Jerry Harris

Mr. Harris, who shot to reality-TV fame in the Netflix documentary series “Cheer,” had pleaded guilty to federal charges related to soliciting child sexual ...

(Mr. Harris befriended the boys when they were 13 and he was 19, USA Today reported.) The seven charges involve five minor boys. Judge Shah also ordered Mr. Harris to serve eight years of court-supervised release following his prison term. He had initially pleaded not guilty to all seven charges in December 2020. Mr. Harris’s lawyers had requested a six-year prison term, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, arguing that Mr. Harris had himself been sexually abused as a child in the world of competitive cheerleading and therefore had a “skewed version of what he understood to be appropriate relationships.” In a memo filed before the hearing, prosecutors had asked Judge Shah to sentence Mr. Harris to 15 years in prison, arguing that Mr. Harris took advantage of “his status as a competitive cheerleader, his social media persona, and eventually his celebrity and money, to persuade and entice his young victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for him or with him.”

Jerry Harris, one of the breakout stars of the Netflix docuseries "Cheer," was sentenced Wednesday to TK years in prison on federal charges involving child ...

He also told investigators that he had solicited and received nude pictures from 10 to 15 other minors and had oral and anal sex with a 15-year-old, the complaint said. The boy said he turned Harris down repeatedly until Harris offered to pay him. One of the boys told police that Harris solicited oral sex from him in a bathroom during a cheerleading event they both attended, according to a complaint. “I had to quit cheering at my old gym because people there disagreed with me and my family because of deciding to speak out," he said. He said Harris would ask for nude pictures from him and when the boy refused, Harris would become "pushy," the complaint said. Harris, who promoted himself as a "mentor who could be trusted," would pressure his victims and offer to pay them in exchange for sexual conduct and favors, prosecutors said.

Harris, 22, of Naperville, Illinois, pleaded guilty in February to receiving child pornography and engaging in interstate travel for the purpose of engaging in ...

Harris' attorneys had sought a six-year sentence, followed by eight years of supervised release, arguing in court documents filed last month that he is "both victimizer and victim" after being sexually assaulted as a minor. Harris was accused in the complaint of also making similar requests to the boy's twin brother. Prosecutors sought a 15-year prison sentence, followed by 10 years of supervised release, arguing that he "preyed on the insecurity and youth of boys in the cheerleading community to abuse them."

Jerry Harris admitted soliciting sex from minors and pressuring young boys to send him nude photos and videos.

The FBI investigation into Harris was first reported by USA TODAY in September 2020, at a time when Harris' celebrity was growing. Charlie said he became so afraid of public restrooms after Harris pressured him for sex in one that he stopped eating at school so he wouldn't have to use the bathroom there. USA TODAY has since reported on pervasive child protection failures throughout the sport of competitive cheerleading, including how USASF delayed investigations and failed to prevent those accused or convicted of misconduct from working with young athletes. Sam said he and his brother decided to speak up after realizing Harris was abusing others. "Jerry Harris' guilt has been firmly established," said Sarah Klein, attorney for a Texas family that was the first to report allegations against Harris to authorities. USA TODAY agreed to withhold the family's last name because the boys are minors and alleging abuse. "And it cost us SO much." The family said it continued for more than a year. After a nearly seven-hour hearing, U.S. District Judge Manish Shah also sentenced Harris to eight years of supervised release following his term in prison. The lawyers submitted character reference letters and videos from more than 80 people, including Navarro College cheerleading coach Monica Aldama, other “Cheer” castmates and members of the broader cheerleading community. I do not deserve forgiveness, but I do pray that one day you might find it in your hearts." Harris also admitted to similar conduct involving other minors, though prosecutors agreed to dismiss those charges as part of the plea agreement.

22-year-old breakout star on Netflix's cheerleading show had pleaded guilty to crimes relating to child abuse images and soliciting sex from minors.

Harris was arrested in September 2020 on a charge of production of child sexual abuse images. These stemmed from incidents where Harris persuaded a 17-year-old to send him sexually explicit photographs for money, and a trip he took to Florida for the purpose of “engaging in illicit sexual conduct” with a 15-year-old. The second series of Cheer addressed the investigation into Harris, and dedicated an entire episode to the incidents, titled Jerry.

A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series 'Cheer,' to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys ...

