Cheer star Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris, who was arrested in September on a federal child pornography charge, is now facing seven new counts, USA Today confirmed on Dec. 11. According to an indictment obtained by the outlet, the 21-year-old was charged with receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, using the internet in Orlando, FL, to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor, and traveling from Texas to Florida “for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct” with a minor.
Prosecutors also charged Jerry with four counts of using, persuading, inducing, and enticing a minor “to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.” The acts allegedly occurred in Naperville, IL, and Corsicana, TX, between August 2017 and August 2020.
Attorneys Morgan Stewart and Sarah Klein, who represent two of the alleged victims, addressed the new charges in a statement, saying:
“We are grateful that the U.S. Attorney and the FBI have continued to investigate this case, locate additional victims and take action. This was made possible because our clients’ mother initially had the courage to report Harris to the FBI and provided evidentiary proof of the manipulation, sexual harassment, abuse, and exploitation that her sons had suffered. We urge the authorities to undertake a thorough investigation of the United States All-Star Federation, Varsity Spirit, and Cheer Athletics to determine which of their executives, employees, and representatives could have stopped Harris’ abuse and failed to do so.”
Jerry was initially arrested in Naperville on Sept. 17 after allegations of child sexual exploitation and abuse were brought against him in a lawsuit by an attorney representing two alleged victims. “We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager,” a spokesperson for Jerry told CNN. “We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.” Jerry has remained behind bars since his arrest and is awaiting trial. If convicted, he faces 15 to 30 years in federal prison.