PASSAIC COUNTY — A judge has sentenced a female teacher to one year in jail and five years' probation for having sexual contact with a male student.

Kristin Leone, 28, choked back tears as she apologized Thursday, telling the judge what happened was completely out of character, The Record reported.

She was the student's social studies teacher at Clifton High School in 2012.

Under a plea agreement, Leone admitted the boy, 16, placed her hand on his genitals in school and she kept it there for her own gratification, and that in another incident a few days later at her apartment, she placed her hand on his genitals. Authorities had alleged they had sexual intercourse.

"I want to say I am sorry to the victim's family, to my family and my friends," she said.

Her attorney, Ronald Ricci, said Leone was not attracted to juveniles and that her actions reflected "other deep-seated problems."

"She had very low self-esteem," Ricci said. "She made a tragic, tragic mistake."

The prosecutor, Joseph Del Russo, said it was wrong to think that because the victim was a boy, the case should be looked at differently.

"Some people say, 'It's kind of different for boys,'" he said. "Well, it's not kind of different for boys. Because 'boys' is the operative word."

The victim's mother said that while some people congratulate her son, others ridicule him — and that all the attention has gotten to be too much.

"He's graduating this year. He wants to go to college, but he doesn't want to go around here, where people may know about him," she said.

She told Leone in court that she was a good person who made a terrible mistake.

RELATED COVERAGE

• Clifton teacher to serve one year for sex with student, 16

• Female Clifton High School teacher had sexual contact with student, authorities say

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