Richard Heene, Balloon Boy Dad, Expected To Face Criminal Charges

Watch Sheriff Jim Alberden's Sunday Morning Press Conference:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (AP) FORT COLLINS, Colo. - A Colorado sheriff said Sunday it was hoax when parents reported that their 6-year-old son was in a flying saucer-like helium balloon hurtling away from their home when he was actually hiding in the garage.

Sheriff Jim Alderden said Richard and Mayumi Heene "put on a very good show for us, and we bought it."

"We believe that we have evidence at this point to indicate that it was a publicity stunt done with the hopes of marketing themselves or better marketing themeslves for a reality television show at some point in the future," Alderden said.

The sheriff says no charges had been filed yet, and the parents weren't under arrest. He said he expected to recommend charges of conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, making a false report to authorities and attempting to influence a public servant.

Some of the most serious charges each carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

He said all three of the Heenes' sons knew of the Thursday hoax, but likely won't face charges because of their ages. The oldest son is 10.

Some of the most serious charges each carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Heene, a storm chaser and inventor, and his family have appeared on the reality show "Wife Swap."

Story continues below

advertisement

Alderden said interviews with the parents Saturday resulted in enough information to get a warrant to search the house. He said they were looking for computers, e-mails, phone records and financial records.

The sheriff said they discovered the balloon basket 6-year-old Falcon was made of a thin piece of plywood and cardboard held together with string and duct tape.

Aldreden said the children were still with the parents, and child protective services has been conacted to investigatethe children's well-being.

Suspicion that the balloon saga was a hoax arose almost immediately after Falcon was found hiding in the garage.

Alderden initially said there was no reason to believe the incident was a hoax. Authorities questioned the Heenes again after Falcon turned to his dad during a CNN interview Thursday night and said what sounds like "you said we did this for a show" when asked why he didn't come out of his hiding place.

Falcon got sick during two separate TV interviews Friday when asked again why he hid.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Update: In a press conference Sunday, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alberden confirmed on Sunday morning that his office believes that the saga of Falcon Heene, a boy believed to have been trapped in a wayward balloon, was a "hoax" and a "publicity stunt."

He said that no charges had been pressed yet, but he listed the charges he expected to be filed eventually. Among them were attempting to influence a public official, a class four felony. On Saturday, Alberden had expressed concern that the Sheriff's office would only be able to file misdemeanor charges against the Heenes.

The Heene family, if convicted, will have to pay for the rescue operations, the cost of which is still unknown, but will range in the thousands.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Update: The Denver Post reports that the Heene's have returned top their home after spending the night in a Motel 6 while police searched their home.

According to the AP, several boxes and computers were removed from the house.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Update: From CNN:

Authorities in Colorado say criminal charges are expected to be filed against Richard Heene, a storm-chasing father whose giant Mylar balloon ascended into the sky earlier this week, sparking fears that his 6-year-old was aboard.

"We do anticipate at some point in the future, there will be some criminal charges filed with regards to this incident," Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said.

The announcement came after a second round of meetings between the Heene family and the Larimer County Sheriff's office on Saturday. The Sheriff's Office is expected to specify the charges in a press conference Sunday morning.

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alberden was quoted by the AP as expressing disappointment that his office could only file misdemeanor charges:

"We were looking at Class 3 misdemeanor, which hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances," Alderden said. "We are talking to the district attorney, federal officials to see if perhaps there aren't additional federal charges that are appropriate in this circumstance."

According to the Denver Post, the Sheriff's Office is working on obtaining search warrants for the Heenes' house.

Watch Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alberden announces that charges will be filed:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After promising a "big announcement set for 10:00 Saturday morning, Richard Heene, father of the 6-year-old 'balloon boy' left his house with a box for reporters to place questions.

Watch below:

* * * * * * * * * * *

Watch: Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alberden's Press Conference From Earlier Today:

Update: The AP is reporting that local law enforcement officers have suspected Richard Heene of abusing his wife, but there has never been sufficient evidence to press charges:

The Larimer County Sheriff's deputy who went to the home said he heard a man yelling and, once inside, noticed Mayumi Heene had a mark on her cheek and broken blood vessels in her eye. She said it was because of a problem with her contacts.

Richard Heene said he was yelling because his children stayed up past their bedtime.

The deputy concluded he didn't have probable cause to make an arrest, but believed a physical altercation may have occurred. No charges were filed.

It was one of three 911 calls made from the home within the past year, but the only one in which a report was filed.

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Aldereden said in a press conference Friday that his office spoke with the county child protection agency about the case in which 6-year-old Falcon Heene was thought to have been trapped in a flying-saucer-shaped balloon.

The Denver Post Reports:

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said today that his agency has talked with the county's child protection agency about the Fort Collins family that lost control of an experimental balloon Thursday.

The AP adds that the Sheriff said there was no indication that the ordeal was a hoax. Read the story below.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- The Larimer County sheriff in Colorado says they have no indication a family was carrying out a hoax when they reported their 6-year-old son was in a helium balloon that floated away from their home.

The boy was found hiding in the home's garage Thursday afternoon, hours after the balloon launched and traveled more than 50 miles.

Sheriff Jim Alderden said Friday the suggestion that the boy, Falcon Heene, was coached to hide seems inconceivable. He says the boy thought he was responsible for the balloon coming untied and hid because he was afraid he'd be in trouble.

Questions were raised about the incident after the boy said "we did this for a show" in a live interview with CNN. The boys' parents are storm chasers who appeared in the ABC reality show "Wife Swap."

Comments

[funnyman26]

This guy really should get a reality show if he is able to captivate all of us in the US including the news media.

Wild!

