Former Belvidere High School teacher Loren Leoni leaves court today, just as she came in. A free woman. While she won't be serving prison time, her attorney says she's trapped in a life-long sentence.

"My client has effectively limited her parental rights in the future if she decides to have a family she's been barred from the career of her choice her passion she exhibited through college as far as everything she trained for by everyone's account was good at this isolated incident has ended all that for her," says Attorney Michael Fleming.

Leoni was charged last February for having sex with a 15-year-old student in her Rockford apartment. Since this was a one-time offense, and Judge Joseph McGraw feels Leoni shows remorse, he ruled probation was more appropriate. The Winnebago County State's Attorney's office preferred prison.

"We felt probation deprecated the seriousness of the offense and as a deterrent to others that this is a crime is serious and shouldn't be committed," says Assistant State's Attorney Kate Kurtz.

The former teacher will be on probation for the next four years and is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life. She must also pay restitution for therapy costs incurred by the victim and his family.

Leoni was fired from Belvidere High School shortly before her arrest. The school district and the victim's family would not comment on her situation.