Lynn man hit with multiple drug charges

LYNN – Judge Ellen Flatley ordered Vana Soy, 24, of Lynn, held at the Essex County House of Correction in lieu of $5,000 cash bail at a Lynn District Court arraignment Wednesday after he allegedly sold ecstasy and cocaine to an undercover officer near a school, according to a Lynn Police incident report.A months-long investigation by the Lynn Police Drug Task Force led to the arrest of Soy, 24, around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. He was arraigned on five charges of distributing ecstasy, one charge of distributing cocaine and seven counts of drug possession within 1,000 feet of a school.Police arrested Soy after executing a search warrant at the apartment where he lives with his mother. They seized numerous bags of ecstasy in pill form from the home, the report said.Lynn Police first received a tip that Soy, who goes by the street name “Jumper,” was dealing drugs in June 2011, the report said. An undercover police officer successfully purchased ecstasy from Soy five times over the last 10 months while under surveillance. Soy most recently sold the police officer cocaine and ecstasy on Feb. 8.Soy?s 60 Fayette St. apartment is directly behind Ingalls Elementary School, according to the police report. Many of the undercover “drug deals” occurred on Williams Avenue, the report said.Soy?s is the second drug arrest in two weeks that resulted from an undercover investigation. He is due back in court for a probable cause hearing March 12.Taylor Provost can be reached at [email protected].