When it first came out at the top of the year, Netflix's original docuseries Cheer received nearly unanimous acclaim for its storytelling and cast of interesting students.
One of those students, Jerry Harris, was initially singled out for his amiable attitude and loud personality until he became singled out for something much, much darker: being investigated by the FBI for soliciting sex from minors.
It turned out that Harris had solicited sexually explicit photos and videos from underage boys, which led to a child pornography charge back in September. Documents from the prosecution allege that Harris had "exploited and violated" at least 10 boys and sexually assaulted a 15 year old boy.
Jim Spellman/Getty Images
Prosecutors dubbed Harris a "serial sexual predator" and blocked any possibility of Harris being released on bond, claiming that Harris would be unable to control his impulses and thus very likely to repeat his crimes.
Harris' legal team countered that he had no way of posing a threat to others when barred from the Internet and having to regularly check in with a psychiatrist. The judge wasn't convinced, saying that Harris' lack of a criminal record was proof of how predatory behaviour often goes under the radar.
[via]
