AND THROW AWAY THE KEY

‘Cheer’ Star Jerry Harris Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

Harris, 22, pleaded guilty in February to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old and soliciting nude photos from another minor.

Jerry Harris, the disgraced former breakout star of Netflix’s cheerleading series Cheer, was sentenced to 12 years behind bars on Wednesday, months after pleading guilty to charges involving child porn and sex crimes against minors. As part of a plea agreement that saw prosecutors drop several other charges, Harris pleaded guilty in February to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old in a bathroom and soliciting nude photos from a 17-year-old on Snapchat. Prosecutors had asked for a 15-year sentence for the 22-year-old, far below guidelines that recommend a sentence of more than 50 years, according to the Chicago Tribune. They cited Harris’ difficult, traumatic childhood—which included instances of homelessness, poverty, and sexual assault—in their leniency. In court documents filed prior to Wednesday, prosecutors wrote that Harris’ background did not constitute “a blank check to commit sex offenses against minors.” His defense team had asked for Harris to spend no more than six years in prison, largely for the same reason.