‘Cheer’ Coach Monica Aldama Says Her ‘Heart Is Shattered’ Over Jerry Harris’ Child-Porn Arrest
Former Navarro College cheerleader was charged with producing child pornography Thursday
Margeaux Sippell | September 18, 2020 @ 7:43 AM
Last Updated: September 22, 2020 @ 8:43 AM
Monica Aldama (center), Jerry Harris (upper left), La'Darius Marshall (upper right) Gabi Butler (lower left) from Getty Images
Monica Aldama, coach and star of Netflix’s “Cheer” docuseries, spoke out Friday on former Navarro College cheerleader Jerry Harris’s arrest on charges of producing child pornography.
“My heart is shattered into a million pieces,” Aldama wrote in an Instagram post on Friday morning. She is currently competing on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” against competitors including “Tiger King” star Carole Baskin.
“I am devastated by this shocking, unexpected news,” she continued. “Our children must be protected from abuse and exploitation, and I’m praying hard for the victims and everyone affected. Please respect our privacy as our family mourns during this heartbreaking time.”
Harris’s arrest was confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago, Illinois on Thursday. He was scheduled to appear in Chicago court later that day.
Reps for Harris, 21, have denied the allegations against him, which include sending sexually explicit messages to minors, enticing minors to send him nude images, and requesting oral sex from a 13-year-old boy.
“We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager,” Harris’s rep said Monday. “We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.”
The first public allegations against Harris came from a pair of twin brothers whose attorneys filed a child sexual exploitation lawsuit on their behalf. The alleged abuse occurred while the boys, then 13-years-old, were competing in cheerleading competitions, which Harris attended as a coach, mentor, trainer in association with USASF, Varsity Spirit, and Cheer Athletics. The boys, who remain unnamed in the suit, are now 14; Harris would have been between 19 and 20 at the time the events occurred between December 2018 and March of this year.
Earlier this week, the FBI investigated homes in Naperville and Crystal Lake in Harris’ home state of Illinois. Varsity, a private cheerleading company involved in organizing competitions and selling uniforms, was involved in alerting police to the allegations against Harris and is cooperating with the investigation. Read more about the company’s involvement here.
Reps for Navarro College have not responded to a request for comment, but a spokesperson for Netflix told TheWrap Thursday: “Like everyone we are shocked by this news. Any abuse of minors is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process.”
Emmy Predictions in All 23 Major Categories, From 'Watchmen' to 'Schitt's Creek' (Photos)
These are our best guesses for what shows will come out on top at Sunday's 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, but beware: It wouldn't be the Emmys if a few of the winners didn't come out of the blue.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" "Dead to Me" "The Good Place" "Insecure" "The Kominsky Method" "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" "Schitt's Creek" "What We Do in the Shadows"
Predicted winner: "Schitt's Creek"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Anthony Anderson, "black-ish" Don Cheadle, "Black Monday" Ted Danson, "The Good Place" Michael Douglas, "The Kominsky Method" Eugene Levy, "Schitt's Creek" Ramy Youssef, "Ramy"
Predicted winner: Eugene Levy, "Schitt's Creek"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, "Dead to Me" Rachel Brosnahan, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Linda Cardellini, "Dead to Me" Catherine O'Hara, "Schitt's Creek" Issa Rae, "Insecure" Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish"
Mahershala Ali, "Ramy" Alan Arkin, "The Kominsky Method" Andre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Sterling K. Brown, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" William Jackson Harper, "The Good Place" Daniel Levy, "Schitt's Creek" Tony Shalhoub, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Kenan Thompson, "Saturday Night Live"
Predicted winner: Daniel Levy, "Schitt's Creek"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" D'Arcy Carden, "The Good Place" Betty Gilpin, "GLOW" Marin Hinkle, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Kate McKinnon, "Saturday Night Live" Annie Murphy, "Schitt's Creek" Yvonne Orji, "Insecure" Cecily Strong, "Saturday Night Live"
Predicted winner: Alex Borstein, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
"The Great" (episode: "The Great") "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (episode: "It's Comedy or Cabbage") "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (episode: "Marvelous Radio") "Modern Family" (episode: "Finale Part 2") "Ramy" (episode: "Miakhalifa.mov") "Schitt's Creek" (episode: "Happy Ending") "Will & Grace" (episode: "We Love Lucy")
