Jerry Harris of "Cheer" on Netflix is sentenced to 12 years

Sick

Twink twins Charlie and Sam have spoken!

The FBI is investigating allegations that celebrity cheerleader Jerry Harris solicited sexually explicit photos and sex from minors, multiple sources told USA TODAY. Agents executed a search warrant Monday afternoon at a home in Naperville, Illinois, as part of that investigation.

“The FBI is conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity in the area,” Siobhan Johnson, FBI special agent and public affairs officer, told USA TODAY. She declined further comment.

Harris, who gained national prominence when he was featured in Netflix’s recent “Cheer” docuseries, has not been criminally charged. Harris, 21, did not respond to a request for comment.

The criminal investigation is based on allegations brought by 14-year-old twin brothers. In interviews with USA TODAY, the boys described a pattern of harassment, both online and at cheer competitions, that started when they were 13 and Harris was 19. They said it continued for more than a year.

Those allegations were also reported to police by Varsity Brands, a private company that dominates the cheerleading industry, handling everything from uniform sales to major competitions. Harris is accused of asking one of the brothers to have sex with him in 2019 at two Varsity cheerleading competitions.

In Aug. 1 letters to police in Florida and Texas, Varsity’s Chief Legal Officer Burton Brillhart said the company had learned of “inappropriate sexual conduct” allegations against Harris and was reporting the information to authorities as required by law.

“As a result of the recent allegation, we have barred this person from having any affiliation with Varsity Brands or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, now and in the future,” he wrote.

He described Harris as a former employee who was not actively working for Varsity at the time of the incidents. In May 2019, Harris posted on social media that he was working for the National Cheerleaders Association, a Varsity brand. That summer, he posted multiple photos and videos of himself coaching athletes at NCA camps.

Varsity spokeswoman Jackie Kennedy said Monday the organization "can’t comment on an active law enforcement investigation; we continue to cooperate with authorities in their inquiries on this matter."

The brothers, Charlie and Sam, and their mother Kristen spoke with USA TODAY in August at their Texas home. USA TODAY agreed to withhold their last name because the boys are minors and alleging abuse.

The family provided USA TODAY with screenshots from five text and social media conversations between the boys and accounts they say belong to Harris. Several include messages explicitly requesting nude photos or sex. In one conversation on Snapchat, an account with the name “.jerry harris” responded to a photo of Charlie stretching his leg above his head.

“Do it naked and take a video and show me,” Harris replied privately, according to a screenshot provided to USA TODAY.

Charlie said his interactions with Harris left him struggling with anxiety. He lost sleep, his grades suffered and he cried at school.

“It was just eating me alive,” he said. “It was just making me so gross and uncomfortable. Every time I saw his name or something like that, I was just cringing about it.”

Kristen and the boys filed a lawsuit Monday in Texas against Harris, Varsity, USASF and the Cheer Athletics gym at which Harris has cheered, court records show. In it, the family accuses Harris of sexual misconduct and the cheer organizations of negligence and failures to protect the boys from abuse. The lawsuit also claims Harris sexually exploited others in the cheer community.

Attorney Sarah Klein, who represents the family, said she hopes the public will “let the truth play out” and not defend Harris simply because of his celebrity.

“He might be charming and funny and lovable and also be engaging in sexual activity with children,” Klein said.

Did he have his way with both twinks... erm, I mean twins?

I hope they use the money from their lawsuit to buy themselves some new hair styles!

Btw, isn't a 12 year sentence a bit excessive?

STAR????

Omg

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This is ridiculous.

Did the kids get punished too?

We need to stop letting these troublemaking teens just walk away from all this. Ok if you’re going to charge him but you need to also charge the other people who were breaking the law and gladly taking his money and then turn him in for social media sympathy and and increase in followers.

And twelve years is absolutely ridiculous and that he was facing 50 years? Are you kidding me?

They were 15 and 17, both well old enough to know better and I’m sick of the media painting these types as victims.

There is one of these that hangs out in the my neighborhood but he doesn’t live here. He queens around with his shirt off and is always on grinder and I bet he is not even 16. I don’t know what he does over here all day but I’m sure it involves trapping older guys into some sort of similar scheme.

I hope these nasty snakes get there day too.

I agree with you 100% R9.

These teens are becoming very saavy about blackmail, entrapment, and extortion.

They read about it on social media and hear about it from each other.

Granted, the adults are STILL responsible to not take the bait and end up like this guy.

But these little shits aren't innocent either.

And a 12 year sentence for this is outrageous.

He's semi hot. I'm rooting for him!

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