Lynn man charged in Connery rink stabbing arraigned; no bail

SALEM – The Lynn man charged with the stabbing death of a teen father during a bloody rumble three months ago at the Connery rink in April, an incident police say was possibly gang-related, is being held without bail at the Billerica House of Corrections after being arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Salem Superior Court.Yeison “Chicollo” Arias, 19, of 196 Hamilton Ave., was wearing a white t-shirt, black jeans and sneakers as he softly pleaded innocent to a charge of first-degree murder, with the assistance of an Hispanic interpreter.Arias is charged with the April 10 stabbing death of 18-year-old Carmelo “Tito” Sandoval, of 57 Kirtland St., Lynn.A conviction of the crime carries a life sentence in state prison, with no chance of parole.Assistant District Attorney Jessica P. Connors asked Judge Jack T. Lu to have Arias held without bail, pending trial. His bail had previously been set in Lynn District Court at $250,000.Connors said the police received several 911 calls regarding a stabbing at the Connery Rink at 190 Shepard St. at about 10 p.m. While responding, police learned that a woman was en route to the hospital with Sandoval. She was kept on the phone by the 911 dispatcher until an ambulance met up with her on Franklin Street. Medical technicians found Sandoval slumped over in the back seat of her car with a single stab wound to the chest.Medical personnel tried to revive him, but Sandoval was pronounced dead at North Shore Medical Hospital.Police investigating the incident learned that a few days earlier there had been a confrontation between two rival gang members involving a junior high school student and another person which led to animosity.On the night in question, Arias, along with Bernardo Urena, went to the rink armed with knives and at the end of the free-skating period, the fight between two gang groups escalated.Connors said that Arias was seen fighting just before Sandoval fell to the ground. There is additional video that shows him entering and returning to the rink to hide the weapon after the incident.He also is seen washing the folding knife in a puddle, Connors said.Later Arias is seen on the video returning with Urena to the rink, then apparently taking a bus to Salem where they hid the knife in an alleyway on Palmer Street.Urena voluntarily turned himself into police after learning that they were looking for him.Arias, who was arrested three days later, is alleged to have confessed. Authorities said he led them to the alleyway where the knife used during the attack was found.Police found his bloodied t-shirt near the scene of the crime.Defense lawyer Joseph A. Boncore argued for a $2,500 cash bail, saying Arias has family support, indicating that his father was present in the courtroom. He said he is employed working at a local Wendy’s restaurant and that he maintains his innocence.He pointed out to Lu that the police reports indicate that no witness identified Arias as the stabber and that his clothing that night was different from what was described by witnesses.Urena, 19, of 49 Henry Ave., Lynn, also was arraigned Tuesday on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a knife, and a charge of being an accessory after the fact of murder in connection with the case.He remains free on $2,500 cash bail pending the outcome of his case.He allegedly stabbed another man in the arm with a knife and then helped Arias hide the weapon from authoritiesLynn Police Officer Robert Hogan and Det. Stephen Pohle led the investigation in the case.Both Arias and Urena are due back in court on Sept. 24 for a pretrial conference.