Balloon Boy Parents to Plead Guilty Regarding the Hoax

(CNN) -- Authorities in Colorado have filed charges against the parents in last month's notorious "balloon boy" case, and the pair's lawyers say the two are expected to plead guilty.

The Larimer County district attorney's office Thursday said Richard Heene has been charged with one count of attempting to influence a public servant, a felony, and Mayumi Heene has been charged with one count of false reporting to authorities, a misdemeanor.

The Heenes have agreed to turn themselves in on a personal recognizance bond to be set by a judge, the district attorney's statement said. They will appear Friday in Larimer County Court, where they are expected to plead guilty, their attorneys said.

The penalty range for the felony is two to six years in prison with a fine of $2,000 to $500,000. The range for the misdemeanor would be six months in jail with a fine of $50 to $750, the district attorney's office statement said.

The prosecutor has recommended probation, Richard Heene's attorney said.

The threat of deportation for Mayumi Heene was a factor in the plea deal negotiation, the attorney's statement said.

"Mayumi Heene is a citizen of Japan. As such, any felony conviction or certain misdemeanors would result in her deportation, even though her husband and children are Americans," the statement said.

"It is supremely ironic that law enforcement has expressed such grave concern over the welfare of the children, but it was ultimately the threat of taking the children's mother from the family and deporting her to Japan which fueled this deal."

Prosecutors in the case could not be immediately reached for comment.

On October 16, a large silver balloon came loose from moorings in the Heenes' yard and floated over Colorado. Mayumi Heene called 911 and said the couple's 6-year-old son Falcon was inside the craft.

Millions of people across the country watched the saga on television for nearly two hours as military aircraft tracked the balloon in the air and rescuers chased it on the ground.

Mayumi Heene later admitted the whole thing was a hoax and that Falcon was safe in their home the whole time, authorities said.

Court documents released last month said the couple hatched the plan about two weeks before the incident and "instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax."

Their motive? To "make the Heene family more marketable for future media interests," the documents said.

Source: AssociatedPress
November 12, 2009

The attorney for the Colorado father who reported his son floated away in a helium balloon says his client and the boy's mother will both plead guilty to charges in the case. (Nov. 12)

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[boxy562]

douche bags of the year.

[Curtis1551]

i say they grant their wish for a reality show. Deport the mom, throw dad in jail, kids go live with grandma. Now that's a good show

[SuperDopedealer]

deport mum in a balloon

[gr8foppa21]

thumbs up for the guy at 00:41 who is sprinting after the balloon.

[riprandy318]

@germancoke XD because the dad said she was illegal in a different interview

[MrAmbidex1]

I would literally slap his dad so hard in front of millions of people

[germancoke]

@Curtis1551 I stand corrected.

[Curtis1551]

@germancoke, because thats what they discussed as her punishment in court, not what I made up. That's why ;)

[germancoke]

@Curtis1551 I find it hard to believe that this comment got so many thumbs up. Why do you automatically assume that the wife is illegal? also, they don't seem to be bad parents, just hungry for attention.

[juxmook]

@dagger29 LEGIT AND LESBIAN

[crisb8713]

They didnt hurt anyone. They just tryin to make money

[eiddnaffokcuf]

watch?v=wuzyhQqfpM4