Netflix ‘Cheer’ star Jerry Harris facing seven new charges
Jerry Harris, a star of the popular Netflix docuseries Cheer, is facing seven new sex crime and child pornography charges.
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Jerry Harris, a star of the popular Netflix docuseries Cheer, is facing seven new sex crime and child pornography charges.
A special January 2020 grand jury in the Northern District of Illinois filed an indictment against Harris, 21, on Friday. This comes nearly three months after Harris was arrested on a federal child pornography charge.
In the indictment obtained by Fox News, federal prosecutors charged Harris with seven counts relating to five minors. Four of the counts allege Harris knowingly used, persuaded, induced and enticed a minor to “engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct”.
He has also been charged with knowingly persuading, inducing and enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Additionally, Harris is charged with knowingly receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, including the use of a computer, as well as travelling “in interstate commerce, from Texas to Florida, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct”.
Lawyers for two of Harris’ alleged victims, who are brothers, shared a statement with the Chicago Tribune on Friday.
“This was made possible because our clients’ mother initially had the courage to report Harris to the FBI and provided evidentiary proof of the manipulation, sexual harassment, abuse, and exploitation that her sons had suffered,” the statement from lawyers Morgan Stewart and Sarah Klein read.
Harris did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment on Saturday, but back in September, prior to this arrest, a spokesman for the Netflix star told TMZ: “We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager. We are confident that when the investigation is complete the true facts will be revealed.”
At the time, a Netflix spokesman told Fox News in a statement: “Like everyone we are shocked by this news. Any abuse of minors is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process.”
Prior to his September arrest, FBI agents reportedly executed a search warrant at a home in Naperville, Illinois as part of the investigation.
Harris rose to fame when he was featured on the original Netflix docuseries Cheer, which debuted on the streaming platform in January and follows the competitive cheer squad at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, as they mount up for a national championship.
This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission
Originally published as Netflix ‘Cheer’ star Jerry Harris facing seven new charges
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