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Netflix’s ‘Cheer’ Star Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years After Pleading Guilty to Child Porn Charges
Former Navarro cheerleader Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris, who gained fame on Netflix‘s wildly popular first season of Cheer, left fans and his fellow college cheerleaders shocked when he was arrested on child pornography charges in September 2020. Now, he’s been sentenced to 12 years behind bars, In Touch can confirm.
The breakout star, known for his upbeat nature on the docuseries that follows the Texas college’s competitive cheer squad, was also accused of soliciting sex and sexually explicit images from minors. Harris denied all of the charges. Here is everything we know.
The Charges Against Jerry Harris
According to the criminal complaint filed in September 2020, which was obtained by In Touch, Harris allegedly “repeatedly solicited child pornography images and videos” from two 13-year-old boys who are twin brothers. One of the boys alleged that Harris had “solicited oral sex” from him in a “bathroom at a cheerleading event” they both attended.
One of the boys claimed he was “initially contacted by Harris on Instagram in 2018,” according to the documents. In screenshots of their alleged DM conversation, Harris allegedly asked the boy how old he was and the boy responded, “13 lmao.” Harris allegedly responded, “Oh ok have any pics?” After the boy asked, “What type of pics,” Harris allegedly responded, “Face picd [sic]” “and booty.”
At a cheer competition at the Fort Worth Convention Center in February 2019, Harris allegedly asked one of the boys to come with him to a bathroom and asked him to perform oral sex.
The following year, this victims’ mother found the alleged messages on their phone and reported Harris.
Harris was arrested on September 17, 2020, at his home in Naperville, Illinois, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the complaint, Harries admitted to law enforcement officials on September 14 that he had asked for and received child pornography from at least 10 to 15 minors, which he knew were underage. The complaint states Harris also admitted to having sex with a 15-year-old during a competition in 2019.
“We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager,” a spokesperson for Harris said in a statement to Variety in September 2020. “We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.”
Harris faced four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of enticement of a female, one count of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with a minor.
In December 2020, Harris initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, In Touch confirmed at the time.
Jerry Harris’ Verdict and Sentencing
Harris eventually pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography and to traveling with the intention to engage in illegal sexual conduct, according to a plea agreement obtained by In Touch. Before his sentencing, Harris faced up to 50 years in prison in total for both charges. On July 6, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison to be followed by eight years of court-supervised release, assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Joseph D. Fitzpatrick, confirmed to In Touch.
Is Jerry Harris in Season 2 of Cheer?
Harris appears in the second season of Cheer and the allegations against him, as well as his arrest, are documented in the show. As the Navarro cheer squad hoped to win their fifteenth national title, Harris was arrested as the second season was filming.
The fifth episode of the season, titled “Jerry,” is centered around the allegations against Harris, including interviews with the twin boys involved and his teammates and coaches’ reactions.
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