Two Netflix ‘Cheer’ athletes accused of sexual misconduct with minors
Two cheerleaders featured within the well-liked Netflix docuseries “Cheer” have been arrested this week in separate legal circumstances referring to alleged sexual misconduct involving minors — the most recent arrests linked to a present already tainted misconduct allegations in opposition to breakout star Jerry Harris.
Robert Joseph Scianna Jr., a 25-year-old coach and choreographer with a big worldwide fanbase, was arrested Wednesday in Virginia and charged with felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a ba and utilizing an digital communication machine to solicit intercourse, based on the Chesterfield County Police Division. Police stated he organized to satisfy a juvenile whom he met via a social media platform for intercourse. Scianna couldn’t be reached Friday for remark.
Mitchell Ryan, a member of the Navarro Faculty cheer crew featured in “Cheer,” was arrested Wednesday in Texas. Ryan, 23, was charged with felony aggravated sexual assault of a kid referring to an incident that allegedly occurred July 24, Dallas County Sheriff’s Division data present.
“This has been a nightmare for Mitch and his household,” Ryan’s lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal stated. “We look ahead to Dallas County listening to the reality and this case being over.” Rosenthal declined additional remark.
Their arrests come practically 5 months after movie star cheerleader Harris, a breakout star of the Netflix docuseries, was arrested and accused of soliciting nude images and intercourse from minors. Harris, 21, is going through a number of felony costs, together with sexual exploitation of youngsters and transportation with intent for illicit sexual conduct.
The allegations in opposition to Harris have been first printed USA TODAY as a part of an investigation into sexual misconduct in cheerleading. That investigation revealed pervasive failures in how the U.S. All Star Federation (USASF), the governing physique of aggressive cheerleading, dealt with allegations of misconduct involving minors.
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USASF suspended Scianna on Wednesday however has not suspended Ryan. The governing physique has been conscious of the allegations in opposition to Ryan since final yr, based on an proprietor of the health club the place Ryan had labored. Cheer Athletics co-owner Angela Rogers informed USA TODAY the corporate fired Ryan after studying of the allegations in opposition to him final yr and reported them to police and USASF.
USASF didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Each Scianna and Ryan are well-known within the cheer world.
Scianna, a star cheerleader with 237,000 followers on Instagram, was featured in an episode of “Cheer,” posing with one other outstanding cheerleader, Gabi Butler, in a nighttime photoshoot for Insurgent Athletic. In keeping with his web site, Scianna has hosted greater than 300 cheerleading camps and choreographed 140 routines, working with gyms in additional than 13 international locations.
Sgt. Winfred Lewis of the Chesterfield County Police Division stated Scianna messaged somebody he believed to be a 14-year-old boy on Tuesday and Wednesday and organized to satisfy. He was arrested earlier than that assembly came about. Lewis declined to elaborate on the case, however he stated there seems to be no connection to cheerleading.
“He seemingly has quite a lot of doable contact with juveniles, with underage children,” Lewis stated, referring to Scianna’s involvement within the cheer world. “Hopefully if there are any extra victims on the market that for no matter purpose, possibly due to his stature, did not wish to come ahead, that they attain out to the police division so we are able to examine additional.”
Police stated Scianna is being held within the Chesterfield County Jail with out bond.
Ryan cheered on the Navarro Faculty crew featured on “Cheer” however isn’t listed on the present roster. He additionally was a member of the Cheer Athletics Wildcats, a crew that competed final summer season on the hit NBC present “America’s Obtained Expertise.” Ryan posted bond Friday and was launched from jail, data present.
Netflix declined to touch upon the arrests. It referred USA TODAY to a previous assertion it made after Harris’ arrest: “Like everybody we’re shocked this information. Any abuse of minors is a horrible crime and we respect the authorized course of.”
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Tricia L. Nadolny and Marisa Kwiatkowski are reporters on USA TODAY’s nationwide investigative crew. Tricia will be reached tnadolny@usatoday.com or @TriciaNadolny. Marisa will be reached at mkwiatko@usatoday.com, @MarisaK or telephone, Sign or WhatsApp at (317) 207-2855.
