Cops: Teen charged in sex assault at Phoenix House

A 16-year-old faces charges in the sexual assault of another male teenager at a Wainscott substance-abuse facility, East Hampton Town police said Monday.

Police said the assault, involving a wooden broom handle, happened at about 5 p.m. Sunday at the Phoenix House, 95 Industrial Rd.

An 18-year-old was taken to Southampton Hospital where he underwent surgery, police said. No other information on his condition was available, and a call to town police was not immediately returned.

Joseph Cardinal, 16, of Rockville Centre, was arrested on charges of first-degree aggravated sexual abuse and third-degree assault, police said. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday at East Hampton Town Justice Court.

Police did not specify in a news release whether Cardinal or the victim were clients or employees at the facility.

A woman who answered the phone Monday at Phoenix House said it was not at liberty to reveal any information.

The Phoenix House says on its website it is a center that serves adolescent males and helps "young clients prepare for productive, self-sufficient, and drug-free lives."