A man from Scranton is facing additional charges following an incident where he allegedly drove his vehicle into a police patrol car during a drug sting operation. Authorities were conducting an undercover operation in the city when they identified Ezequiel Soto advertising marijuana for sale on social media. Soto was already wanted by Scranton police on charges of theft.
The investigation was carried out by the Scranton Police Street Crimes Unit, the Lackawanna County Detective Drug Unit, and the Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Vice Unit. Using an undercover social media account, investigators engaged Soto in a conversation and arranged to purchase marijuana from him for seventy dollars.
At around 7 p.m., officers observed Soto arrive in a parking lot driving a blue Volkswagen Jetta. As police positioned their vehicles to confront him, Soto attempted to flee by reversing, nearly hitting one of the police vehicles. He then accelerated forward, striking the front end of a detective’s car.
Soto and a passenger, Cesar Diaz, were subsequently removed from the vehicle and detained. Diaz has been charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities discovered approximately fourteen grams of marijuana inside Soto’s car.
A search of Soto’s residence on Emmett Street led to the discovery of a large bag containing around 148 grams of marijuana on a bedroom floor, about 42 grams in a dresser area, plastic bags for narcotics packaging, and a digital scale with marijuana residue.
Soto, who is twenty years old, is now facing charges of aggravated assault, possession with intent to deliver, and criminal use of a communication facility, among other related counts. He remains in Lackawanna County Prison, with bail set at fifty thousand dollars. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 1 at 9 a.m.