UPDATE (2:38 PM CST 09/17/2020): Jerry Harris has been charged soliciting pornographic videos and images of minors and soliciting sex from a 13-year-old victim at cheerleading competitions.
Harris, 21, of Naperville, was charged in a criminal complaint with one count of production of child pornography, which carries a minimum of 15 years in prison upon conviction.
Harris “admitted” to instances of alleged misconduct from December 2018 to spring 2020, during a September 14, 2020 interview with law-enforcement agents — including allegedly admitting to sex with another minor, who was 15.
Harris who is charged with one count of producing child pornography, would have been from 19 to about 20 years old during the alleged misconduct. He faces from 15 to 30 years in federal prison convicted. Harris has previously denied allegations of sexual misconduct.
Authorities also alleged that Harris made two more shocking disclosures. “Harris admitted to soliciting and receiving child pornography on Snapchat from at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors,” the complaint alleged. “Harris admitted to engaging in anal and oral sex with a 15 year old minor (Minor 3) at a cheer event in 2019.”
So it sounds as if there could definitely be more charges coming Harris' way.
“We are grateful that the U.S. Attorney and the FBI have taken swift action to protect children by investigating, arresting and charging Jerry Harris,” attorneys for the victim said in a statement. “We urge the authorities to undertake a thorough investigation of the United States All Star Federation, Varsity Spirit, and Cheer Athletics to determine which of their executives, employees, and representatives could have stopped Harris’ abuse and failed to do so.”
Jerry Harris, star of Netflix’s popular docuseries Cheer, has been arrested and charged with production of child pornography, a rep for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago, Illinois said Thursday.
He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Chicago this afternoon.
It was reported earlier this week that the FBI was investigating Harris over allegations that he solicited sex and nude images from minors.
The charges come three days after the FBI raided Harris’ Naperville home.
Harris, 21, was also sued in Texas by two teenagers who accused him of “sexual harassment, exploitation, manipulation, intimidation and sexual abuse.”
A spokesperson for Harris in a statement told ABC News and Variety the lawsuit was without merit.
“We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager,” the statement read. “We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.”
Watch this space for updates.
