CHICAGO, Ill. (KNX) — Netflix star Jerry Harris pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to charges of child pornography stemming back to 2019. Last December Harris was charged in a seven-count indictment filed in Illinois.
Thursday he took a plea deal in a Chicago courtroom, pleading guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and one count of engaging in sexual acts with a minor, according to CNN. Harris, 22, was around 19-years-old when the relations with the 15-year-old boy began.
The guilty pleas were part of deal drawn up by prosecutors, allowing the drop of five other charges.
U.S. District Judge Manish Shah said Harris could face a maximum of 30 years in prison on just one of the charges, CNN reported.
Ahead of the case, Harris was a fan-favorite in the hit documentary show "Cheer," which centers around a team of hard-working cheerleaders in Corsicana, Tex.
The story of the Navarro cheer team premiered Jan. 8, 2020, with Harris quickly becoming a fan-favorite for his lovable, rambunctious personality. Netflix has given no comment on the case surrounding Harris' relationship with the minor.
When laying out the plea agreement Thursday, an official said Harris knowingly received child pornography from the 15-year-old and in May 2019 traveled from Texas to Florida to meet the boy, in an encounter where Harris sexually assaulted the minor, according to CNN.
Harris' sentencing hearing is set for June 28.
[shortcode-inline-related expand="1" link="/knxnews/articles/attorneys-for-2-brothers-file-lawsuit-against-cheer-star" headline="Attorneys for 2 Brothers File Lawsuit Against Netflix "Cheer" Star and Others Alleging Sexual Exploitation, Abuse" image="/media-library/image.jpg?id=64415155"]
