Heene’s Plead Guilty in Balloon Incident
The Heenes, parents to the small boy who was behind the balloon hoax earlier this month, plead guilty yesterday to fabricating the entire incident. A judge ruled that sentencing for the couple will be held later next month after they admitted to concocting the scheme in order to generate media hype.
Richard and Mayumi Heene claimed that they came up with the stunt in order to garner publicity to possibly land a family reality show based on their antics. The two entered their guilty pleas in a Larimer County courtroom, yesterday in Fort Collins.
Richard Heene, 48-years old, has plead guilty to a felony count for attempting to influence public servants. Additionally, Mayumi, his wife, plead guilty to a misdemeanor for falsely reporting an incident to authorities.
However, because Mayumi is a Japanese citizen, she could face deportation if found guilty and in contempt of her visa agreement. Despite the fact that her husband and children are all American citizens, it is possible that Mayumi Heene could be deported in the wake of her sentencing.
The Heene’s incident first made headlines when it was believed that their son had been caught in an unattended homemade hot air balloon. Authorities searched for the boy in the sky for hours, before learning that he was safe and sound at home hiding. It later came to light that the Heene’s had fabricated the entire incident for attention. The Heene’s sentencing hearing will take place on December 23.
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