Jerry Harris (cheerleader)
American cheerleader (born 1999), Convicted child sex offender
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeremiah Harris (born July 14, 1999) is a former collegiate cheerleader who received international recognition after appearing in the 2020 Netflix docuseries Cheer.[1] In September and December 2020, he was charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with production of child pornography and other child-related sex crimes: "sexual exploitation of children, receiving child pornography, traveling with the attempt to engage in sexual conduct with a minor, and enticement", among other charges.[2] On February 10, 2022, Harris took a plea deal, and pled guilty as charged to two of the seven indictments against him.[3] On July 6, 2022, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in prison, after which he is required to register as a sex offender, and 8 years of court supervised probation to commence after his release from prison.[4]
July 14, 1999
Jerry Harris | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jeremiah Harris July 14, 1999 Hinsdale, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Navarro College |
| Years active | 2020–2022 |
Criminal charges | Enticing a child, producing child pornography (2022) |
Criminal penalty | 12 years imprisonment |
Criminal status | Incarcerated |
Early life and education
Harris was born in Hinsdale, Illinois and raised in Bolingbrook, Illinois.[5] When he was 16 years old, his mother died from lung cancer.[6][7] He attended Waubonsie Valley High School[8] followed by Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, where he was a member of the cheerleader team coached by Monica Aldama.[9] During the season one finale of Cheer, he received a Regional Scholars Award from the University of Louisville. He attended the school for the fall semester, but ultimately returned to Navarro College.[10][11] He became famous for his eccentric personality.[12]
Career
In January 2020, he appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, along with other members of the Cheer team.[13][14][15] In February 2020, DeGeneres announced that Harris would be The Ellen DeGeneres Show's Oscars correspondent.[16][17][18][19] He is known for his eccentric and over-the-top "mat talk," a cheerleading term, in which he yells and cheers on other people.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he made a guest appearance on the cheerleading themed song "Mas(k)ot" by Todrick Hall from his album Quarantine Queen.[20]
2020 arrest
In September 2020, the FBI announced they had a warrant for Harris for allegedly soliciting sex from minors.[21] The case involves twin brothers who were 13 when Harris, 19 at the time, sent suggestive messages asking for pictures and seeking sex.[21] The boys' mother at first dismissed the contacts, but after another cheerleading coach allegedly assaulted them, felt there might be a pervasive atmosphere of tolerance of sexual abuse either in the sport or the companies that govern them.[21] United States All Star Federation, Varsity Spirit and Cheer Athletics were later named as parties to the legal proceedings.[22]
On September 17, 2020, Harris was arrested by the FBI and charged in federal court in Chicago for production of child pornography.[22] Harris allegedly admitted to soliciting and receiving explicit messages on Snapchat from other individuals he knew were minors; he also allegedly admitted to having sex with a 15-year-old in mid-2019 when Harris was 19, according to federal court records.[23] Harris was suspended from at least one company, and faced the loss of several sponsorships.[21] A spokesperson for Harris denied the allegations, "We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager. We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed."[24] Harris's cheer coach Monica Aldama posted on Instagram that she was devastated by the news of his arrest.[25]
In a statement about his arrest, Netflix said "Like everyone we are shocked by this news. Any abuse of minors is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process."[26]
On December 12, 2020, it was reported that Harris faced an additional seven charges involving incidents with four other minors from August 2017 to August 2020, including a charge involving an alleged incident where Harris traveled from Texas to Florida to have sex with a 15-year-old in May 2019.[27][28] Harris pleaded not guilty to the new charges.[29]
On February 10, 2022, Harris pleaded guilty to allegations of child sex abuse.[30] He was obtaining photos of child sexual abuse and soliciting sex from minors. Harris was held without bond in a federal detention center and was set to be sentenced on June 28, 2022. Harris was instead sentenced on July 6, 2022 to 12 years in prison, followed by registration as a sex offender and eight years of court-supervised probation.[31]
