Former “Cheer” star Jerry Harris was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Wednesday after pleading responsible to sex crimes involving minors, CBS Chicago experiences. He may also spend eight years on court-supervised launch.
Harris pleaded responsible in February to a toddler pornography cost after persuading a minor to ship him sexually express images in change for cash. He additionally pleaded responsible to a cost of touring for illicit sex with minors, stemming from a visit he took to Florida for the aim of “engaging in illicit sexual conduct” with a 15-year-old, The Associated Press experiences.
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A plea settlement led prosecutors to drop 5 different federal counts introduced towards Harris.
At his sentencing listening to, Harris apologized to his victims, saying his actions had been “wrong and selfish,” in accordance to an announcement launched by his lawyer.
“I do not deserve forgiveness, but I do pray that one day you might find it in your hearts,” Harris added.
The 22-year-old has been held in a federal detention facility with out bond since he was arrested in September 2020.
Born Jeremiah Harris, he rose to fame when he and his teammates had been featured in the Emmy-winning docuseries “Cheer,” which follows the lives of the Navarro cheer squad. Harris even attended the Academy Awards in 2020 as a character for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
However, following a prolonged FBI investigation, he was arrested in September 2020 and charged with one rely of manufacturing little one pornography.
The federal criticism alleged Harris contacted a minor in 2018 and requested “face” and “booty” photos, even after the minor instructed him he was 13 years previous. In the criticism, the minor mentioned he despatched Harris dozens of photographs over greater than a 12 months. The minor additionally instructed investigators that Harris cornered him in a toilet at a cheerleading competitors and tried to solicit him for oral sex.
The minor refused, and Harris allegedly made the identical request at one other competitors three months later. According to the criticism, Harris blocked the minor on Snapchat in February 2020, one month after “Cheer” was launched on Netflix, and despatched him a message saying, “I’m sorry for what I’ve done in the past. I don’t think it’s a good idea that we be friends on snap.”
A second minor, who’s the primary minor’s twin, additionally accused Harris of requesting nude photographs.
In the criticism, investigators mentioned Harris admitted to a number of allegations, together with asking for nude photographs, attempting to solicit oral sex at cheerleading occasions and receiving little one pornography from 10 to 15 different youngsters he knew had been underage.
In December 2020, Harris was indicted on seven extra counts that alleged he solicited sex from minors at cheerleading competitions and labored to get younger boys to ship him images and movies.
In the most recent season of “Cheer,” the 2 minors listed in the primary federal criticism revealed themselves as twin cheerleaders Charlie and Sam. Both twins described being hesitant to converse out towards Harris due to his rising recognition, however Charlie mentioned that after watching him converse with then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in a June 2020 interview, he “lost it” and knew he had to do one thing.
(*12*) Charlie mentioned.
“This was not just a handful of times that this happened,” Kristen, Charlie and Sam’s mom, instructed CBS Chicago. “He was an incredibly persistent predator that forced himself into the center of my sons’ lives for over a year.”
Sarah Klein, a lawyer representing the victims, mentioned that Harris’ sentence “reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer.”
“Charlie and Sam demonstrated tremendous courage in sharing their painful experiences with prosecutors and the public,” Klein added. “Their sacrifice will protect children they have never met.”
Harris confronted a most sentence of fifty years in prison. Prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence, whereas attorneys for Harris needed a sentence of six years, in accordance to AP.
Zoe Christen Jones contributed reporting.
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