PHOENIX -- A former Phoenix high school teacher and cheerleading coach was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday for an affair with a 16-year-old male student.

UNEDITED VIDEO: Mally Sentenced

Jennifer Diane Mally had been charged with 17 counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, and pleaded guilty to three of those counts. Under the plea deal, the other 14 counts were dismissed.

The judge told the former Paradise Valley High School English teacher on Friday that the prison time was appropriate.

"You had every opportunity to stop the relationship from developing," Judge Andrew Klein told her. "They were immoral acts for a teacher and in this court's judgment they continued unabated for seven months."

Mally was ordered to surrender her teachers certificate and undergo DNA testing.

One by one, friends and family gave speeches to try and sway the judge from putting her in prison.

Her husband said it was not easy learning about her affair.

"As you can imagine, receiving news that your wife has been arrested for sexual misconduct with a minor is hard to swallow," he said.

Mally told the judge she would accept what punishment given.

"I understand it was my job to create boundaries every step of the way, even little ones and that I didn't do my job," Mally said.

Her attorney, Mel McDonald, said she changed her plea because "she needs to go on with her life."

Mally, who was 26 when she was arrested in May 2007, was accused of having a six-month sexual relationship with the victim that began in October 2006.