Police release details of allegations against Lee
The 19-year-old hotel shuttle driver had already told him to stop touching his shoulder when the front-seat passenger started rubbing it.
Then the passenger offered to massage parts of his body and then “tried to get (the teen driver) to look at his groin area because he had an erection.”
These alleged new details are found in a Buffalo Police Department report on the May 30 arrest of Ottawa Senators assistant GM Randy Lee.
Lee, 56, was arrested shortly after the shuttle van pulled up to The Westin hotel on Delaware Avenue around 10:30 p.m. on May 30. Lee, who is also GM for the Senators’ AHL franchise in Belleville, was in Buffalo for the scouting combine. He was on his way back to the hotel from a sports bar.
Though the initial call came in as a “crime in progress,” Lee was charged with harassment in the second degree, which is a violation and not a crime in New York state.
Lee was handcuffed and spent a night in a jail cell. He was booked, fingerprinted and released on bail conditions that require him to show up for his court dates in Buffalo. Police records show that the arresting officer noted Lee as “appearing normal” and “clean shaven” at the time of arrest.
Lee, who has played a key role in player development across 24 years for the Sens, was only held in jail for fear he’d skip town because he’s a Canadian citizen.
The young man who complained about Lee gave a sworn statement to police.
Senators owner Eugene Melnyk reached out to Paul J. Cambria in Sacramento, who took on the case. Cambria is a criminal defence attorney to celebrities and professional athletes who find themselves in trouble with the law. He’s represented clients including NHL star Patrick Kane, shock rocker Marilyn Manson, and Hustler publisher Larry Flynt. He has offices in Los Angeles and Buffalo.
Lee has been released on his own recognizance on the promise that he shows up for his next court appearance in Buffalo on June 22, the first day of the NHL entry draft.
The longtime Sens man has pleaded not guilty to the violation. The district attorney is not asking for jail time (maximum of 15 days), but is seeking a fine (maximum of $250).
“I’m confident it’s just a misunderstanding and we hope to resolve it,” said Cambria, who branded the case as the most minor file he’s had in pro sports.
District attorney John Flynn told reporters earlier this week that he “will get (the young man) justice” and that Lee will have to answer for his “uncool behaviour.”
So far, the Senators have stood by Lee, and his status with the organization remains unchanged.
After the May 30 arrest, the Ottawa Senators released a statement saying they hold all members of the organization to the highest standards. They also said they were reviewing the case with great care.
When reached on Friday, a Senators spokesperson said, “Since it’s before the courts, we cannot comment other than what has been said before.”
Lee has been with the Sens for more than two decades and worked his way up through the organization. He was promoted to assistant GM on Jan. 13, 2014. He was also appointed as GM of its AHL team on the same day.