'Ferris Bueller' Star Jeffrey Jones Pleads Guilty

Jeffrey Jones is best known for his role as an over the top principal in the cult classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He also starred in Beetlejuice and Ed Wood. In between his acting jobs, Jones added a new credit to his name: sex offender. Now, ABC News reports that Jeffrey Jones plead guilty to failing to update his sex offender status.

In 2003, Jones plead no contest in a case that charged the actor with "employing a teenage boy to pose for sexual explicit photos." As part of his sentence, Jones was required to register as a sex offender, and as is the case with every sex offender he was required to keep his information updated every year.

The Los Angeles judge ordered the 64 year-old Jones to 250 hours of community service and three years probation for failing to update his information. The punishment represents the importance of keeping sex offender registration information current, and how seriously courts take the offense. The purpose behind registering is two-fold: to provide law enforcement authorities with the means to track and locate convicted sex offenders, and to also notify the community when there is a potential risk.

Although laws vary from state to state, most registrations require an offender's name, birth date, address, physical description, license plate number, fingerprints, and current photographs. Many cities and states also impose residency restrictions -- limiting an offender's ability to live too close to a school. In the end, Jeffrey Jones was fairly lucky in his sentence. Failing to register as a sex offender can carry up to five years jail time.

Related Resources:

• Jeffrey Jones Pleads Guilty (TMZ)
• CA Sex Offender Laws Under Review (FindLaw's Blotter)
• Registration Requirements (FindLaw)