ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Broward County firefighter accused of fondling boys in Orange County walked out of the Orange County courthouse a free man Friday night. The jury cleared Joseph Habib of felony molestation charges that could've sent him to prison for 75 years.

Habib was accused of molesting a group boys as they played in the pool at an Orange County resort July 15, 2006. The jury found Habib guilty of three counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act, which is a misdemeanor.

The verdict means Habib will not have to register as a sex offender and, most importantly to his family, he's a free man.

"Justice has been served. The last 10 months have been pure hell. I can't tell you how we're feeling. There aren't words to describe it," said his mother, Marsha Cummings.

Habib, who's been in custody for the past several months, declined to comment, but was clearly elated to learn he was going home.

"My client was looking at a minimum of 25 years on each count, a minimum of 75 years to life and becoming a registered sex offender. That jury acquitted him and found him guilty of misdemeanors," said Habib's attorney Eric Schwartzreich.

There were tears, too, from the boys' families in this case. The prosecutor whispered, "I'm sorry" to them.

Habib's sentence on the misdemeanors is 180 days.