Jerry Harris, star of Netflix’s reality series Cheer has been sentenced to prison on federal charges involving child sexual abuse images.

CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual abuse and may be distressing for some readers.

Back in September 2020, Harris was arrested and indicted on seven counts of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography and of persuading minors to engage in sexual contact from August 2017 to August 2020.

Jerry Harris, star of Netflix’s reality series Cheer, has been sentenced to prison on federal charges involving child sexual abuse images. Source: Getty Images.

Then in February 2022, the 22-year-old pleaded guilty to two charges of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old in the bathroom during a cheer competition and paying a 17-year-old to send him sexually explicit photos and videos via Snapchat.

According to NBC, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison, followed by eight years of court-supervised release.

Prosecutors Sought a 15-Year Sentence for Jerry Harris

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence for the reality star.

They also said that Harris used “his status as a competitive cheerleader, his social media persona, and eventually his celebrity and money” to persuade underage boys into sending sexually explicit content.

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence for Jerry Harris. Source: Netflix.

The same memorandum said that Harris would pressure his victims and offer to pay them in exchange for sexual conduct and favours. If they did not oblige, he would “threaten to disseminate the videos they had sent.”

Harris became a break-out star on Netflix’ Cheer who promoted himself as a “mentor who could be trusted”. He gained even more popularity after Ellen DeGeneres gave him a red carpet hosting gig at the 2020 Oscars.

Harris gained even more popularity after Ellen DeGeneres gave him a red carpet hosting gig at the 2020 Oscars. Source: Getty Images.

If you or someone you know needs help, please contact BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a sexual assault, please contact the Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence National Help Line on 1800 Respect (1800 737 732) or head to The Australian Human Rights Commission for a list of state by state resources.

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