Robert Joseph Scianna Jr., 25, and Mitchell Ryan, 23, two cheerleaders who appeared on the Netflix docuseries Cheer, have been individually charged this week with alleged crimes related to sexual misconduct with minors.
Ryan, a member of the Navarro College cheer squad that was central to the Netflix series, was arrested in Texas on Wednesday. He was charged with sexual assault against a minor in an incident that reportedly occurred in July 2020, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office told BuzzFeed News.
His attorney Jeremy Rosenthal did respond to BuzzFeed News’ request for comment, but Rosenthal told USA Today, “This has been a nightmare for Mitch and his family. We look forward to Dallas County hearing the truth and this case to be over. . “
Ryan posted a bond Friday morning and was released, the sheriff’s office said.
Scianna, whose website says he is an NCA champion and a two-time world champion, was also arrested on Wednesday by the Chesterfield County Police Department in Virginia, USA Today reported.
He has been charged with indecent liberties with a minor and using a communication system to request sex, a Chesterfield County Jail spokesperson confirmed to BuzzFeed News.
Police said he had reportedly made an appointment to meet a young person he met for sex through a social media platform, USA Today reported.
Scianna did not respond to a request for comment.
The American All Star Federation (USASF), a network of cheerleaders, said in a statement on Friday that it was “outraged by the reports of sexual misconduct”.
The organization said it was unaware of the sexual misconduct allegations against Scianna prior to his arrest.
However, the USASF was aware of the allegations against Ryan after receiving a complaint in late October, it said, and “ immediately made sure it was reported to law enforcement and later began its own investigation, which was underway when he arrested. “
The organization told BuzzFeed News that Scianna and Ryan have been placed on the Unified Ineligibility List.
The charges against the two cheerleaders involved in the Netflix docuseries comes after Jerry Harris, a star of the show, was charged with additional child pornography charges in December.
Harris had been arrested in September on suspicion of producing child pornography, and prosecutors later claimed in a pretrial hearing that he allegedly could have victimized at least 10 boys.
In a statement to ABC News at the time of his arrest, a Harris spokesperson said they “categorically dispute” the allegations against him. However, the initial criminal complaint filed against him stated that he admitted to investigators that he had sex with a minor during a 2019 cheer contest.