Is Jerry Harris of ‘Cheer’ a sexual predator?
Netflix’s Cheer is a documentary series that focuses on a competitive collegiate cheerleading squad in the small town of Corsicana, TX. One of the stars, Jerry Harris, is under investigation from the FBI for allegedly soliciting sex from a minor.
Harris, 21, gained popularity through his role in Cheer. The allegations were brought forward by twin brothers who are fourteen years old. Here are some of the details behind the investigation.
Harris used social media to solicit sexual favors
The brothers said that they experienced sexual harassment from Harris for over a year after meeting him through competitive cheerleading. The twins claimed that Harris used Instagram & Snapchat to make inappropriate advances towards them when they were 13.
The brothers shared screenshots of private messages from Harris that asked for either nude photos or sexual favors. One screenshot showed Harris specifically asking one of the brothers to perform one of the acrobatic tricks they did on Cheers in the nude.
Charlie, one of the twin brothers, told USA Today, “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.”
Harris tried to molest the brothers
Harris reportedly molested one of the boys in a restroom at the American Cheerleaders Association’s national competition in Feb. 2019 and also demanded oral sex. One of the brothers also said that Harris asked the brother to have sex with him at two cheerleading competitions hosted by Varsity Brand. Varsity sent details of the accusations to the police, which initiated the investigation.
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The twin brothers allegedly know more people who are also victims of Harris’s sexual harassment. They are seeking $1 million in damages. Netflix has not issued a statement on this issue yet, but Harris would face punishment if these allegations are discovered to be true.