Gang member nabbed for attacking developmentally disabled man

LYNN – Police say Devin Joseph Sheehan-Powers hit a developmentally disabled man hard enough in the eye Wednesday night to send the man to Massachusetts General Hospital.The 22-year-old assault victim from Winthrop was treated for an injury to his left eye and Sheehan-Powers, 19, of Charlestown, pleaded innocent in Lynn District Court Thursday to charges including mayhem, assault and battery on a retarded person, assault on a police officer, assault and battery in the presence of police, armed robbery, disorderly conduct, trespassing, resisting arrest, minor in possession of alcohol, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, drug violation near a school and failure to appear on recognizance.According to their report filed with court paperwork, Officers Albert DiVirgilio and Oren Wright spotted Sheehan-Powers chasing the assault victim past the commuter rail garage on Market Street at 9 p.m. Wednesday and saw him punch the Winthrop man in the face.Sheehan-Powers jumped into a parked car, then exited it after spotting police. DiVirgilio chased him into the North Shore Community College campus and stopped Sheehan-Powers as he attempted to climb a chain link fence.DiVirgilio in his report said Sheehan-Powers lunged at him, forcing DiVirgilio to strike him twice in the leg with a police baton. Wright and Officer Jesse Thomas helped DiVirgilio subdue and search Sheehan-Powers.According to police reports, the officers found cash, crack cocaine and a knife in Sheehan-Powers’ possession. Police said Sheehan-Powers stole a Sidekick cell phone from the Winthrop man.Before he was transported to MGH, the assault victim told police, “I suffer from mental retardation,” and showed police an identification card identifying him as handicapped.Prosecutors identified Sheehan-Powers as a Crips gang member and court records indicate he was arrested last March on a city knife ordinance violation following a scuffle with other gang members on Union Street.He was also arrested for marijuana possession on May 24, two weeks after an arrest for a liquor law violation.Judge Michael Lauranzano assigned Sheehan-Powers $10,000 bail and ordered him to return to court on Aug. 16.