‘Cheer’ Star Jerry Harris Will Remain in Jail Until Trial

Jerry Harris, who starred on Netflix’s Cheer, was arrested on Sept. 17 on child pornography charges in Chicago, Illinois. Now he will remain behind bars for the time being. A judge denied bond on Friday, keeping Harris in jail until the date of his trial.

According to TMZ, Harris had a bond hearing Wednesday in Texas. The judge heard arguments for and against keeping the former cheerleader in jail. Two days later, the judge ruled in favor of the prosecution. During Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecutors said that they believe Harris could prey on minors if he exited jail prior to the trial. The judge then cited allegations about Harris continuing to target minors amid the federal investigation as a reason to keep him behind bars.

While the prosecutors and the judge both expressed concern about Harris continuing to target minors, the defense team took a different approach. They told the court he wouldn’t pose a threat or hurt people if he was released. They said that Harris would not have access to the internet and that he would have regular check-ins with a psychiatrist. According to TMZ, the judge said that community support and a lack of criminal history “were not enough” to prove that Harris isn’t a threat.

Following Harris’ arrest in late September, the FBI put out a request asking for help identifying potential victims under the age of 19 that Harris may have targeted. The federal agency put a brief questionnaire on its website and mentioned some of the accounts that Harris may have allegedly used while asking minors to “produce or view sexually graphic videos or photographs or engage in sexual conduct.”

“Your responses are voluntary but may be useful in the federal investigation and to identify you as a potential victim,” the FBI wrote in the public request. “Based on your responses, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information. All identities of victims will be kept confidential.”

A spokesperson for Harris denied the charges against the former cheerleader with a statement to PEOPLE after the arrest, “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.”

In addition to the charges against Harris, he is also facing a lawsuit. The mother of two alleged victims is filing a lawsuit against the former cheerleader and the United States All Star Federation (USASF), Varsity Spirit, LLC, and Cheer Athletics. The lawsuit alleges sexual exploitation and abuse by Harris that began when the twin boys were 13.