Judge continues $100,000 cash bail for Lynn man accused of trafficking large amounts of cocaine

SALEM – A Superior Court judge Tuesday continued the $100,000 cash bail for a Lynn man who pleaded not guilty to cocaine trafficking charges.Pedro R. Rojas, 46, of 34 Grove St., was arraigned on charges of trafficking over 200 grams of cocaine and trafficking over 100 grams of cocaine.As jointly recommended by the prosecutor and defense, Judge Howard J. Whitehead set the same bail as previously set in district court, but left the door open for a bail review for another court hearing.In the meantime, Rojas remains held in lieu of bail at the Middleton Jail.Rojas was arrested Nov. 1 following a sting operation by state police assigned to Attorney General Martha Coakley?s office.According to court papers, state police began conducting an investigation in the summer of 2007 after learning from a confidential informant that Rojas was distributing cocaine throughout the Lynn area.On three separate occasions in Revere, an undercover trooper purchased 28 grams or more of cocaine directly from Rojas.Then on Nov. 1, Rojas was arrested after selling 147 plus grams of cocaine to an undercover officer in the parking lot of Building 19 on the Lynnway.Police say they have both audio and video recordings of the purchases.Then authorities executed search warrants for two apartments at 22 Parkland Ave., and 50-52 Mt. Pleasant St., in Lynn and a 2007 Mercedes.Hidden in the basement of one of the Lynn apartments, police recovered 1.2 kilos of cocaine and an electronic scale.