‘Cheer’ celebrity faces porn charges
The FBI has charged celebrity cheerleader Jerry Harris with producing child pornography, the U.S. attorney’s office said. According to federal court records, Harris admitted to agents that he solicited and received explicit messages on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 individuals he knew were minors, had sex with a 15-yearold at a cheerleading competition in 2019 and offered a 17-year-old money in exchange for nude photos.
Harris rose to fame this year when featured in Netflix’s “Cheer” docuseries.
USA TODAY reported Monday that the initial criminal investigation was based on allegations brought by 14year-old twins. In interviews with USA TODAY, the boys described a pattern of harassment online and at cheer competitions that started when they were 13 and Harris was 19. They said it continued for more than a year. On Monday, the FBI executed a search warrant at Harris’ Illinois, home. Since then, agents have interviewed other minors about their interactions with Harris, court records show.
Harris, 21, could not immediately be reached for comment. His arrest was first reported by the Chicago Tribune.
Kristen, the mother of twins Charlie and Sam, told USA TODAY she filed reports with Fort Worth, Texas, police on July 10 and the FBI on Aug. 8. USA TODAY agreed to withhold the family’s last name.
The family provided screenshots from five text and social media conversations between the boys and accounts they say belong to Harris. Several screenshots include messages explicitly requesting nude photos or sex.
Varsity Brands, which runs cheer competitions, on Aug. 1 also reported the allegations to police in Florida and Texas, according to letters obtained by USA TODAY. In the letters, Varsity said it had banned Harris.
Kristen and the boys on Monday filed a lawsuit against Harris, Varsity, the U.S. All Star Federation and the Cheer Athletics gym at which Harris has cheered. The family accuses the organizations of negligence and failures to protect the boys.
If convicted, Harris faces 15 to 30 years in federal prison.