Anthony J. Cerami, 27, of Westfield, New Jersey, was arrested Sept. 23 in Bradenton Beach and faces two counts of felony possession of a schedule 4 controlled substance.
Officers responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of Bridge Street near the Drift-In Lounge & Package Liquor, where it is alleged that Cerami made a threat to blow up the bar.
While performing a pat down, Officer Josh Betts noticed a tin can in Cerami’s front pocket and requested he take it out.
Betts allegedly discovered several pills in the can, including three Alprazolam pills, three modafinil and other non-schedule 4 pills, which Cerami stated belonged to him, but he could not produce a prescription.
Cerami was placed under arrest for felony possession and transported to the Bradenton Beach Police Department office, where he began to hyperventilate. He was transported by EMS to Blake Medical Center in Bradenton for treatment, then to the Manatee County jail.
Cerami was released Sept. 24 on two $1,500 bonds. His arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 28 at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
UPDATE: State drops drug case
The Office of 12th Circuit State Attorney dropped a case against a New Jersey man arrested in Bradenton Beach.
Anthony J. Cerami, 27, was arrested in September 2016 for possessing pills without a prescription after Bradenton Beach police responded to alleged threats at the Bridge Tender Inn & Dockside Bar, 135 Bridge St.
The prosecutor filed a notice with the court Dec. 19, declining to file charges.
An interdepartmental memo from Assistant State Attorney Travis Mellish stated charges would not be filed because Cerami’s attorney provided prescriptions that indicate his client lawfully possessed the controlled substances.
Does seem suspicious that he has SO MANY pills on him at once. If they were truly his prescribed pills, he’d have had one of each.