Balloon Boy Parents Decide To Plead Guilty In Colorado Court

November 13, 2009 11:58 a.m. EST

Denver, CO (AHN) - Richard Heene the Colorado man who said his 6-year-old son was aboard an escaped balloon plead guilty on Friday to a charge of attempting to influence a public servant. The hoax held a nation spellbound with fears for the boy's safety and cost tax payers and law enforcement time and money.

Heene pleaded guilty to the felony charge in Larimer County Court. His wife, Mayumi Heene a co-conspirator in the hoax is being charged, with one count of false reporting to authorities, a misdemeanor. Reportedly, the fact that Mayumi is a Japanese citizen was a significant factor in the Heene's decision to reach a plea deal. Despite her children and husband being Americans she could have faced possible deportation.

On Thursday, Richard Heene turned himself in to local authorities but he was released after posting a $5,000 personal recognizance bond. According to a statement released by the district attorney's office 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.

An attorney representing the family said prosecutors have agreed to a sentence of probation They do, however, both run the risk of serving jail time, which would reportedly be up to 90 days in jail for Richard Heene and up to 60 days in jail for his wife.

Court documents show that the couple planned the hoax nearly two weeks before millions of people watched a silver balloon floating across the Colorado sky on their television and computer screens. The incident prompted numerous military and civilian aircraft and agencies to track the craft for fear that the Heene's 6-year-old son was on board.

Later after intense pressure and scrutiny, Mayumi Heene admitted it was a hoax and their son was safe at home.