YOUNGSTOWN — Danyo R. Sellers, 16, charged in the April 15 killing of Amya Monserrat, 15, outside of a South Side bar and grill, had an initial hearing Monday in Mahoning County Juvenile Court.

He was before Magistrate Karen Romano Melone, who said the boy faces one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. He later signed a form indicating his “denial” of the charges, the juvenile equivalent of a not guilty plea.

Each charge has a specification of a vehicle being involved, which would add three years to his sentence if convicted.

Each charge also alleges the shootings were a “drive-by,” which would add five years to his sentence if convicted.

The murder and attempted murder changes are all first-degree felonies.

Although Youngstown police had said the defendant is 17, Romano Melone read his birthday as being in late 2006, making him 16. Anisa Modarelli, county assistant prosecutor, agreed he is 16.

He has two names, his current one being Danyo R. Sellers. But he has a hearing May 6 in Mahoning County Probate Court to change it to Legend Pless, his mother told the magistrate. For now, his name is Danyo R. Sellers, the magistrate, the boy’s mother and Modarelli agreed.

When the boy was asked whether he understood the charges filed against, him, he said: “Yes, ma’am.”

The magistrate ordered the boy held in the Juvenile Justice Center pending his next hearing, which will be overseen by Mahoning County Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick. The date of that hearing was not available.

Sellers was brought to the courtroom in street clothes and handcuffs. The handcuffs were removed during the hearing, and he was taken back to the juvenile detention facility afterward.

Sellers did not have an attorney during the hearing. His mother asked for an appointed attorney for her son and filled out paperwork on her expenses and assets. Romano Melone said they qualified for an appointed attorney. She said the attorney will be present at Sellers’ next hearing.

When the magistrate asked Modarelli whether this case would qualify for a mandatory bindover to the adult level Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, Modarell said it might or might not, depending on “circumstances.”

At the minimum, if he were found to have committed the four offenses and specifications, he would qualify for a designation as a “serious youthful offender” that would keep him in a juvenile facility until age 21 and possibly result in adult sanctions, depending on his conduct in juvenile facilities.

He also could be bound over to adult court to be tried as an adult, Modarelli said.

On Monday, Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova said a decision has not yet been made on whether to ask for the charges to be bound over to adult court.

“There remains an ongoing investigation into other possible suspects, so such a decision is premature. Once the investigation is complete, we will review the facts and circumstances at that time and make a decision,” she said.

Sellers turned himself in to police Friday, Modarelli said Monday during the hearing. No others are currently charged in the case, said Wes Skeels, juvenile court administrator.

During the reading of the charges, the name of one of the victims of the alleged attempted murder was given because she was an adult. Only the initials of the two other alleged victims of attempted murder and Amya were given because they are juveniles, Modarelli said.

Amya, a student at Mahoning Valley Christian School on Southern Boulevard, was killed in the gunfire while attending a party at Martha’s Boulevard Bar and Grille on Southern Boulevard.

Police said Amya was not the intended target of the gunfire. She was “hit by a stray bullet,”Capt. Jason Simon of the Youngstown Police Department said.

Lt. Mohammad Awad of the detective division said previously the shooting involved “two groups of people shooting at each other. We don’t know how many shooters were involved in each group, but there were two parties to this. And they weren’t alone.”

He said the incident that led to the gunfire did not involve a traditional sort of fistfight. “But there was some type of conflict that has been brewing over the course of a couple of weeks,” he said. The parties “shot back and forth at that party, location, restaurant, whatever you want to call that, and about 10:36 p.m., they came back and began shooting at each other,” Awad said.