Innocent plea lets Lynn man remain free as brother held

SALEM – A Lynn man who authorities say they caught peddling cocaine with his older brother this past summer remains free on his own personal promise to return to court after pleading innocent.Johnny Tate, 22, of 61 Park St., Lynn, entered his plea of innocent at his arraignment Wednesday in Salem Superior Court to a charge of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.Judge John T. Lu agreed to let Tate remain free on personal recognizance at the joint request of Assistant District Attorney Marsha H. Slingerland and defense lawyer Amy Sixt. He is scheduled to be back in court on Feb. 8 for a pretrial conference.The charge arises out of his arrest on Aug. 4 when he was stopped in a gray Chevy Blazer at the corner of Summer and South streets in Lynn.Lynn Police said they confiscated a quantity of crack cocaine from the vehicle.Robert Tate, 33, his older brother, was the driver of the vehicle. His license had been revoked at the time because of a prior narcotic conviction, according to reports.Robert Tate remains held at the Middleton Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail.