Netflix's 'Cheer' Star, Jerry Harris Arrested For Allegedly Producing Child Pornography
(CBSDFW.COM) - Jerry Harris, the 21-year-old breakout star of the Netflix documentary series "Cheer," is in jail.
He was charged for allegedly enticing an underage boy he contacted via social media to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of himself for Harris to see, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The minor victim informed Harris during their initial online encounter that he was 13 years old, the complaint states.
The charges come three days after the FBI raided Harris' Naperville home.
He was also sued in Texas by twin teenagers who accused him of "sexual harassment, exploitation, manipulation, intimidation and sexual abuse."
A lawsuit alleges that beginning when they were 13, Harris sent them sexually explicit photos and videos of himself, and at one point cornered one boy in a bathroom at a cheer competition and begged for oral sex, according to a lawsuit.
USA TODAY, which first reported the allegations, said Monday that multiple sources told the newspaper that the FBI was investigating accusations that Harris solicited sexually explicit photos and sex from minors.
In addition to accusing Harris of sexual misconduct, the lawsuit accuses cheer organizations of failing to protect the boys. The organizations named in the lawsuit are U.S. All Star Federation, which governs competitive cheerleading; Varsity Spirit, which puts on competitions; and the Cheer Athletics, a chain of gyms.
Cheer Athletics owner Angela Rogers told the newspaper that Harris hasn't been affiliated with the gym since March 1. She told the newspaper that she learned of the allegations against him in mid-May and reported them to police.
"Cheer" followed the cheerleading team from Navarro College in Corsicana, of which Harris was a member, as they sought a national title.
It was an instant success when it was released in January, and Harris drew fans for his upbeat attitude and his encouraging "mat talk." Earlier this year, he interviewed A-list celebrities on the Oscar's red carpet for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Production of child pornography is punishable by a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.
