write on the blackboard 100 times, "I will not spit on the sidewalks of New Yawk"
Unless the "charge" is changed ... you be a felon, mama.
The judge is saying that simply having to live with the stigma of being a felon is punishment enough.
In the old days this was the sort of logic that only applied to politicians, who, when caught red handed in criminal acts, simple resigned and no charges were filed because simply being out of the club was punishment enough. Now ordinary criminals get that too! Hooray!