Netflix ‘Cheer’: Mitchell Ryan and Robert Joseph Scianna accused of sex crimes involving minors

Netflix ‘Cheer’: Mitchell Ryan and Robert Joseph Scianna accused of sex crimes involving minors

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The arrests on Wednesday of Mitchell Ryan and Robert Joseph Scianna came nearly five months after federal prosecutors in Chicago accused “Cheer” star Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris of “seducing a minor to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of himself “. He was later indicted on additional charges.

The “Cheer” docuseries follows the crowd at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. The series debuted on Netflix in January 2020.

Ryan, 23, was arrested by police in Coppell, Texas, on charges of aggravated sexual assault on a child on July 24, according to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department records.

Case details were not immediately available. CNN contacted the police and prosecutors for additional information.

Ryan was booked on Thursday and released the following morning on $ 50,000 bail.

Netflix's 'Cheer' series indicted for new child pornography and sexual accusations

“Mitch and his family were surprised by this arrest,” Ryan’s lawyer, Jeremy Rosenthal, told CNN on Saturday. “Each story has two sides and we are confident that Mitch’s name will be cleared.”

Ryan was a member of the Navarro College team featured in “Cheer”, but is not on the current list.

Scianna, a two-time world champion cheerleader, was arrested in Virginia after soliciting sex from a young man online via a social media platform, according to Chesterfield County police.

Scianna, 25, is accused of taking indecent liberties with a child and using an electronic communication device to request sex, police said. He made an appointment with a young man he met through social media for sex, police said in a statement.

He was held in Chesterfield County jail without bail, police said.

CNN contacted Scianna for comment. It was not clear whether he has a lawyer.

Chesterfield County police are still investigating and have asked anyone with information to contact them.

Scianna’s website says he is champion of the National Cheerleaders Association, Majors Champion and two-time world champion who has supported many programs in the USA and traveled to over 13 countries training and choreographing routines.

Scianna appeared in an episode of “Cheer”, where she posed for a late-night photo shoot with another famous cheerleader, Gabi Butler.

In December, Harris was indicted for new federal charges of allegedly attracting minors to engage in sexual activity, including asking them to send sexually explicit photos or videos of themselves, according to court documents.

A lawsuit filed by two accusers in September claimed that Harris “exploited his popularity and fame with young male athletes” and that he often tried to get them “to meet Harris in isolated locations in various competitions, requesting sexual conduct with these boys . “

A spokesman for Harris said in September: ‘We categorically contest the allegations made against Jerry Harris, which allegedly occurred when he was a teenager. “

A Netflix spokesman, in a statement after the lawsuit began, said: “Like everyone, we are shocked by this news. Any child abuse is a terrible crime and we respect the legal process.”

CNN contacted Netflix to comment on the latest arrests.

CNN’s Ray Sanchez, Bill Kirkos, Hira Humayan, Sandra Gonzalez, Brad Parks, Omar Jimenez and Theresa Waldrop contributed to this report.

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