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Cheer is back on Netflix. However, Jerry Harris is missing from the second season of the Emmy Award-winning docuseries as he is currently facing a prison sentence for multiple charges of misconduct.
The former Navarro Cheer member skyrocketed to fame alongside his fellow cheerleaders when the reality show first launched in January 2020. However, fans were left shocked when Harris was arrested in September 2020 on charges of child abuse and exploitation.
The latest season of Cheer follows the aftermath of the events shown in January 2020 and chronicles the lives of the Navarro College cheerleading team as the National Cheerleading Championship is called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second season also addresses the allegations made against Harris in an episode titled “Jerry.” The episode consists of statements from his coaches, teammates and co-stars, as well as two of his victims.
In the trailer for Cheer season 2, some of Harris’ co-stars can be heard saying that they could not “process” the situation and everyone felt “lost” after the scandal.
Although Jerry’s team denied all allegations made against him, his lawyers refused to appear on the show and did not agree to be interviewed on camera.
Everything to know about Jerry Harris
Jerry Harris is an American media personality, cheerleader and reality TV star. He is best known for appearing on the first season of the acclaimed Netflix docuseries Cheer as part of the Navarro College cheerleading team under Coach Monica Aldama.
He was born on July 14, 1999, in Hinsdale, Illinois and attended Waubonsie Valley High School before joining Navarro College in Texas. He also joined the University of Louisville for the fall semester after receiving a Regional Scholars Award during the final season of Cheer.
As the Netflix show gained worldwide recognition, Harris emerged as a fan-favorite member of the Navarro Cheer and garnered immense popularity for his eccentric nature and optimistic “mat talk.”
The 22-year-old also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show with his teammates and went on to become the show’s correspondent for the Oscars. He interviewed prominent Hollywood stars on the red carpet at the 2020 Academy Awards and even attended the Vanity Fair afterparty.
During an interview with Variety, Harris said he wanted to become a role model for youth:
“I want to be someone that’s fearless, that’s confident to others, and that’s confident to themselves and believes in themselves, and just to tell them you can be who you want to be, and you can be who you are, because you are perfect and you are enough for anyone.”
Jerry Harris also appeared on Todrick Hall’s song Mas(k)ot from his 2020 EP Quarantine Queen. He even bagged endorsement deals with brands like American Eagle and Panera Bread, among others.
However, Harris was arrested on federal charges in September 2020 on multiple counts of misconduct caused against minors.
What did Jerry Harris do?
On September 14, 2020, twin brothers Charlie and Sam filed a lawsuit against Jerry Harris for sending them improper text messages and photos when they were 13 years old.
The brothers claimed that Harris befriended them when he was 19 and made inappropriate advances towards them between December 2018 and March 2020, despite knowing they were minors.
According to court documents filed by the brothers’ lawyers Morgan Stewart and Sarah Klein, Harris misused his professional position to abuse the teenagers for over a year:
“[Jerry] violated his role as a mentor, trainer, coach, s**ually violated the Plaintiffs, and used his position of authority and power over the Plaintiffs. We are grateful that the U.S. Attorney and the F.B.I. have taken swift action to protect children by investigating, arresting and charging Jerry Harris.”
On September 17 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Jerry Harris at his Naperville residence for allegedly producing inappropriate videos involving minors. Following his arrest, Harris admitted to exchanging improper photos with at least 10-15 minors via Snapchat.
He also admitted to having a physical relationship with a 15-year-old at a cheerleading event. Meanwhile, another 17-year-old confessed to sending improper photos to Harris in exchange for money in 2020.
In December 2020, the FBI placed additional charges on Harris, including exploitation of children, receiving offensive media involving children, traveling with an attempt to engage inappropriately with a minor and enticement.
Harris’ lawyers filed for his pretrial release stating that the defendant had a clean criminal record in the past. However, on October 16, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Heather McShain denied the motion, saying the cheerleader posed “a significant danger to the community.”
On December 17, 2020, Jerry Harris pled “not guilty” of all charges. However, he is currently being held in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago and will be detained without bail until his trial. Harris could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of all counts.
