“Cheer” star Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris has been sentenced to 12 years in federal jail after pleading responsible in February to 2 out of seven sexual abuse and baby pornography costs, USA Today reported on July 6. As a part of the brand new plea settlement, the opposite costs have been dropped.
In a statement to People in February, Harris’s protection group claimed he determined to plead responsible “as a result of he needs to take accountability for his actions and publicly convey his regret for the hurt he has brought about the victims on this case.” The assertion continued, “Jerry is a 22-year-old younger man whose story can solely be understood although the lens of the intense poverty, sexual abuse, and neglect of his childhood. Jerry was himself exploited, manipulated, and sexually abused as a toddler throughout the cheer group in a approach that perversely made him consider that this sexual conduct was by some means regular when it was not.”
Harris was initially arrested in Naperville on Sept. 17, 2020, after allegations of kid sexual exploitation and abuse have been brought against him in a lawsuit by an lawyer representing two alleged victims. Three months later, he faced additional charges for receiving and trying to obtain baby pornography, utilizing the web in Orlando, FL, to “persuade, induce, and entice” a minor, and touring from Texas to Florida “for the aim of participating in illicit sexual conduct” with a minor.
Prosecutors additionally charged Harris with 4 counts of utilizing, persuading, inducing, and attractive a minor “to interact in sexually specific conduct for the aim of manufacturing a visible 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 symbolize two of the alleged victims, beforehand addressed the fees in a press release, saying:
“We’re grateful that the U.S. Legal professional and the FBI have continued to analyze this case, find further victims and take motion. This was made attainable as a result of our shoppers’ mom initially had the braveness to report Harris to the FBI and offered evidentiary proof of the manipulation, sexual harassment, abuse, and exploitation that her sons had suffered. We urge the authorities to undertake a radical investigation of the US All Star Federation, Varsity Spirit, and Cheer Athletics to find out which of their executives, staff, and representatives may have stopped Harris’ abuse and failed to take action.”
In case you or somebody you understand wish to converse with somebody who’s skilled to help sexual assault survivors, please name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
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