Bettencourt pleads not guilty; dangerousness hearing to be held

SALEM – An alleged senior gang member charged with shooting a man in Lynn’s Highlands in July remains held on no bail pending a dangerousness hearing.Hanky Bettencourt, 19, of 382 Chestnut St., Lynn, appeared Friday morning for his arraignment in Salem Superior Court clothed in a bright red jersey with white and black stripes, black pants and black sneakers with red trim. As he sat waiting for his case to be called he turned several times and smiled at a female sitting in the audience area in the courtroom.Bettencourt, indicted by a grand jury in September, stood beside his court appointed attorney Rebecca Whitehill as he pleaded not guilty to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, causing serious bodily injury and possession of ammunition in connection with the July 31 shooting of Luis Dominguez.Assistant District Attorney James P. Gubitose immediately filed a petition asking the court to schedule a dangerousness hearing because the commonwealth maintains that Bettencourt poses a danger to the community and should be held without bail pending his trial on the case.Judge David A. Lowy scheduled the hearing for Oct. 29.In the meantime, Bettencourt remains held at the Middleton Jail on a no bail status.Although Bettencourt was found to be a danger by a judge in Lynn District Court, another hearing has to be held because he was indicted, moving the case to Superior Court.On the night of July 31, Dominguez, 31, of Lynn, was standing on Cook Street with a group when someone shot him in the leg from a car at close range. The vehicle then sped away from the scene toward Jefferson Street.Authorities said the intended target was actually Orlando Maldonado, 18, of Lynn, but during the incident Dominguez had jumped in front of Maldonado, taking the bullet himself.Although reports said someone in Bettencourt’s car yelled “You Crippin” – a reference to a rival gang named The Crips – before firing the shot, Maldonado and Dominguez have denied any involvement in gangs, Gubitose affirmed.Bettencourt reportedly admitted to authorities he is a senior gang member of the “Deuce Boyz and Soldiers” gangs, who are associated with The Bloods.He fled the area after the shooting and was arrested five days later in Agawam. Bettencourt was identified as the shooter through a photo array shown to witnesses at the scene.The weapon used in the shooting was never found.Earlier this week, six people were apparently arrested smoking crack cocaine in a backyard shed at Bettencourt’s house.