Marblehead teen barred from Massachusetts

MARBLEHEAD – One of two Marblehead teens arrested in November for beating and robbing a victim was released on Monday to enter a program in Maine for substance abuse and mental health problems, while his co-defendant will be arraigned in Salem Superior Court on Jan. 20.Michael Leoni, 18, of 14 Deveraux Terrace, was arraigned in Salem Superior Court and released on personal recognizance to his mother to attend a six-month inpatient program on the objection of the Essex District Attorney’s office. Any credits he may earn while enrolled in the program would transfer to Marblehead High School.”He is only allowed in Massachusetts for court appearances and can only be transported by a parent to those court appearances,” said Steve O’Connell, spokesman for District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett. “His next court date is Jan. 27 in Salem Superior Court for a pre-trial conference.”The case originated in Lynn District Court, but was transferred on Dec. 30 as indictments were issued for both Leoni and his co-defendant, Michael Ehlert, 18, of 12 Reed St., in Superior Court.The 16-year-old victim said he was walking to a convenience store on Oct. 29 when the two men beat him and dragged him by the throat to a nearby cemetery, where Ehlert allegedly choked him while Leoni allegedly robbed him of his wallet, cell phone and shoes.The defendants then allegedly forced the victim to take them to his home and give them his iPod, telling the victim his mother’s throat would be slashed and she would be sexually assaulted if he went to police. Ehlert allegedly told the victim to lie to his mother and say that he had taken a bus to Lynn and was assault by a Puerto Rican.Ehlert is charged with assault to rob (unarmed), kidnapping, larceny from a building, assault and battery with serious bodily injury, witness intimidation and threatening to commit a crime. Leoni is charged with assault to rob (unarmed), kidnapping, larceny from a building and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.Ehlert’s brother, Zachary Ehlert, is also charged with two counts of witness intimidation for leaving a threatening message on the victim’s home answering machine.