County Superior Court and was given a $100,000 bond. He is currently in Spokane County Jail.

Spokane detectives set up five controlled buys from Williams stretching from December to January. Using proxy buyers, detectives bought more than $5,500 worth of meth totaling more than a pound, according to court documents. Detectives said Williams also sold a quarter-ounce of heroin to the proxy buyer.

After police arrested him, Williams said he had been selling meth since about August and had nine regular customers and 12 occasional customers. He also said he sometimes sold drugs for sex, according to court documents.

Williams was previously arrested Jan. 25 for possessing and distributing meth, according to KHQ-TV, but was released on his own recognizance. He appeared in court Wednesday on new charges.

Williams was employed at Spokane Treatment and Recovery Services, formerly called Community Detox Services of Spokane, for five years, said Executive Director Blake Redding. Williams was terminated the day after his first arrest on Jan. 25, Redding said.

Redding said Wednesday he didn’t suspect anything suspicious about Williams during his employment and he has no evidence that Williams sold drugs to former patients.

“It’s a sad thing when someone does so much work for the community and falls back into addiction,” Redding said. “We wish him well.”