UPDATE: One-Way Window At Poxabogue Identified; Manager Terminated Following Arrest

Town Attorney Tiffany Scarlato confirmed Tuesday that the one-way window that Mr. Lee took the photo through was in a small office in the back of the pro shop at Poxabogue. The town is planning to remove the window following the incident, she said.

The one-way window is on the north end of the shop and faces out to a bench, where the underage girl was sitting when Mr. Lee snapped the photo with his cell phone.

Ms. Scarlato said that while she was unaware of why there is a one-way window in the office in the first place, she suspected that it could be for employees to monitor any unusual activity on the course.

“I know that we’re planning to take it out, she said of the window. "I think that the idea behind it, initially, is to be able to see … what’s going on out there."

While the golf course reopened on Saturday, Ms. Scarlato added that the town terminated its contract with Steven Lee Golf Inc., Mr. Lee's company that managed the center, on Thursday and is immediately starting the request for proposal process, or RFP, to find a new company to contract with. The attorney noted that the all of the preparation work at Poxabogue to ready it for next season has to take place in the fall, so the town has to find a new management company as soon as possible.

Mr. Lee is set to be arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court on Wednesday, November 18, for charges of second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, according to a court representative.

Mr. Lee is being represented by James O'Shea of Southampton-based O'Shea, Marcincuk & Bruyn, LLP. He did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Southampton Town Police have not responded to requests for more information about the arrest of Mr. Lee, the manager of the Poxabogue Golf Center in Sagaponack who was arrested Wednesday after authorities said he took a photo of an underage female’s crotch area through a one-way window and shared it with employees at the center.

According to court documents obtained by The Press, Mr. Lee “did take a photograph of a female less than 17 years old, using his personal cell phone, of the crotch area and under garments covering her genitals.” The incident took place “on or about” Tuesday, July 28, at about 11 a.m. at the golf center, according to the documents.

Three employees from Poxabogue had reported to the incident on Thursday, October 15, according to the documents, and Mr. Lee had turned himself in at police headquarters Wednesday.

It remains unclear, however, where the one-way window was at the center, where Mr. Lee took the photo of the female, and how he went about doing it.

Mr. Lee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The manager of the Poxabogue Golf Center in Sagaponack was arrested Wednesday after police said he took a photo of an underage female’s crotch and displayed the image to employees at the center.

According to Southampton Town Police, Steven Lee, 46, of Ronkonkoma had taken a photo of an underage female’s crotch area through a one-way window and showed the photo to several employees at Poxabogue, who had then informed police.

Mr. Lee turned himself in at police headquarters in Hampton Bays on Wednesday and was arrested and charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

Mr. Lee was transported to Southampton Town Justice Court for arraignment immediately after.

Mr. Lee is the principal of Steven Lee Golf Inc., which the town had contracted to manage the town-owned golf course. According to a release from Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst’s office, the town has temporarily closed the golf course in light of the charges, but expects that normal operations will resume shortly.

The restaurant at the center is under a separate contract and will remain open, the release said.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause,” the release said. “However, the town remains diligent in securing the safety of all persons using the course or its facilities.”

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