Jay Lockett Sears Faces Child Porn Charge; Community Shocked

Westhampton Beach and Quogue community members were shocked to learn that Jay Lockett Sears, a man who touted his dedication to children through a Quogue-based nonprofit organization, Mission of Kindness, was arrested and charged with one count of child pornography by the FBI on Friday.

According to a report on Newsday, Sears, who also owns the architectural firm Sears & Sears, and has designed showcase homes for Michael J. Fox and Susan Lucci, allegedly took photos of young girls at Hamptons parties and local establishments and superimposed their headshots on pornographic materials.

The practice is called "morphing" and is considered pornography.

Sears was taken into custody after some of the photos were found in a garbage container at the Brookhaven transfer station. An investigation revealed that the photos orginated from Sears' East Moriches home, the report stated.

For years, Sears lived in Quogue, where his public image was one of a life spent helping others, bringing food to the homeless in Hampton Bays motels in the 1990s and most recently, reaching out to help children through his Mission of Kindness organization.

As news of Sears' arrest spread, shock waves rocked the community.

"What a shock," said Speonk resident Lisa Fox. "As for the families of these children, it's a heartbreaker. Imagine that an innocent photo of your child frolicking at a beach party turns into a pornographic image. This saddens and sickens me at the same time. The fact the parents have to contact the authorities to see if their child's precious face could be super-imposed is disgusting.This is another break of trust."

Terry Lucas, a Westhampton Beach mother of two girls, agreed. "I'm disillusioned," she said.

Kay Kidde, a founder of the Maureen's Haven homeless outreach program, who attends Westhampton Presbyterian Church, where Sears is a member, said she did not know Sears well, but had crossed paths with him through their charitable organizations.

"This is horrifying," she said.

"My daughter Brittany said it best. How can you believe in humanity if this is true?" Terrie Bauer of Westhampton Beach asked. "I myself have worked with Jay for years and have a really hard time believing any of it. If it is true I am sickened."

Added East Quogue resident Kathy Tureski, "I could not believe it. I'm shocked."

Hampton Bays resident Allen Schneider agreed. "Shocked is the best way to describe it."

In recent years, Lockett has taken out ads in local publications -- wearing a famous white suit and sporting an angel's white wings -- and sent letters to local editors, asking for help with his Mission of Kindness, and for a 12-year-old girl who had undergone many operations, whom he said had a "bright, beautiful light."

College student Vincent Cinque said Sears had come to speak to his class when he was a child about his philanthropic efforts. He said he was not surprised to hear of Sears' arrest. 

"When he came to talk to us back in elementary school, he was just plain creepy," he said.

Lockett is due to appear in court in Central Islip at 2 p.m. on Monday for a bail hearing. 

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