[mabinog]

yeah they can call it narcissistic @ss holes

[davemartin7777]

"narcissistic @ss holes"

That's just perfect.

[Nicon]

Whats with the guy in the Tan jacket behind the sheriff? Looks like he is stuck mid Sour Patch Kid..

[Flavor]

What I am sad at is that these people used the precious most vunerable in society, their children, all for gain. First this cost the state big bucks, because of the many officers they had chasing this ballon only to find no one was in it. The officers as I percieved it, looked perplexed and just in amazement when they discovered ther was nobody in the ballon. I believe quickly they started to smell stinch, I myself said, something is not right here as well as a million other viewers that watch this whole thing play out. What a shame, now this family has got to pay for their crazy thinking and already the children have been taught to lie, by the parents because that is just what it was a lie. Some will do anything to get attention and he has definitly gotten the attention but not the attention he wanted.

[gdatomic]

We should note that these are, once again, former/current reality show participants.

Reality TV attracts producers who aren't likely to respect honesty and boundaries. These producers recruit people who lack the social boundaries most people have --- so that the show producers get the unedited comment they need to make "great TV". During filming and airing the people get their ego's built up in ways far beyond what is normal and realistic. And then, the spotlight goes away and they're left without all that input.

We shouldn't be surprised at desperate attempts like to get back on TV. Too bad we're all to blame.

[sculptor]

The best way to treat people like that is to ignore them.Now, some celebrity lawyer will jump in and make things even more absurd! However, what should be done is the media should put together a blacklist of pubilicy hounds to which the Heene family should be added at the top.

[ArgumentativePatti]

The reason they need to throw the book at these people (hopefully not with jail time, but maybe probation or something) is that if this type of thing is not prosecuted, other attention seeking zealots will be doing who knows what to get their own reality show. There's more than enough for rescue and law enforcement personnel to worry about without having to deal with cases like this. I don't want to see them in jail, but I WOULD like to see future incidents like this deterred. If possible.

[dans5843]

This balloon boy story would be better covered by Glenn Beck!

[Wide Stance]

From NY Times: "He said authorities had asked a professor of physics at Colorado State University whether the balloon could actually fly with a 37-pound boy inside. The professor determined that this particular balloon could not even though the compartment, patched together with duct tape and plywood, could carry the boy."

I rest my case.

(That said, I am surprised we didn't hear more about this compartment under the balloon.)

[Wide Stance]

I never saw this coming....

The media involvement is a new angle, however. Let the speculation begin about which media organization(s) might have been involved.

Faux News? He did say the perpetrator wasn't a "true news organization"....

[ArgumentativePatti]

Shep Smith early on mentioned the possiblility of a hoax, and seemed to be annoyed at having to cover the story.

[Gmoney1]

Now homeland security and the federal government should file charges against those people - without a license you should not be able to just fly stuff that could be potentially dangerous to the public - who knows what that loon could have put in that balloon -

[RButler]

First. I took an instant dislike to the father. He is weird. Then, if they were video taping the launch of the balloon, how did they not notice whether or not the kid with the bird's name was in it. It's not like the family was in the house and the kid was out back by himself.

Also, Falcon is 6 and his brothers are 8 and 10 but they all act only slightly older than toddlers. Are they home schooled? They seem somewhat stunted mentally compared to other children that age and they've been in front of cameras before.

[chulanow]

As I am watching the press conference, the sheriff running the case seems incompetent and appears to now be more concerned about how his department looked rather than the real facts and story.

His statements and actions appear unprofessional and I am surprised to see someone in his stature try to blatantly convict this family in the media before a case is even filed or goes to court.

This case is so bizarre...­.......it'­s hard to tell who is stranger the whacky family or the whacky Sheriff and his posse.

[i like common interface]

What exactly, in Sheriff Alberden's statement, lead you to believe that he's attempting to try and convict Richard Heene by means of the media? An announcement that charges will be filed is in no way a trial and conviction by media.

I'll agree to some extent that Sheriff Alberden and his department aren't looking the best in this situation, but to their credit they've tried giving these folks the benefit of the doubt and have tried to maintain their innocence until proven guilty.

[chulanow]

You obviously didn't watch the press conference. The Sheriff is doing a poor job of maintaining professional and appears more concerned with how his department is viewed by the media than he is about conducting a professional investigation.

His press conference is only going to hurt their case if they ever get a case filed.

I suggest you go back and watch the ENTIRE press conference.

As far as your statement about them not looking the best.....

I had no issue with their efforts until he gave his press conference today and it was obvious for everyone to see that the Sheriff has lost all objectivity and professionalism in how he is handling the case.

[justice11]

Couple of wackos! They had the entire country worried about their child while trying to get attention! That husband seems to have some temper too! Wonder what else they'll find out about these nutcases!!

[Gin1234]

I don't know if a blow by blow story from the sheriff, including the way they manipulated the couple at every step during the investigation, is appropriate. A little unseemly in my mind.

[rzzza]

agreed

[chulanow]

Agreed.....so bizarre and unprofessional, he is only hurting his case.....if it ever goes to court!

[Mafdet]

To everyone who is saying we should accept the happy outcome of this event and call it a day, I have to point out: If I left my 6-year-old in a car while I ran into the grocery store and someone reported me, I would be cited, my family investigated by CPS, and all of it reported in my local paper.

That is exactly what is happening here. Except that Mr. Heene called in the media himself. Well, and he went a step farther: He called the FAA because he couldn't be sure that the local news station that he called would put the story on the wire, but he knew that the national media follows the FAA incident reports.

The media's behavior in this case is exactly as it should be. Every report that I read has quotes, times, dates. Nothing is being made up.

Finally, to those who don't want to see this kind of thing reported, there is always C-Span.