Richard Sherman has closed out his DUI case ... the ex-NFL star ended up getting deferred prosecution on Tuesday. The deferred prosecution means Sherman will now be under a five-year probationary period ... during which time he must keep his nose clean or risk facing the consequences of the charges. "The deferred prosecution represents Mr. Sherman's commitment to working past any issues with alcohol or other issues that could have led to this incident," Sherman's attorney, Jon Fox, told TMZ Sports on Tuesday afternoon. As allowed by law, the granting of the deferred prosecution represents the judge approving what has been proposed, which take five years. On successful completion and strict compliance, Mr. Sherman will have earned the dismissal of the charges."