The verdict is in, Roomies. Former ‘Cheer’ star Jerry Harris has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars on Wednesday, after a judge found him guilty of engaging in the exchange of child pornography.
According to TMZ, Harris’ sentence was determined after a hearing, and he has been ordered to pay $35,000 into the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Fund. He will also have court-supervised release once his sentence is served.
As we previously reported, Harris was facing up to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of traveling with the intent to illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
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Prosecutors initially recommended Harris serve 15 years, stating that he used “his status as a competitive cheerleader, his social media persona, and eventually his celebrity and” to persuade underage boys into sending his explicit content.
Harris was under investigation since 2019 after authorities claimed he was soliciting sex from minors and cheer competitions and paying teen boys to send inappropriate photos. The victims involved in the case include a pair of twin brothers, who stated that Harris coerced them into sending him sexually explicit photos. One of the twins also told police that Harris asked him for oral sex in a bathroom during a cheerleading event.
Jerry’s coach at the time, Monica Aldama, released a statement following his arrest in September 2020 saying:
My heart is shattered into a million pieces. I am devastated by this shocking, unexpected news. Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I’m praying hard for the victims and everyone affected.”
Harris’ attorneys argued that he experienced sexual assault as a child and had a “skewed version of what he understood to be appropriate relationships.”
No word from Harris and his camp yet, but we’ll keep you updated, Roomies.
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