Cheer alum Monica Aldama‘s son Austin has been arrested and charged with possession of child porn.
Us Weekly can confirm that Aldama’s 27-year-old son was booked on Thursday, January 18, in Navarro County, Texas. Authorities had an open warrant out for Austin’s arrest. He currently faces a grand jury indictment on 10 counts of possession of child pornography.
Austin was released on bond but hasn’t been arraigned yet, which means he didn’t enter a plea, according to TMZ. Upon being released from custody, Austin is required to comply with certain conditions including random drug testing and voluntary searches of his phone and computer. Austin is also prohibited from viewing pornographic images by any means.
Austin’s legal team issued a statement in response to the charges, which read, “The attention drawn to this case, fueled solely by the celebrity status of his mother, is an egregious attempt to distort the truth. Let us be absolutely clear — Austin is innocent. The charges against him lack legal merit, and we are confident that the facts, which will prove his innocence, will come to light during the legal proceedings.”
The statement continued: “The shameless exploitation of celebrity connections is nothing short of a witch hunt, and it’s time to respect the principles of our criminal justice system. Criminal allegations, and knee-jerk reactions to them, can have detrimental consequences to the lives involved, and we call on the media and the public to refrain from premature judgments while respecting the privacy of Austin and his family. We will remain committed to seeking justice for Austin, and we will not be swayed by the sensationalism surrounding this case.”
Us has reached out to Aldama, 51, as well for comment.
News of Austin’s arrest comes two years after Aldama’s former student and Cheer costar Jerry Harris was sentenced in a child pornography case.
In September 2020, Us confirmed that Harris, now 24, was arrested for production of child pornography following an FBI investigation. He also stood trial for allegedly soliciting sex from minors while at cheerleading competitions.
Harris pleaded not guilty to seven felony charges, including four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of enticement, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of travel with the intent to engage in an illicit sexual contact with a minor. (He later changed his plea to guilty to counts three and seven of the indictment.)
“We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager,” Harris’ spokesperson said in a statement to Us after his 2020 arrest. “We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed.”
Harris was previously featured in the first season of Netflix’s Cheer, which followed Aldama and her team of college athletes as they prepared for the annual National Cheerleading Championship in Florida. He did not appear on season 2, but Aldama and other stars discussed the aftermath of the case on camera.
“I can’t even wrap my head around how I should feel. This has been a tough year,” the coach said during the season 2 premiere, which aired in January 2022. “But then there are moments that are so wonderful. These little moments of success that keep you coming back, just the little things that add up. … I keep putting one foot in front of the other, every single day. I don’t have a choice.”
In July 2022, Harris was officially sentenced to 12 years in prison. He issued a statement shortly after the decision was announced.
“To my victims, I am sorry for all the trauma my abuse has caused you. I am ashamed as I know that I took advantage of your youth and weakness,” he said. “I was wrong and selfish. I caused you harm and I do not blame anyone. I regret my decisions and I am deeply sorry.”
Last year, Aldama faced her own legal woes when she was accused of covering up an alleged sexual assault. Aldama and Navarro College were named in an April 2023 lawsuit filed by former cheerleader Madi Lane, who claimed Aldama discouraged her from reporting the alleged 2021 incident.
Aldama denied the allegations but was temporarily suspended by USA Gymnastics for six months amid an investigation. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed, and the investigation was closed in November 2023.
One month later, Aldama announced her plans to retire from coaching at the end of the semester.
“I always knew that my time coaching would eventually come to an end, and I would pursue other opportunities,” she wrote via Instagram. “I have prayed a lot about what direction God was leading me in, and it was that prayer that I felt the tug that God was pushing me into a different role and different purpose.”
Aldama said she was looking forward to a fresh start, adding, “I know that I can still help effectuate changes that we need in the world, and certainly in the sport of cheerleading. I felt His calling and I knew the timing was right for this to be my last season coaching. He has big plans for me, and I will faithfully follow where He is leading me.”
If you have experienced sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for confidential support.
