A story out of New Jersey is proof once again that parents need to be hyper aware of the sort of people they allow their children to be around, as well as the content those children consume.
At the end of May, authorities in Morris County, New Jersey, announced the arrest of a man who has for years been a children’s entertainer, and the images they allegedly found on his computer and phone must be shocking to parents all across the area.
Police arrested 48-year-old Scott Morley early in May, the owner and operator of Morley’s Magic Theater in Butler, New Jersey, a town situated about 30 miles west of New York City.
The county prosecutor’s office announced the arrest and prosecution on May 29 and said that the investigation began after someone contacted the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and gave them a tip that Morley might have questionable images on his electronic devices, News 12 reported.
A subsequent search of the suspect’s devices reportedly found child pornography and the discovery proved to be enough to arrest him on May 15, the prosecutor’s office reported on a Facebook post.
Morley was arrested and charged, then released under New Jersey law and is on pre-trial supervision. He will remain free until his next court date under the conditions that he has no unsupervised access to the Internet, and has no unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 years of age, and that he stays in New Jersey.
Police reportedly found more than just images on Morley’s computer and phone, though. And it all serves as a warning to parents.
According to NorthJersey.com, they also found at least one pair of children’s underwear in the suspect’s possession.
Should those convicted of crimes against children face harsher punishment?
The news site added that Morley reportedly told investigators that he had been into child porn since 1996 and that the little girl’s underwear was part of his “fantasy.”
A witness also alleged that when he was working in Morley’s theater doing some construction, he came across underwear in a bag that also contained a bunch of flash drives. When he asked the magician and children’s entertainer about the items, Morley reportedly got in a panic and grabbed a hammer and began destroying the flash drives.
This was reportedly in 2022, and it seems no lessons were learned, because Morley allegedly kept up his obsession until someone else saw the shocking images in his possession and called the authorities.
After his arrest, Morley also reportedly told police that he had “questionable” images on his cell phone, and when speaking of child pornography, said he “preferred the young ones” because little girls were in his “comfort zone.”
Morley has performed magic shows for children for decades along with members of his family. The troupe have performed at charity events, birthday parties, and other events along with performing shows at their theater. They have also sponsored a popular Christmas show for years.
Now, however, Morley’s Magic Theater on Boonton Avenue appears to be closed down. The phone number is no longer connected and the listing online says that the theater is “permanently closed.”
Just to stress the point: Morley is not convicted of anything yet. The legal process will have to play out before Morley can be guilty of anything.
According to nj.com, Morley’s defense attorney said his client planned to plead not guilty.
Whether or not Morley is guilty, this entire situation hammers home how important it is for parents to just be more involved in and aware of what’s going on in their children’s lives.
Friendly faces, especially ones that operate in child-heavy environments or produce child-focused content, may not always have the best intentions for your kids.
That’s why it’s so important for parents to be present. It’s not just to be aware of these potential dangers, but a present parent minimizes the need for such heavy reliance on the Disney’s of the world.
A present parent is certainly better than any magician — especially ones that may be convicted of some rather heinous allegations.
