Cheer‘s Coach Monica Responds To Jerry Harris’ Shocking Arrest & Charges

Monica Aldama, head coach of the Navarro College cheerleading team at the center of Netflix's Emmy-nominated Cheer docuseries, has spoken out about squad member Jerry Harris's arrest.

Aldama, who is currently a contestant on Dancing With The Stars, made a statement on Instagram, saying she's "devastated" and called the news "shocking and unexpected."

"My heart is shattered into a million pieces," wrote Aldama.

Harris, who was widely beloved by viewers and his teammates for his positive energy and supportive "mat talk," was arrested and charged in Chicago on September 17 with the production of child pornography. A spokesperson for Harris has said they "categorically dispute the claims" made against him.

"Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I'm praying hard for the victims and everyone affected," Aldama continued in her social media post. "Please respect our privacy as our family mourns during this heartbreaking time."

A Netflix spokesperson told Refinery29 earlier this week: "Like everyone we are shocked by this news. Any abuse of minors is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process."

Besides Aldama, none of Harris's fellow Cheer stars and teammates have spoken out since the news surfaced.

A criminal complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, alleging that a then 19-year-old Harris "contacted an underage boy on a social media application and repeatedly enticed him to produce sexually explicit videos and photographs of himself and send them to Harris." The minor victim said that Harris new he was 13 at the time. It also claimed the Cheer star admitted to FBI agents that he had solicited child pornography on Snapchat from “at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors.”

This occurred two days after the cheerleader was sued in Texas for allegedly sexually abusing two twin boys he met at a cheerleading competition in 2018 and demanding naked photographs from them. The victim in earlier criminal complaint was confirmed to be one of the twins.

Harris appeared in Chicago criminal court on September 17 and was ordered to remain in custody pending another hearing scheduled for Monday, September 21.