'Cheer' star pleads not guilty to federal child porn, sex charges
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 29: Jerry Harris attends the Build Series to discuss "Cheer" at Build Studio on January 29, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/Getty Images)
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (AP) - "Cheer" star Jerry Harris has pleaded not guilty to federal child pornography charges and allegations that he solicited sex from minors at cheerleading competitions and convinced teenage boys to send him obscene photographs and videos of themselves.
Harris, 21, of Naperville, Illinois, was indicted earlier this month in a seven-count indictment that included the child sex, porn and other allegations. A complaint filed in September initially charged him with child pornography.
In the original complaint, prosecutors said Harris admitted to FBI agents that he asked a teenage boy to send him lewd photographs of himself, but that he requested child pornography from at least 10 to 15 others he knew to be minors via Snapchat.
Two of Harris’ alleged victims, who are teenage brothers, have sued Harris in Texas.
Harris entered his not guilty plea to all seven of the counts on Dec. 17 during an arraignment hearing held by a telephone, court records show.
The Associated Press on Wednesday left a message seeking comment from Harris' Chicago attorney, Todd Pugh.
Harris remains held without bond at a federal detention facility in Chicago. He has been held there since his September arrest on child pornography charges.
Harris was the breakout star of the Emmy-winning docuseries that follows a cheerleading team from Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas.