Cheer star Jerry Harris pleads not guilty to seven child sex charges

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Jerry Harris, one of the breakout stars of Netflix’s docuseries Cheer, has pleaded not guilty to seven child sex charges.

An indictment that was unsealed last week showed that the 21-year-old faces seven charges in relation to five minors.

Prosecutors have charged Harris with four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of enticement and one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual contact with a minor, according to US magazine.

Lawyers entered his plea of not guilty on Thursday (17 December). The reality star did not appear in court himself.

Each of the sexual exploitation of children counts that Harris faces carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment if convicted.

Harris was first arrested in September when the FBI raided his Chicago home and charged him with producing child pornography.

The raid followed a $1 million (£738, 300) civil lawsuit filed by twin brothers who accused Harris of sexual misconduct and abuse. 

A spokesperson for Harris has previously disputed the allegations in a statement, telling People: “We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager. We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.”

Cheer, a six-part docuseries focusing on a nationally ranked cheerleading team (of which Harris was a member), was released on Netflix in January this year. The programme – directed by Last Chance U’s Greg Whitely – has won two Emmy Awards.