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Former “Cheer” star Jerry Harris pleaded guilty in Chicago on Thursday in a federal sex crimes case alleging he solicited sex from teen boys at cheerleading competitions.

Harris, 22, appeared in federal court to enter the plea Thursday afternoon, TMZ reported.

While sentencing guidelines call for up to 50 years in prison, it will be up to the judge to determine Harris’ fate at a hearing set for June 28, the outlet reported.

Harris, of Naperville, Illinois, has been held without bond at Chicago’s Metropolitan Correctional Center ever since his September 2020 arrest on a child pornography charge.

Federal prosecutors later filed additional charges alleging Harris coerced minors into sending him explicit photos, tried to persuade a minor to engage in oral sex at cheerleading events and solicited another for sex.

Harris admitted in an interview with FBI agents to having five to 10 victims, according to a criminal complaint.


  Court documents allege Jerry Harris coerced minors into sending him explicit photos. US Attorney's Office Court documents allege Jerry Harris coerced minors into sending him explicit photos. US Attorney's Office

  Jerry Harris also allegedly solicited minors for sex. US Attorney's Office Jerry Harris also allegedly solicited minors for sex. US Attorney's Office

  The “Cheer” star allegedly tried to persuade minors to engage in oral sex at cheerleading events. US Attorney's Office The “Cheer” star allegedly tried to persuade minors to engage in oral sex at cheerleading events. US Attorney's Office

The case against Harris stemmed from a February 2020 complaint from the mother of twin brothers who claimed they were “groomed” for sex by the star cheerleader.

The siblings, who are competitive cheerleaders from Texas, said the alleged abuse began when they were around 13 and Harris was 19 — and that it lasted for more than a year.

Prosecutors allege that Harris started soliciting photos from one of the boys in late 2018.


  Jerry Harris’ texts with an underage victim. US Attorney's Office Jerry Harris’ texts with an underage victim. US Attorney's Office

  Picture of an alleged victim. US Attorney's Office Picture of an alleged victim. US Attorney's Office

  Jerry Harris asking a minor for nude photos. US Attorney's Office Jerry Harris asking a minor for nude photos. US Attorney's Office

He then allegedly followed the victim into a bathroom at a cheerleading event two years later and sexually assaulted him, according to the complaint.

Harris rose to fame as the breakout star of Netflix’s “Cheer” docuseries, which follows the cheer squad from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas.

His shocking arrest was recently addressed when Season 2 of the docuseries premiered on Jan. 12. 

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