Sarah Jones, former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader, pleads guilty to sex with minor (VIDEO)
The Cincinnati Bengals mascot runs on the field before the start of the Bengals NFL game against the New Engalnd Patriots on October 1, 2007 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sarah Jones, the captain of the Cincinnati Bengals cheerleading squad who in September pleaded not guilty to charges of having sex with a minor while she was a high school teacher, has now pled guilty.
In a move that will allow her to avoid jail time, Jones admitted to having had sex with her 17-year-old former student while on staff at a northern Kentucky high school.
According to the Associated Press, Jones made her tearful admission in Kenton County Circuit Court in Covington, pleading guilty to sexual misconduct and custodial interference rather than the more serious charges — first-degree sexual abuse and unlawful use of electronic means to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited acts.
"I began a romantic relationship while he was a student and I was in a position of authority," Jones reportedly said.
The relationship between Jones and the student, a freshman in Jones' English class in 2008, began in February 2011, when he was 17, according to Monday's plea agreement, signed by Jones.
Jones admitted that the two had sex and that she sent him sexually explicit text messages and then lied about her actions to police.
More from GlobalPost: Bengals cheerleader Sarah Jones pleads not guilty to sex with student (VIDEO)
Jones, who stepped down from her position at the school in November after the investigation began, citing "personal reasons," had been supported during legal proceedings by the victim and his family.
On Monday, WCPO-TV reported, she walked out of court hand-in-hand with the victim, now 18, but without commenting on their relationship, ABC News' Cincinnati affiliate.
Jones appeared on "Good Morning America" in July to address the allegations.
"People don't know the real me," she said. "There's blogs and postings out there that I have slept with numerous people. I married my high school sweetheart.
"I just asked the general public to maybe hold their judgment a little bit longer until the truth comes out."
Jones is a divorcee.
ABC News quoted Jones' attorney, Eric Deters, as saying:
"It's a great deal for Sarah. She can go on with her life."
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