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Edgewood Dentist Has Past Drug, Tax Evasion Charges

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- There is new information following the arrest of a local dentist.

The KDKA Investigators have learned Edgewood Dr. Anthony Monteleone could lose his license to practice.

The information is voluminous and includes hundreds of pages of documents – state, local, civil and criminal.

There are drug charges – cocaine and methamphetamine; conspiracy charges, tax evasion charges, practicing dentistry without a license charges. There are guilty pleas, license suspensions and renewals – all of it under one name, Dr. Anthony Monteleone.

"It's next to impossible to have a doctor suspended permanently from the practice of medicine," Jon Perry, a civil attorney, said.

Dr. Monteleone's 15-plus year paper trial with the state Board of Dentistry proves that with license suspensions and fines, but eventually re-instatement.

"Well, the system is broken and it's slanted so in favor toward the powerful that the average consumer has no chance," Perry said.

Civil attorneys, like Perry who often times sue doctors, and police officers – like the Edgewood officers who made the arrest in this case – suggest there is no way a patient of Dr. Monteleone would have the resources to find out his background and to use that to make a choice.

"We became concerned obviously that this man is using drugs and working on patients," Edgewood Police Chief Robert Payne said.

When Edgewood police arrested Dr. Monteleone, even they didn't know his professional, civil or criminal history.

"People are going to doctors and dentists expecting to have someone work on them that isn't under the influence of drugs or impaired in any fashion," Chief Payne said.

KDKA's Marty Griffin talked to Dr. Monteleone's attorney, Bob Del Greco, Jr. He calls the recent charges and arrest ridiculous. He also says he believes Dr. Monteleone has not used cocaine since 2006.

The state Board of Dentistry spokesman was legally unable to comment on the recent charges.

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Attorney Bob Del Greco, Jr.
Civil Attorney Jon Perry
State Board of Dentistry

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