Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years in Child Pornography Case

“Cheer” star Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris has been sentenced to 12 years in federal jail after pleading responsible in February to two out of seven sexual abuse and baby pornography prices, USA Today reported on July 6. As a part of the brand new plea settlement, the opposite prices had been dropped.

In a statement to People in February, Harris’s protection staff claimed he determined to plead responsible “as a result of he needs to take duty for his actions and publicly convey his regret for the hurt he has prompted the victims in this case.” The assertion continued, “Jerry is a 22-year-old younger man whose story can solely be understood although the lens of the acute poverty, sexual abuse, and neglect of his childhood. Jerry was himself exploited, manipulated, and sexually abused as a toddler inside the cheer group in a method that perversely made him consider that this sexual conduct was one way or the other regular when it was not.”

Harris was initially arrested in Naperville on Sept. 17, 2020, after allegations of kid sexual exploitation and abuse had been brought against him in a lawsuit by an lawyer representing two alleged victims. Three months later, he faced additional charges for receiving and making an attempt to obtain baby pornography, utilizing the web in Orlando, FL, to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor, and touring from Texas to Florida “for the aim of participating in illicit sexual conduct” with a minor.

Prosecutors additionally charged Harris with 4 counts of utilizing, persuading, inducing, and attractive a minor “to interact in sexually express conduct for the aim of manufacturing a visible depiction of such conduct.” The acts allegedly occurred in Naperville, IL, and Corsicana, TX, between August 2017 and August 2020.

Attorneys Morgan Stewart and Sarah Klein, who characterize two of the alleged victims, beforehand addressed the fees in a press release, saying:

“We are grateful that the U.S. Attorney and the FBI have continued to examine this case, find further victims and take motion. This was made attainable as a result of our shoppers’ mom initially had the braveness to report Harris to the FBI and offered evidentiary proof of the manipulation, sexual harassment, abuse, and exploitation that her sons had suffered. We urge the authorities to undertake a radical investigation of the United States All Star Federation, Varsity Spirit, and Cheer Athletics to decide which of their executives, staff, and representatives might have stopped Harris’ abuse and failed to achieve this.”

If you or somebody you already know would love to communicate with somebody who’s educated to help sexual assault survivors, please name the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.