Federal prosecutors filed a motion asking the judge to keep Cheer star Jerry Harris detained as he awaits his trial for child pornography.
According to documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight, Harris allegedly sent and requested inappropriate photos from multiple minors for over two years.
Prosecutors claim that Harris, โby his own admission,โ assaulted a 15-year-old boy โin an unlocked public bathroom, during an event attended by dozens of responsible adults.โ
BuzzFeed News reports that Harris โexploited and violatedโ at least 10 boys, federal prosecutors in Chicago allege, labeling him a โchild predator.โ
The new allegations were made in a court filing on Tuesday (October 13, 2020) โdemonstrates that Harris either does not care about being caught committing his offenses, or simply cannot stop himself,โ prosecutors said.
The filing also alleges that Harris destroyed his phone when he first learned of the investigation, only to use his new โcleanโ phone weeks later to victimize more boys.
โEven after Harris was tipped off to the investigation and he destroyed his cell phone, he still could not stop himself from acting out on his criminal desires,โ prosecutors said.
Again, prosecutors said this suggested that Harris either could not control his criminal impulses, or just did not care about getting caught.
Describing Harris, 21, as โa clear and present danger to the community,โ the prosecutors are requesting that he be detained pending trial. He faces 15-30 years in prison.