"The Good Place" (episode: "Whenever You're Ready") "The Great" (episode: "The Great") "Schitt's Creek" (episode: "Happy Ending") "Schitt's Creek" (episode: "The Presidential Suite") "What We Do In the Shadows" (episode: "Collaboration") "What We Do In the Shadows" (episode: "Ghosts") "What We Do In the Shadows" (episode: "On the Run")
Predicted winner: "The Good Place" (episode: "Whenever You're Ready")
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
"Better Call Saul" "The Crown" "The Handmaid's Tale" "Killing Eve" "The Mandalorian" "Ozark" "Stranger Things"
Predicted winner: "Succession" "Succession"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jason Bateman, "Ozark" Sterling K. Brown, "This Is Us" Steve Carell, "The Morning Show" Brian Cox, "Succession" Billy Porter, "Pose" Jeremy Strong, "Succession"
Predicted winner: Jeremy Strong, "Succession"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show" Olivia Colman, "The Crown" Jodie Comer, "Killing Eve" Laura Linney, "Ozark" Sandra Oh, "Killing Eve" Zendaya, "Euphoria"
Predicted winner: Laura Linney, "Ozark"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicholas Braun, "Succession" Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show" Kieran Culkin, "Succession" Mark Duplass, "The Morning Show" Giancarlo Esposito, "Better Call Saul" Matthew Macfadyen, "Succession" Bradley Whitford, "The Handmaid's Tale" Jeffrey Wright, "Westworld"
Predicted winner: Kieran Culkin, "Succession"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Helena Bonham Carter, "The Crown" Laura Dern, "Big Little Lies" Julia Garner, "Ozark" Thandie Newton, "Westworld" Fiona Shaw, "Killing Eve" Sarah Snook, "Succession" Meryl Streep, "Big Little Lies" Samira Wiley, "The Handmaid's Tale"
Predicted winner: Julia Garner, "Ozark"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
"The Crown" (episode: "Aberfan") "The Crown" (episode: "Cri de Coeur") "Homeland" (episode: "Prisoners of War") "The Morning Show" (episode: "The Interview") "Ozark" (episode: "Fire Pink") "Ozark" (episode: "Su Casa es mi Casa") "Succession" (episode: "Hunting") "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
Predicted winner: "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
"Better Call Saul" (episode: "Bad Choice Road") "Better Call Saul" (episode: "Bagman") "The Crown" (episode: Aberfan") "Ozark" (episode: "All In") "Ozark" (episode: Boss Fight") "Ozark" (episode: "Fire Pink") "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
Predicted winner: "Succession" (episode: "This Is Not for Tears")
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Jeremy Irons, "Watchmen" Hugh Jackman, "Bad Education" Paul Mescal, "Normal People" Jeremy Pope, "Hollywood" Mark Ruffalo, "I Know This Much Is True"
Predicted winner: Paul Mescal, "Normal People"
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Cate Blanchett, "Mrs. America" Shira Haas, "Unorthodox" Regina King, "Watchmen" Octavia Spencer, "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker" Kerry Washington, "Little Fires Everywhere"
Predicted winner: Regina King, "Watchmen"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, "Watchmen" Jovan Adepo, "Watchmen" Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend" Louis Gossett Jr., "Watchmen" Dylan McDermott, "Hollywood" Jim Parsons, "Hollywood"
Predicted winner: Jim Parsons, "Hollywood"
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Uzo Aduba, "Mrs. America" Toni Collette, "Unbelievable" Margo Martindale, "Mrs. America" Jean Smart, "Watchmen" Holland Taylor, "Hollywood" Tracey Ullman, "Mrs. America"
Predicted winner: Jean Smart, "Watchmen"
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
"Little Fires Everywhere" (episode: "Find a Way") "Normal People" (episode: "Episode 5") "Unorthodox" "Watchmen" (episode: "It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice") "Watchmen" (episode: "Little Fear of Lightning") "Watchmen" (episode: "This Extraordinary Being")
"The Daily Show With Trevor Noah" "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee" "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert"
Predicted winner: "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver"
OUTSTANDING COMPETITION PROGRAM
"The Masked Singer" "Nailed It!" "RuPaul's Drag Race" "Top Chef" "The Voice"
Predicted winner: "RuPaul's Drag Race"
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With Emmy favs “Game of Thrones” and “Fleabag” gone, who will take their place?
These are our best guesses for what shows will come out on top at Sunday's 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, but beware: It wouldn't be the Emmys if a few of the winners didn't come out of the blue.
