[StBernard] Metairie man booked with $10, 000 of narcotic pills in St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Metairie man booked with $10,000 of narcotic pills in St. Bernard Parish
Published: Friday, July 23, 2010, 3:09 PM     Updated: Friday, July 23,
2010, 3:21 PM
 The Times-Picayune 
 
A Metairie man was arrested this week in St. Bernard Parish in possession of
$10,000 worth of narcotic prescription pills that he intended to sell, the
St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office said. 

Anthony Taranto, 46, was booked Wednesday with possession with intent to
distribute Oxycontin, Xanax and Oxycodone, authorities said. Deputies
stopped Taranto at an insurance checkpoint and discovered 260 pills in his
possession. He was also carrying $2,500, the Sheriff's Office said.

A passenger in the vehicle, Karey Tedesco, 35, also of Metairie, was booked
with possession of 7.5 pills in her possession, authorities said.

Taranto admitted that he had traveled to Tennessee to obtain prescriptions
from a doctor there.

Deputies at a checkpoint at East Liberaux Street and LaPlace Drive in
Chalmette said Taranto and the woman seemed nervous when deputies began
asking Taranto why he was not wearing a seatbelt. As the pair exited the
vehicle, a deputy saw the woman reach in the center console of the vehicle
and put something into her back pocket.

When asked, the woman said she had a handful of pills that Taranto had given
to her. 

Taranto told deputies a doctor in Tennessee had written the prescriptions
for the pills that were in three bottles in the vehicle. Chief Deputy
Sheriff James Pohlmann said the prescriptions had been filled two days
earlier and had substantially fewer pills than the amount of the
prescription.

Taranto remained in St. Bernard Parish Prison Friday in lieu of $50,000
bond. Tedesco remained in custody in lieu of $12,000 bond.