“Cheer” star Jerry Harris has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. He was on trial for child pornography.
Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris (22) has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by a federal court in Chicago. The star, known from the Netflix documentary Cheer, was on trial for child pornography and sex with a minor.
In December 2020, Harris was charged with seven counts, according to CNN. At the time, the Netflix star pleaded guilty to two of the charges: The 22-year-old pleaded receiving child pornography and making interstate trips to meet a 15-year-old boy with whom he had sexual relations. Harris had already been arrested in September 2020.
Richter hopes for a “cure” in the future
According to the Daily Mail, prosecutors had urged a lengthy prison sentence and said Harris’s status as a celebrity enabled him to “persuade and induce” his young victims to engage in sexual activity. The judge urged Harris to consider his sentence “an expression of the seriousness of your crimes, with the hope that all is not lost for you and your victims, and that some healing may come in the future.”
Before sentencing, Harris apologized to his victims. “I deeply regret the trauma my abuse has caused you. I deeply pray that your suffering will end.” He also explained: “I’m not a bad person. I’m still learning who I am and what my job is.”
