CHEER star Jerry Harris' court hearing has been postponed, as he remains in federal prison one year after his arrest on child pornography charges.
Season two of the popular Netflix documentary show premieres tonight and plans to dedicate an entire episode to ex-teammate Jerry's shocking arrest.
The Sun can exclusively reveal from court documents that Jerry's January 12 hearing – the same date as the premiere of season two of Cheer – has been postponed to February 10, 2022.
According to the court documents, the delay "is necessary to give the parties time for effective preparation, and outweighs the interests of the public and defendant in a speedy trial."
Jerry is currently behind bars at MCC Chicago Federal Prison.
SHOCKING ARREST
In September 2020, two 14-year-old twin boys sued Jerry, now 22, accusing him of sexual abuse.
They alleged Jerry sent them sexually explicit messages via text and social media, demanding they send him nude photos of themselves and even asking one of them for oral sex at a cheerleading competition.
The FBI arrested him that same month and he was charged with production of child pornography.
After Jerry's arrest, he openly talked with the FBI and admitted he had exchanged sexually explicit photos on Snapchat with at least 10 to 15 minors, had sex with a 15-year-old at a cheerleading competition, and paid a 17-year-old to send him nude photos.
In October 2020, prosecutors claimed Jerry should not be released from jail because he is a "danger" as he allegedly "continued to victimize" minors even while he knew he was under investigation.
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In December 2020, seven additional charges against Jerry were filed.
These charges include four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, one count of traveling with the attempt to engage in sexual conduct with a minor and one count of enticement.
Jerry pleaded not guilty to all charges.
He could face 15 to 30 years in federal prison, where he is still jailed as the season premiere of Cheer is released on Netflix today.
NO MORE CHEERING
While the next season of the Emmy-winning documentary series following the Navarro College cheer team features mostly new stars, the show plans to address Jerry's arrest.
In the trailer during a confessional, coach Monica Aldama raised her hands up to the temples of her forehead and remarked: "I can't even process it right now."
According to The New York Times, the season will discuss the troubling case from the start and will include an "hour-long episode featuring on-camera interviews with Jerry's former cheerleading teammates from Navarro, Monica Aldama, the brothers who are suing him, their mother, and the USA Today reporters who broke the news."
Fans of the show have been waiting two years for the new release.
Due to the onset of Covid-19, the production of season two came to a halt in March of 2020, with filming resuming in September of the same year.
Unlike the six episodes in season one, season two features nine episodes.
Netflix describes the new season as: "The buzz around their newfound stardom threatens to alter the dynamic of Navarro Cheer the team finds no amount of press frenzy could compare to the challenges they must face when the 2020 cheer season is upended and a serious criminal accusation is levied at one of their teammates."
Aside from the drama on-and-off the screen, the nine-episode season highlights "Navarro’s fiercest rival: Trinity Valley Community College," as the teams fight for a chance to the 2021 Daytona championship.
The director and executive producer, Greg Whiteley said: "I am a huge believer in the power of stories and telling them honestly.
"I believe the story is going to ultimately be the best version of itself when you are honoring what is true, and you're not running from it."
He concluded: "The new episodes also tackle extremely difficult moments."
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
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