Cheer star Jerry Harris denied bond and must remain in jail until child abuse pics trial
Netflix's Cheer star Jerry Harris was arrested after allegedly enticing an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself and send them to him
Cheer star Jerry Harris must remain in jail until his trial for producing child abuse images.
The 21-year-old has been denied bond by a federal judge, who agreed with the prosecution's case to keep him behind bars.
Harris, who found fame on the recent Netflix series Cheer, was arrested after allegedly enticing an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself and send them to him.
He admitted to soliciting and receiving explicit images from the minor, according to court reports.
Documents filed on Tuesday claim Harris "exploited and violated" at least 10 boys and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy in a public bathroom.
Now prosecutors have said Harris could target children if he was to be released, arguing that he has already abused multiple minors and would likely reoffend.
In the decision, the judge also referenced the police's claim that Harris continued to target minors despite being the target of a federal investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Parente said that after Harris learned he was under investigation, he destroyed his phone and used another phone to seek photos from children.
The judge said the Netflix star was "consistent" in his pursuit of the alleged victims.
Harris' defence team argued that he will not pose a threat or hurt anyone if he was released before the trial.
They claimed he would not have access to the internet and have regular check-ups with a psychiatrist.
The motion, which was filed ahead of a hearing on Wednesday, also argued that the mental health treatment that he needs is not available in federal jail.
It also said that Harris has asthma, which puts him at greater risk of severe illness from coronavirus.
But the judge said the proposals would not be sufficient to prevent him from potentially victimising young boys.
The papers filed on Tuesday claim that Harris "by his own admission: assaulted a 15-year-old boy in an unlocked public bathroom" in 2019.
He is also accused of having "victimised at least five to 10 children who are all forever damaged by his criminal conduct".
The papers say: "Harris 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."
Harris' spokesperson told ABC News when he was charged last month: "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."
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