'Balloon boy' parents to plead guilty to hoax-related charges

I'm sure this will not detour them in any way from their next adventure.

The Colorado parents in last month's notorious "balloon boy" case will plead guilty to offenses for creating a hoax that their son had flown away in a large balloon.

Richard and Mayumi Heene are to plead Friday morning in Larimer County Court, according to a statement issued by Richard Heene's attorney.

Mayumi Heene is expected to plead guilty to an offense of false reporting to authorities, a misdemeanor of the lowest level, according to the attorney.

Richard Heene is expected to plead guilty to a felony offense of attempting to influence a public servant.

Though the Heenes could receive jail time for the charges, the prosecutor has recommended probation, Richard Heene's attorney said.

Lawyer: ‘Balloon boy’ family ready to surrender

I'm sure you know by now that "Balloon Boy" was a hoax and it looks like the dad is willing to take his medicine when the charges against him are actually filed. I like how his attorney says he doesn't want to be arrested in front of his kids because it is "child abuse". Of course, concocting an elaborate lie that you then make your kids participate in isn't considered child abuse....whatever.

Richard and Mayumi Heene may soon face charges after being accused of trying to whip up a media frenzy with a tall tale about their son floating away in a makeshift flying saucer — but Richard Heene’s lawyer told TODAY Monday that the father of the now-infamous “balloon boy” should not suffer the public indignity of being led away in handcuffs.

“I’ve said, ‘Look, these folks are willing to turn themselves in the minute that you give me the phone call. I will have them in your office within 10 minutes, all right?’ ” attorney David Lane told Matt Lauer.

Lane added that he told authorities: “Do not do the perp walk for media consumption and arrest these people in full view of their children. That’s child abuse. That’s traumatic for kids.”

UPDATE: The media was possibly involved:

Investigators are examining the possibility of other conspirators, "including the possibility that even some of the media outlets may have had some knowledge about this," Alderden said.

Documents show that a media outlet has agreed to pay money to the Heenes with regard to the balloon incident, Alderden said. He didn't name the media outlet, but said it was a show that blurs "the line between entertainment and news." It wasn't clear whether the deal was signed before or after the alleged hoax, or whether that media outlet was a possible conspirator.

Balloon Boy is Looking Like a Hoax

Here is footage of the family on GMA and they have the original footage of when the balloon came undone - the parents were right there, which was not the original story. It's a long clip, but the footage starts at 1:20.

Balloon Boy Lets the Air Out of the Balloon

Oops....they didn't prep the kid well enough. When asked why he didn't come out when his parents were calling for him, he says, "Um. You guys said that, hrm, we did this for a show."

Bawm Bawm bawwwwmmm