Lynn man charged with rape held without bail

SALEM – A Lynn man accused of dragging and then raping a woman in a church lot three months ago remains held at the Middleton Jail without bail pending a dangerousness hearing following his arraignment.Jerome Smith, 38, of 75 Broad St., #2, appeared Tuesday morning in Salem Superior Court, pleading not guilty to three counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over the age of 14, two counts of assault and batter as well as a single count of kidnapping before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley.Assistant District Attorney Melissa Woodard immediately moved that Smith be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing, which Feeley scheduled for Jan. 11.Smith remains held at the Middleton Jail without bail.The charges arise out of an incident on Sept. 29, when a 22-year-old Lynn woman said she was in front of St. Joseph?s Rectory, located at 40 Green St., when a black male grabbed her, and pulled her off the street and down a driveway in the rectory parking lot.She said her assailant pulled her by the hair, indecently touched her and then raped her.