Netflix's Former ‘Cheer’ Star Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years In Sex Crimes Case

Jerry Harris, a former cast member of Netflix's Cheer, was given a 12-year jail term on Wednesday.

As reported by the AP, the sentence was brought down by a federal judge after he was alleged to have coerced teenage males to email him pornographic images and videos of themselves and for solicited sex from children during cheerleading events.

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah has also ordered that the sentence will be followed by eight years of court-supervised release.

Considering the punishment, Judge Shah advised Harris: “A statement of the enormity of your crimes, coupled with some optimism that all is not lost for you or for your victims, and that some healing can occur in the future.”

Earlier, Harris pleaded guilty to one count each of receiving child pornography and traveling with the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity.

He was taken into custody in September 2020 on suspicion of creating child pornography. At the time, prosecutors claimed that he asked two brothers, both 14 years old, for recordings and pictures.

Federal prosecutors alleged in a complaint that between December 2018 and March 2020, Harris acknowledged frequently requesting pornographic films and photographs from a young teen.

Harris apologized to his victims before learning his sentence, saying, “I am deeply sorry for all the trauma my abuse has caused you. I pray deep down that your suffering comes to an end.”

“I’m not an evil person,” Harris said. “I’m still learning who I am and what my purpose is.”

Sarah Klein, an attorney for two of the victims, issued a statement saying Harris’ guilt was “firmly established” and that “the sentence he received reflects the severity of his crimes and the lifetime of pain his victims will suffer.”

When Cheer was launched in January 2020, it was a huge hit, and Harris rapidly rose to fame for his positive outlook and optimistic “mat talk.”