Content Warning: This article about Jerry Harris discusses sexual assault and rape. If you or someone you know is affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Cheer star Jerry Harris is facing new federal charges in Chicago for alleged sex crimes involving minors. The seven-count indictment that was released to the public on Friday involves several victims in Illinois, Texas, and Florida.
The 21-year-old television personality was charged with producing child pornography back in September following an FBI raid on his home in Naperville, Chicago.
Court documents reveal that Harris admitted to investigators that he had asked minor to send him nude photographs between December 2018 and March 2020. He also allegedly admitted to requesting and receiving child pornography from “at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors”, via Snapchat.
Further allegations were made public in October that allege that Harris sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy in an unlocked public bathroom which was also attended by “dozens of responsible adults” in the cheerleading community.
“[It] demonstrates that Harris either does not care about being caught committing his offences, or simply cannot stop himself,” prosecutors said at the time. “Unless and until he receives significant mental health sex offender treatments, he will remain a danger to any child he encounters, either online or in-person.”
Prosecutors claim that Jerry Harris “exhibits all the signs of a serial child predator.”
“Even after Harris was tipped off to the investigation and he destroyed his cell phone, he still could not stop himself from acting out on his criminal desires,” prosecutors said.
The new charges relate to alleged production of child pornography, court documents reveal that Harris “did knowingly use, persuade, induce, and entice a minor … to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, and for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct.”
The court documents allege that Jerry Harris “knowingly received and attempted to receive child pornography.” Whilst another count claims Harris, “using a facility and means of interstate commerce, namely, the internet, did knowingly persuade, induce, and entice … a minor who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity for which the defendant could be charged with a criminal offense.”
He is also facing one count of travelling across state lines “for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct” with a minor.
Jerry Harris’s attorneys are yet release a statement addressing the new charges. An arraignment will take place on Friday, December 18th.
