U.S. actor charged as sex offender
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Jones played principal Rooney in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."
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LOS ANGELES, California -- American actor Jeffrey Jones has been registered as a sex offender after pleading no contest to a felony charge of hiring a 14-year-old boy to pose for sexually explicit photos.
Jones -- who played a smarmy principal in the 1980s comedy film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" -- was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to undergo counseling by a Los Angeles court Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after his appearance in court, the 56-year-old actor said, "I'm sorry that this incident was allowed to occur," The Associated Press reported
"Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again," he said.
A misdemeanor charge of possession or control of child pornography was dropped.
Jones had been released on $20,000 bond. He was arrested in November 2002 after a 12-month investigation which resulted in the arrest of fellow actor Paul Reubens -- known on screen as Pee-wee Herman.
Reubens, 50, pleaded innocent to one count of possessing material showing children under 18 engaging in sexual conduct. He has been released on $20,000 bond. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.
Jones played Ed Rooney, the dean of students, in the "Ferris Bueller" film. The actor has also appeared in such films as "Amadeus," "The Hunt for Red October," "Ed Wood," "Beetlejuice" and "The Crucible."
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
