Former ‘Cheer’ star Jerry Harris pleads guilty in federal child pornography case

Jerry Harris, one of many breakout stars of the Netflix collection “Cheer,” pleaded responsible Thursday in a federal youngster pornography case.

Harris, 22, was indicted in December 2020 on quite a few fees alleging he obtained and tried to obtain youngster pornography and persuaded minors to have interaction in sexual contact. Prosecutors mentioned the alleged acts concerned victims in Florida, Illinois and Texas from August 2017 to August 2020. 

Harris’ change of plea listening to happened Thursday afternoon earlier than U.S. District Decide Manish Shah. He pleaded responsible to 2 of the counts within the indictment, receiving youngster pornography and interesting in interstate journey for the aim of partaking in a sexual act with a minor, in accordance with attorneys representing two of the victims.

The victims are twin brothers.

“We’re grateful that the U.S. Lawyer and the FBI investigated this case, situated further victims and took motion. Now, Jerry Harris’ guilt has been firmly established,” mentioned legal professional Sarah Klein.

The brothers’ mom mentioned Harris’ pleading responsible offers her “hope that the ache and grief that my sons have suffered on account of talking up has not been in useless.”

“In an effort to place a cease to a serial predator and avert hurt to different youngsters, my sons took the courageous step of talking publicly in regards to the sexual abuse they suffered by the hands of Jerry Harris,” the boys’ mom mentioned in an announcement. “I’ll proceed my mission to carry Jerry Harris and his enablers totally accountable each within the courts of regulation and the court docket of public opinion.”

Harris was arrested in September 2020 after he was accused of soliciting youngster pornography pictures and movies from the 2 14-year-old boys on a number of events, in accordance with a grievance filed that month.

One of many boys advised police that Harris solicited oral intercourse from him in a rest room throughout a cheerleading occasion they each attended. The grievance alleges that Harris contacted one of many boys on Instagram in 2018, when he was 19 and the boys have been 13.

One of many boys mentioned he despatched nude footage to Harris on Snapchat at Harris’ request and commenced speaking with him on FaceTime, the place Harris requested the boy to reveal himself. Harris additionally despatched the boy nude footage and movies, in accordance with the grievance.

The second boy advised investigators that Harris was “sensitive” and did “odd issues” to him and his brother, the grievance alleges. He mentioned Harris would request nude footage from him and that when the boy refused, Harris would change into “pushy” and make him really feel responsible, in accordance with the grievance.

Forensic investigations into the boys’ telephones confirmed textual content messages and Snapchat communications between them and Harris, the grievance says. Harris is alleged to have admitted to investigators throughout a voluntary interview to having despatched and obtained nude pictures and to having texted the boys.

The grievance additional alleges {that a} 17-year-old boy advised investigators that Harris was “relentless” in soliciting pictures from him on Snapchat. He mentioned he turned down Harris repeatedly till Harris provided to pay him cash, it says..

Harris is alleged to have advised investigators that he had solicited and obtained nude footage from 10 to fifteen others who he knew have been minors, in accordance with the grievance. He’s additionally alleged to have admitted to having oral and anal intercourse with a 15-year-old in the summertime of 2018, the court docket doc states.

Todd Pugh, an legal professional for Harris, mentioned Harris pleaded responsible “as a result of he needs to take accountability for his actions and publicly convey his regret for the hurt he has brought about the victims on this case.”

He went on to say Harris was exploited and sexually abused, and he pointed the finger on the cheerleading group.

“Jerry was himself exploited, manipulated, and sexually abused as a toddler inside the Cheer Group in a manner that perversely made him imagine that this sexual conduct was one way or the other regular when it was not,” Pugh mentioned in a information launch.

“There being no protected harbor to debate his exploitation, Jerry as an alternative masked his trauma and placed on the brilliant face and infectious smile that the world got here to know. As we now know, Jerry turned an offender himself as an older teenager,” Pugh mentioned.

Harris has been in jail since his arrest. Pugh mentioned Harris has sought psychological well being remedy and remedy behind bars.  

Harris appeared on the docuseries “Cheer,” which follows a Texas cheerleading crew at Navarro Faculty. Season 2 of the collection addressed the allegations towards Harris.