Trigger Warning: This article discusses child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation. Reader discretion is advised.
Monica Aldama’s son, Austin Aldama, pleaded guilty to possessing child p*rnography, but his sentence came with an unusual arrangement. The Cheer star’s son received 180 days in county jail, served on weekends, alongside a decade of probation and mandatory sex offender registration.
The guilty plea followed a January 2024 arrest after a grand jury indicted Austin in Navarro County, Texas. Although Austin faced 10 counts, court documents show that he pleaded guilty to one charge, with strict supervision conditions attached.
Austin Aldama pleaded guilty to a child p*rnography charge with surprising results
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Austin waived his right to a trial and pleaded guilty to one of the 10 counts of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony. The court deferred adjudication but still ordered him to serve 180 days in county jail.
Austin will serve that time on weekends, with one weekend each month. The arrangement comes alongside 10 years of probation, making the guilty plea the beginning of his court-ordered supervision.
The conditions also require Austin to register as a sex offender. He will not qualify for early release from community supervision until he completes at least five years of probation. His restrictions extend beyond reporting requirements, placing limits on where he can go and whom he can associate with.
Austin must remain within designated city limits, avoid bars and clubs, and refrain from associating with criminals. He must also comply with any electronic monitoring required by probation officials. Additionally, he must complete an approved treatment plan.
The case began in January 2024, when authorities arrested Austin after a Navarro County grand jury indicted him. Prosecutors previously said their evidence included video filenames describing children younger than 10 engaged in sexual acts.
The case resulted in a guilty plea to one count for the son of longtime Navarro College cheerleading coach Monica Aldama, whom viewers know from Netflix’s Cheer. While the plea resolved one count, Austin remains subject to years of court-ordered supervision.
Austin’s weekend jail sentence comes with several other restrictions, including probation and mandatory sex offender registration. His compliance with the court’s conditions will remain subject to supervision throughout his probation.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
