'Cheer' Coach Monica Aldama Responds to Jerry Harris's Arrest

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Update 9/18/2020 at 4:20 P.M.: Fellow cheerleader Gabi Butler has responded to the arrest of Jerry Harris. In an Instagram post, she wrote, "Like most of you, I am shocked, dismayed and deeply saddened by the recent news concerning my friend and former teammate Jerry Harris."

"Ever since I heard the news I have gone back and forth between sobbing uncontrollably and trying to wrap my head around why something like this could happen," she continued. "To be clear, although I have been a close friend and teammate with Jerry, I was never aware of anything like what he has been accused of taking place. I believe the protection of children is more important than ever in today's world and absolutely do not condone any actions that bring harm to a child. Issuing a statement like this hurts my heart more than any of you will ever know. As a Christian woman, the only thing I know to do is pray for all involved and for the world we live in. My heart is broken."

Update 9/18/2020 at 11:45 A.M.: Cheer star and coach of Navarro College Cheer, Monica Aldama has responded to the arrest of her former team member, Jerry Harris. "My heart is shattered into a million pieces. I am devastated by this shocking, unexpected news," she wrote in a post on Twitter. "Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I'm praying hard for the victims & everyone affected. Please respect our privacy as our family mourns during this time."

Netflix also responded to the arrest and the allegations releasing a statement to People reading, "Like everyone we are shocked by this news. Any abuse of minors is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process."

Previously:

Jerry Harris, star of Netflix college cheerleading docuseries Cheer, has reportedly been arrested for allegedly producing child pornography.

The 21-year-old was charged in Chicago on Thursday, People reports. In a statement, federal officials said Harris is being charged "for allegedly enticing an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of himself.”

According to said statement, Harris “contacted the underage boy on a social media application and repeatedly enticed him to produce sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself and send them to Harris, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The minor victim informed Harris during their initial online encounter that he was 13 years old, the complaint states.”

This charge carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years.

Harris made news earlier this week when two underage twin boys filed a suit against him for allegedly asking that they send them nude photos when they were 13 years old. A representative for Harris disputed the claims telling People, "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."