“Cheer” Star Arrested on Child Porn Charges
Source: The Hollywood Gossip
The New Yorker called him a “human sunbeam,” and then he was arrested with child pornography charges. Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris, 21, was thrown into the spotlight following Netflix’s release of “Cheer,” a docu-series chronicling the lives of him and his teammates as they train for their next national cheerleading title. His positive energy and likeable personality made him a breakout star and even got him featured on daytime shows like “Ellen” and ‘Today” following the “Cheer” series debut. However, last week it was announced that Harris was being charged with producing child pornography. According to New York Times an interview with authorities, Harris admitted that he had exchanged sexually explicit photos with minors, had sex with a 15-year-old in 2019, and solicited nude photos from a 17-year-old.
The investigation began as a result of allegations made by 14-year-old twin brothers from Texas who described their experiences of being harassed online and at cheer competitions when they were 13 and Harris was 19. Jerry Harris first contacted the brothers via his private Instagram page and eventually moved to Snapchat where he began explicitly asking for nude photos or sex, according to messages and photos saved on their cellphones. The boys explained to USA Today that their exchanges with Harris left them feeling “gross and uncomfortable.” The FBI has since released a webpage which lists the usernames linked to social media accounts that Harris allegedly used to entice his victims. The website encourages any additional victims to come forward if they were asked by Harris to produce any sexually explicit content while under the age of 18.
Source: USA Today
Harris used the multimedia messaging app, Snapchat, to befriend minors and ultimately convince them to sending him photos and videos. The app allows users to send photos, videos and messages which expire immediately after being opened. Jerry Harris knew that the illegal activity he was engaging in would disappear once messages or photos were opened by his victims. The emotional trauma endured by his victims is only heightened by the fact that Harris is a celebrity whose crimes were hidden under the umbrella of positive press he received from his performance on television. Harris was the adult in these situations, and rather than recognizing the problem with his behavior towards minors, he harassed his victims and manipulated them into sending content, compromising their privacy and safety.
Harris’ role in “Cheer” portrayed him as an encouraging teammate and spirited athlete; however, off the mat, Harris sought out minors for his own sexual gratification. For now, the number of Harris’ victims is unknown, but based on the crimes that he has already admitted to, it is likely that many more victims will come forward. While laws involving communication with minors over the internet differ from state to state, one fact remains the same: producing child pornography is a federal crime that carries a sentence of between 15 to 30 years in prison if convicted.