Last modified: Thursday, February 28, 2008 1:14 AM EST Arraigned Attorney Daniel Rich, left, speaks on behalf of Vanrath Rickie Heng, 19, of 25 East Street, Attleboro, right, in Attleboro District Court Wednesday.(Staff photo by Marvin Gavin) Attleboro police arrest alleged gang member BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - An alleged Attleboro gang member was ordered held in jail without bail Wednesday, pending a dangerousness hearing after police seized a sawed-off .12-gauge shotgun in a raid at his East Side apartment house. Vanrath Heng, 19, of 25 East St., pleaded innocent in Attleboro District Court to possession of a sawed-off shotgun, possession of a shotgun with defaced serial numbers and unlawful possession of ammunition. Heng was arrested about 6 a.m. in simultaneous raids by state and local police at his apartment and an apartment at 166 Pine St., where police said they seized about a pound of alleged marijuana. The dangerousness hearing was scheduled for Monday. Arrested as a result of the raid on Pine Street were Alexander S. Kelley, 20, of 5 Merritt Place in Attleboro, and Travis J. Casto, 19, of 166 Pine St. in Attleboro. They pleaded innocent to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, drug conspiracy and a drug violation in a school zone or near a park. Judge Richard Savignano ordered Kelley and Casto held in jail on $4,000 cash bail and continued their cases until March 12. Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lennon said the alleged marijuana was kept in 10 separate bags in a safe, along with paperwork belonging to Kelley and Casto. Also seized in the raid were a scale, plastic baggies and a small amount of cash from Casto, Lennon said. Taunton lawyer Paula Plouffe, who represented Casto and Kelley, said her clients could not afford the bail and would appeal it in superior court. The arrests are the result of a joint investigation by state police detectives assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office and Attleboro detectives. Authorities released few details about the investigation or whether there is a link between Heng, Casto and Kelley. Heng was arraigned separately. The defendants have little or no criminal records, lawyers said. Lennon requested a dangerousness hearing for Heng because of his alleged gang affiliation and because of the seriousness of the charges against him. "The police have informed me that the defendant is a member of the A-Town Crips," Lennon said. She said the sawed-off shotgun was found under a basement staircase in his apartment house, along with 13 rounds of ammunition. A 9-year-old relative of Heng told police he had seen Heng with the gun and also saw him place the gun in the basement, Lennon said. Last month, police responded to 25 East St. for a large party attended by 22 people, including 14 juveniles. Fifteen were boys or young men who claimed to be members of the A-Town Crips, also known as ATC, including Heng, according to a police incident report. The youths, all of whom had blue bandanas alleged to be the gang's colors, told police that the gang has about 50 members. A juvenile at the party was arrested on a state Department of Youth Services warrant. Responding to Heng's alleged gang ties, lawyer Daniel Rich of Norton questioned whether the reputed gang is tied to criminal activity. He also said the shotgun was found in the basement of a house with three apartments and was accessible by anyone. "So far, there is no evidence before this court that this gang is involved in any criminal activity. People associate with other people all the time," Rich said. Friends and family members of the defendants watched the arraignment and gathered outside the courthouse afterwards and defended them. A friend of Heng's, a 16-year-old boy who declined to give his name, said the shotgun did not belong to Heng, adding that the basement is open to anyone. He also disputed Heng's gang ties. "There's no gangs in Attleboro," he said. Maureen Kelly, Casto's mother, said her son and Kelley are "good kids" who are not drug dealers. "He's not a bad kid. He'd give you the shirt off his back and the shoes off his feet," she said of her son. She added that she treats Kelley like a son. "They are not drug dealers. They are really good kids," said Casto's sister, Jennifer Casto. She and other friends of the defendants said the marijuana is something someone would have for personal use.