By Julie Manganis
MARBLEHEAD — A Marblehead teen charged with kidnapping, beating and robbing another teen last month has been deemed too dangerous to release by a judge.
Michael Ehlert, 18, of 12 Reed St. will remain in custody at Middleton Jail for 90 days or until trial, Lynn District Court Judge Albert Conlon ruled yesterday, according to the district attorney's office.
Co-defendant Michael Leoni, 17, of 14 Devereux Terrace was also found dangerous in the case last week and is also being held at Middleton Jail without bail.
The pair are charged with a violent assault and robbery on a 16-year-old on Oct. 29.
The incident was not formally reported to police for more than a week, however, because both the boy and his mother feared reprisals from Ehlert, who they believe has ties to the notorious Crips street gang.
Police allege that as the younger teen was walking to the store that evening, Ehlert and Leoni jumped him, dragged him into a nearby cemetery, beat and choked him, and robbed him of a wallet and a cell phone.
They then threatened violent repercussions against both the boy and his mother if they reported the incident to police and told the boy to say he'd been jumped by Puerto Ricans in Lynn, police say.
The pair then walked the boy to his home, where they took his iPod, gave him back his cell phone and left, taking some leftover food.
The mother testified on Tuesday that she wanted to make arrangements to send her son out of state before making a formal report, although she had spoken with a Marblehead officer, Lori Knowles, the day after the incident.
Ehlert and Leoni are due in court on Dec. 8 for a probable-cause hearing.
