LATEST: American movie actor Jeffrey Jones has pleaded no contest to a charge of hiring a teenage boy for an X-rated photo shoot.

The FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF star was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to register as a sex offender and undergo counselling by Los Angeles Superior Court JUDGE DAVID HORWITZ.

Jones, 56, says, "This concludes a really painful chapter in my life. I'm sorry that this incident was allowed to occur. Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again."

The Sleepy Hollow actor was arrested last November (02) and had previously maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to the charge of "using a minor for prohibitive acts" and a misdemeanour charge of possessing child pornography.

As a result of his latest plea, the misdemeanour charge was dropped.

Jones's attorney LEONARD LEVINE spoke of his client hoping to move on with his life, and re-asserted that the charges against the BEETLEJUICE star had not involved any sex acts.

He says, "He's not accused of touching or having physical contact with any minors whatsoever. He didn't do anything of that nature.

"He hopes the public understands this was an aberration in his life, one mistake in judgment. It was just a case about photographs.

"He hopes at some point the public will forgive him and he can go on with his life and his career."