Jerry Harris, star of Netflix's 'Cheer,' Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse Image Charges
According to The Guardian, Jerry Harris pled guilty on Thursday to federal counts of obtaining child sexual abuse photographs and soliciting sex from kids. He might spend decades in prison if convicted of these charges.
Harris became well-known after appearing in the Netflix documentary "Cheer," which chronicled the ups and downs of Navarro College's competitive cheer squad as they attempted to win a national championship. Harris became one of the cast's most popular cheerleaders because to his upbeat, encouraging demeanor and eagerness to provide a helping hand to other members of the squad with effusive "mat talk." It was difficult not to cheer for Jerry, and he immediately gained a large following. Harris' charisma wowed the globe, and he was picked for a role.
Harris' charisma wowed the world, and he was asked to interview celebrities on the red carpet at the Academy Awards for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
However, reports of sexual impropriety between Harris and teenage boys began to circulate not long after the Netflix series became extremely famous. Eventually, the 22-year-old "Cheer" star was charged as a result of the allegations.
During a change of plea hearing in federal court this week, Harris pled guilty to one count of traveling with the purpose to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of obtaining child abuse photos, according to a spokesman for the US attorney's office.
According to The Guardian, Harris pled guilty to two of the seven felony charges leveled against him. One was for convincing a 17-year-old to email him sexually explicit images in exchange for money, and the other was for a trip to Florida to "engage in unlawful sexual behavior" with a 15-year-old. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the remaining five offenses.
The charge of child abuse picture has a possible punishment of five to twenty years, while the charge of unlawful sexual behavior carries a maximum sentence of thirty years. Harris will be sentenced on June 28 and will be held in a federal prison facility until then.
In September 2020, Harris was arrested on a charge of creating child abuse images. Prosecutors said at the time that he asked two 14-year-old brothers for recordings and photographs. Harris acknowledged to soliciting an underage kid for films and photographs on many occasions between December 2018 and March 2020, according to federal prosecutors.
The Netflix actor was indicted on further counts in December 2020, stemming from occurrences in Illinois, Florida, and Texas. At cheerleading contests, Harris reportedly sought sex from children and persuaded adolescent guys to email him sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves.
According to the indictment, Harris allegedly acknowledged to seeking photographs on Snapchat from between 10 and 15 guys he knew were minors.
Harris appeared in season 2 of "Cheer," which was recorded before the Navarro cheerleader was charged. The topic was addressed in the second season episode "Jerry." Documentary filmmakers attempted to contact Harris while he was incarcerated, according to Collider, but he declined.
