It’s no surprise to many that Richard and Mayumi Heene – the Colorado couple who said their son was aboard an escaped balloon in October – pleaded guilty to charges.
The parents plead guilty to criminal charges of staging the event in a publicity-seeking hoax after telling authorities their 6-year-old son Falcon was trapped inside a large silver balloon floating over eastern Colorado.
On Oct. 15, millions of people across the U.S. tuned in to watch the scene for almost two hours as military aircraft tracked the floating balloon in the air and rescuers chased it on the ground. Everyone thought that the little boy was trapped inside floating high in the sky without any way out, when in actuality he was safe in the Heene’s home the entire time.
When asked why he didn’t come out of hiding when his parents were supposedly calling for him, Falcon accidentally admitted it was a hoax saying to his parents, “You guys said that we did it for the show.”
To make sure Mayumi, a Japanese citizen, would not face felony charges that could lead to her deportation, the couple plead guilty to multiple charges as part of a plea deal. Richard plead guilty to the felony of “attempting to influence a public servant” and faces the possible penalty of two to six years in prison and a fine of $2,000 to $500,000. His wife Mayumi plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of “making a false report to authorities” and faces a possible sentence of six months in county jail and a fine of $50 to $750.
According to their lawyers, both are hoping for probation and are scheduled to return to court Dec. 23 for sentencing.
Although the Heenes were attempting to gain positive publicity by staging the incident and getting their 15 minutes of fame, it only brought along negative media attention and serious legal repercussions. Don’t try this at home; especially if your 6-year-old has a big mouth.
To learn more about the potential penalties relating to various felonies and misdemeanors in Colorado, take a look at the the list of Colorado Penalties for a variety of criminal charges.
