Teen held on murder charge

LYNN – A 15-year-old city boy was held without bail on a felony murder charge after a prosecutor said the teen and two other city youths tried to rob a man at gunpoint and the intended victim shot one of the teens dead.”It’s not that (the defendant) pulled the trigger,” Essex Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall said in Lynn District Court Thursday. But she said the defendant was “standing by, ready, willing and able,” while the deceased held a shotgun to the robbery victim’s head.Kevin Sanchez, 15, of 47 Commercial St., pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lynn District Court to charges of felony murder; and attempt to commit a crime, armed robbery; in connection with the April 16 shooting death of 18-year-old Amoy Blake.A codefendant, Jahleel Sanders Williams, 17, remains held without bail after pleading not guilty to the same charges last Thursday.Both Sanchez and Sanders Williams are charged with felony murder, which means that as participants in the alleged armed robbery, the teens can be held criminally liable for any deaths that occurred during that felony.And although under 18, both defendants are charged as adults in accordance with state law requiring persons 14 and older and charged with murder to be tried as adults. If convicted on a first-degree murder charge, each teen could be sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 15 years.Lynn Police responded at 12:30 a.m. April 16 to a shooting in the first-floor hallway at 192 Washington St. Officers found the 911 caller, a 24-year-old city man, and Blake.Blake had been shot in the torso and was taken to Union Hospital where he died from his injuries.The 24-year-old man said he and a friend were returning home when a man, later identified as Blake, held a sawed-off shotgun to his (the victim’s) head and forced him inside the building. The man told police Blake turned to speak with one or two accomplices and the man said he pulled out his own legally licensed firearm and shot Blake. The 24-year-old man’s friend said he also had a gun held to his head, but the suspect ran when he heard gunshots. Police reported recovering a second gun at the scene but did not identify its owner.Sanders Williams and Sanchez each admitted to police that they went to the Washington Street address for the robbery, but they downplayed their own respective roles in the alleged incident, according to court documents.Sanders Williams told police he and Blake planned to rob a marijuana dealer and that Blake had brought his shotgun but he (Sanders Williams) was unarmed. Sanders Williams told officers he saw Blake approach the robbery victim, heard several gunshots and ran.Sanchez told police he was with Blake and Sanders Williams before the attempted robbery and had seen and held the shotgun, according to a statement of facts by State Trooper Steven Buccheri. Sanchez also told police he accompanied the other teens to the Washington Street address and saw his friends “approach and restrain the victims” but didn’t see a shotgun pointed at the victims’ heads, according to police.Sanchez also allegedly told officers he stayed outside the building and ran home after hearing gunshots.Police said Sanchez was more involved than he had admitted, however.Citing unnamed witnesses, police said Sanchez scoped out the Washington Street building and the robbery victim’s vehicles prior to the alleged attempted robbery. Sanchez then allegedly reported back to Sanders Williams and Blake.MacDougall requested Sanchez be held without bail. She said Sanchez had threatened witnesses in the case via Facebook and had ties to city gangs.Defense attorney Michael Osborne did not challenge the request.Judge Stephen Abany ordered Sanchez held without bail and scheduled him to return to court May 19 along with his codefendant.Osborne and members of Sanchez’s family declined to comment outside the courtroom. Members of Blake’s family at the arraignment also declined to comment.