Contributor Christopher Liew breaks it down in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca. 4 hr ago 4 hr ago 4 hr ago 4 hr ago Contributor Christopher Liew breaks it down in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca. As gas prices slightly trend down this week after some of the highest national averages seen in recent months, some Canadians may be thinking twice before planning their usual summer road trip plans. 3 hr ago 9 hr ago Harris even interviewed celebrities on the red carpet at the Academy Awards for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." "I'm still learning who I am and what my purpose is." I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end."

Harris also was sentenced to eight years of supervised release following his prison sentence. At the time of Harris' arrest, Navarro coach Monica Aldama ...

One of the brothers also accused Harris of asking him for sex at two cheerleading competitions. Season 2 of the cheerleading docu-series did not shy away from the news of Harris’ arrest, which took place while the show was on a COVID-19-induced hiatus. In February 2022, Harris pleaded guilty to two charges to multiple charges of sexual assault of a minor and paying a minor to send him explicit videos and photos via Snapchat.

Jerry Harris, from Netflix's 'Cheer,' gets 12 years in federal prison in child-porn case. An attorney said that 'reflects the severity of his crimes.'

Harris admitted to FBI agents to asking a teenage boy to send him lewd photographs of himself, and to requesting child pornography on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 others he knew to be minors, according to the indictment. Then in December of that year, he was indicted on more charges alleging misconduct in Illinois, Florida and Texas. According to the indictment, Harris allegedly solicited sex from minors at cheerleading competitions and convinced teenage boys to send him obscene photographs and videos of themselves. I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end.” According to a complaint, federal prosecutors said that Harris admitted to repeatedly asking a minor teen for pornographic videos and images between December 2018 and March 2020. “The sentence he received reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer,” Klein said. A prosecutor had asked for a sentence of 15 years followed by 10 years of supervised release, while attorneys for Harris sought a sentence of six years with eight years of supervised release.

Jerry Harris, star of Netflix's "Cheer," has just been sentenced to 12 years behind bars in his child pornography case.

Harris was in court for sentencing Wednesday, where a string of his friends and supporters read statements about the disgraced reality star's character. Authorities claimed he was soliciting sex from minors at cheer competitions, and coercing teen boys to send inappropriate photos. I regret my decisions and I am deeply sorry." While Jerry has a difficult road ahead of him, his uncompromising spirit and strength has carried him through challenging times before. "I am ashamed as I know that I took advantage of your youth and weakness. 'Cheer' Star Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years in Child Pornography Case, Apologizes to Victims

Harris pleaded guilty in February to federal charges of engaging in illegal sexual conduct and soliciting sexual photos with minors.

He reached a deal with prosecutors for guilty pleas in February 2022 – just over a year after he pleaded not guilty to seven charges brought against him in Chicago. Before the hearing, prosecutors filed a memo asking Judge Manish S. Shaw to sentence Harris to 15 years in prison. Harris was arrested in September 2020 for producing child pornography and soliciting sex and sexually explicit images from minors. A federal judge in Chicago sentenced Jerry Harris – star of the 2020 Netflix documentary series “Cheer” – to 12 years in prison on Wednesday after the 22-year-old cheerleader pleaded guilty to two to seven charges of sex crimes with a minor.

Jerry Harris, ex-star of the Netflix documentary series "Cheer," has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene ...

I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end.” Harris admitted to FBI agents to asking a teenage boy to send him lewd photographs of himself, and to requesting child pornography on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 others he knew to be minors, according to the indictment. A prosecutor had asked for a sentence of 15 years followed by 10 years of supervised release while lawyers for Harris sought a sentence of six years and eight years of supervised release.

Harris pleaded guilty last year to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of traveling with the intention to engage in illegal sexual ...

Harris has been in custody at a federal detention center while awaiting trial. When the boys parents found his phone, the boy also revealed Harris had also initiated sexual encounters with him at cheerleading competitions, something another 13-year-old victim also accused Harris of. Twenty-two year old Harris has been sentenced for coercing teenage boys to send him explicit footage and photos of themselves, as well as soliciting sex from minors at different cheerleading competitions.

Cheer star Jerry Harris was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two charges of sex crimes against minors.

"These past 22 months have been a time of reflection and self-discovery for me," he continued, referring to his time behind bars since his September 2020 arrest. Harris admitted that he had the boy meet him in public bathroom and sexually assaulted him. "You taught me that I wasn't broken, and you tried to give me a space to heal. You loved me for the person that I was," he said. I caused you harm and I do not blame anyone. I was wrong and selfish.