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Cheer star Jerry Harris has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy, according to new court documents.
It comes after the actor was arrested and charged last month with the production of child pornography after he allegedly enticed an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of himself.
Now, according to the latest court documents filed by prosecutors, Harris allegedly targeted multiple boys and “sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy” at an event. The papers go on to claim that the actor, “by his own admission”, assaulted a 15-year-old boy “in an unlocked public bathroom, during an event attended by dozens of responsible adults” in 2019.
The documents also claim that Harris “victimised at least five to 10 children who are all forever damaged by his criminal conduct” and he “repeatedly targeted young boys by reaching into their bedrooms through his cell phone and used guilt, threats, and money to persuade them to engage in sexually explicit activity”.
The filing claims that one of Harris’s alleged victims was 13 years old when he “began grooming” him and “pressured him to send him sexually explicit photographs and videos of himself by text for a period of years”.
Prosecutors also allege that Harris used his newfound fame as one of the breakout stars from Netflix‘s six part documentary Cheer to exploit his actions further, adding: “Harris exhibits all the signs of a serial child predator and unless and until he receives significant mental health sex offender treatment, he will remain a danger to any child he encounters, either online or in person.”
They are requesting that he be detained pending trial.
If convicted on the federal child pornography charge, Harris could face up to 30 years in prison.
A spokesperson for the star previously denied the allegations for that charge, adding: “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.”
NME has contacted a spokesperson for Harris for comment.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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