Deadline reports that Jerry Harris, former star of the Emmy-winning Netflix series Cheer, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of engaging in sexual acts with a minor during his trial in Chicago.
Harris was first charged in 2020 on seven counts of child sex crimes, seven charges he had initially pleaded not guilty to. It is only after a lengthy arbitration between his lawyers and the prosecutors that he has agreed to plead guilty to two of those charges in this plea deal.
“(Harris) wishes to take responsibility for his actions and publicly convey his remorse for the harm he has caused the victims in this case,” Harris wrote in a statement presented by his lawyers, according to Deadline.
In this reported statement, Harris made claims that he was sexually abused, manipulated and exploited as a child while performing in the cheer community.
The 22-year-old is currently jailed in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing that is now scheduled for June 28. The plea deal suggests that a proper sentencing for him can be up to 50 years in prison.
Along with these charges, a family in Texas is seeking $1 million in damages after Harris allegedly befriended the family’s twin, 13-year-old boys, and had them send explicit photos. The family also claims that Harris solicited one of the boys for oral sex.
CNN attempted to reach out to Netflix for a comment, but the streaming giant has not commented on the recent developments in this case.