Belleville resident given probation in plea deal on indecent exposure

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
Paul Lee of Belleville spent 16 days in the Wayne County Jail after being charged with exposing himself at Cocoa Beach tanning salon and Bladez hair salon next door on April 28 in the City of Belleville.
Lee was set for his preliminary exam on Oct. 1 and, instead, was released after making a plea deal before Judge David Parrott at the 34th district court.
He pled guilty to indecent exposure and the other charge was dropped.
Judge Parrott asked Lee what he did on April 28 and Lee said, “She saw my shorts. Regular shorts.”
Judge Parrott looked over the police report and replied, “She seems to think she saw a little more than shorts.”
In order to get his plea deal, Lee had to confess that she saw more than his shorts.
Court-appointed attorney Jeff Bowdich told the judge that Lee was enrolled in counseling prior to his arrest.
“I have four kids and I’m trying to do the right things,” Lee said to Judge Parrott.
Lee was put on 12 months of probation at a cost of $50 per month. If he doesn’t comply with the terms of his probation, he will spend 90 days in jail, Judge Parrott said.
Bowdich pointed out that Lee’s wife and mother were in the courtroom to support him and agreed he needed counseling.
At Cocoa Beach, the husband of the woman who reported being flashed said he chased Lee’s vehicle in his car to Belle Villa where Lee lived and physically grabbed him. The Belleville police arrived immediately thereafter, he said.
The victim said Lee had been calling her on the phone and had come to Cocoa Beach when he saw her car parked outside. She said the business’ surveillance tapes are very good.
Her husband said he talked to Lee’s probation officer in Macomb County, where Lee was on probation for doing the same thing to another woman.