Authorities: Day care run at LA house where cocaine was sold

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles man is accused of trafficking dozens of pounds of cocaine out of a house that also operated an unlicensed day care center for young children, authorities said Tuesday.

When Felipe Talamante met in May with an undercover agent to arrange the sale of 44 pounds (20 kilograms) of cocaine, the agent noticed several kids playing in the home’s front yard, according to a federal criminal complaint filed this month.

Officers conducting surveillance “observed children of all ages being picked up and dropped off at Felipe’s residence,” the court documents said.

Talamante, 48, allegedly told the undercover U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent that a day care was being run at the property just a few blocks from an elementary school in the Highland Park neighborhood north of downtown.

Authorities serving a search warrant seized more than 55 pounds (25 kilograms) of cocaine that Talamante had bragged to an informant was “straight from Mexico,” the documents said. The drugs were worth more than $400,000, officials said.

“The cocaine was allegedly found in a room next to a child’s bed,” City Attorney Mike Feuer said, describing a scene with “kids taking naps, or playing, and cocaine is right there.”

Talamante was arrested May 17 on suspicion of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Officials didn’t know if he has an attorney. He’s scheduled to be arraigned July 16.

His 19-year-old son, Miguel Talamente, was also taken into custody and could face drug charges. An arraignment for the son was not announced.

Authorities did not find any certifications for operation of a day care, which authorities said was operated by Talamante’s wife, who was not arrested.