VIDEO: Balloon Boy Parents Plead Guilty; Will Be Sentenced Next Month
Posted on Nov 13, 2009 @ 11:14AM - 6 comments
Balloon Boy dad Richard Heene pleaded guilty in a Colorado courtroom Friday morning to a felony charge of attempting to influence a public servant, while his wife Mayumi pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor offense of false reporting to authorities, in connection with their well-publicized balloon hoax last month.
PHOTOS: Balloon Boy Family Out & About
Both of their guilty pleas were accompanied by requests to travel to New York and California for work opportunities, which the judge granted.
The couple pleaded guilty, Heene's attorney David Lane said, as part of an agreement to to avoid the potential deportation of mom Mayumi; a Japanese citizen, had Mayumi been convicted of any felony, or certain misdemeanors, she could have been deported, despite the fact her husband and children are Americans, authorities said.
Attorney: Balloon Boy's Dad's "Got To Do What He's Got To Do"
Posted on Nov 13, 2009 @ 07:50AM - 1 comment
Richard Heene and his wife Mayumi will plead guilty in a Colorado courtroom Friday morning to charges stemming from their well-publicized balloon hoax last month.
"He feels like he's got to do what he's got to do to save his wife from being deported," Heene’s attorney David Lane said.
Six Year Old Not Found Floating in Balloon, New Details About His Family
BREAKING NEWS: Balloon Boy Dad Richard Heene Surrenders to Authorities
Posted on Nov 12, 2009 @ 04:16PM - 17 comments
Richard Heene, the mastermind behind the balloon boy stunt, has surrendered himself to the police and RadarOnline.com has obtained his booking photo taken in Colorado after he turned himself in on Thursday.
PHOTOS: The Heene Family on Wife Swap
Heene and his wife Mayumi are expected to plead guilty to a hoax: he to a felony offense of attempting to influence a public servant and she to a misdemeanor offense of false reporting to authorities.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Balloon Boy Dad Suffers From Violent And Unpredictable Temper
He turned himself in at the Larimer County Detention Center. The couple is expected in court on November 13.
Balloon Boy Dad Terrified Wife Could Be Deported
Posted on Nov 12, 2009 @ 03:23PM - 1 comment
A close friend of ‘Balloon Boy’ dad Richard Heene has told RadarOnline.com Heene pled guilty because he was terrified that his wife Mayumi would be deported back to Japan.
Cult performer Count Smokula (Robert Smokey Miles) - who shared an office space with the family in Los Angeles for two years – believes that the eccentric reality star was terrified that he would be separated from the mother of his three sons.
Balloon Boy Parents To Plead Guilty
And Smokula thinks that Heene will make a very compelling appearance in court when he formally enters his plea in Colorado on Friday.
The artist – who recently appeared in Bob Dylan’s latest video Must Be Santa – told RadarOnline.com: “Richard really loves Mayumi despite the fact that he was verbally abusive towards her and the thought that she might have got deported will have made him swallow his pride
PHOTOS: Balloon Boy Family On Wife Swap
“She is mentally a very strong person but she would also have been anxious about being separated from her kids and husband too.
“Despite what the world may think they were actually very good parents who did the best that they could given their circumstances.
“Richard will come across very well in court and he won’t be fazed about that at all even although he might be frightened inside – the guy’s a former actor after all.”
PHOTOS: Heene Family Try To Return To Normal
The Colorado parents who reported that their six-year-old son Falcon Heene floated away in a homemade balloon will plead guilty so that there family can stay together.
Richard Heene’s lawyer David Lane revealed that his client will plead guilty to the felony charge to attempting to influence a public servant in connection with the alleged prank on October 15, 2009.
Balloon Boy Dad Wears Bra And Panties, Bashes Britney Spears
The charge carries a possible sentence of two to six years and a fine of up to $500,000 – Mayumi Heene will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities a misdemeanor that could result in a $750 fine and a six month prison sentence.
The Larimer County District Attorney’s office has refused to comment on any potential plea deal’s that may have been struck with the couple whose hoax gained worldwide publicity.
VIDEO: Balloon Boy Dad’s Bizarre Short Movie
Count Smokula believes that any heavy fine imposed on the family could really pile-on the pressure on the embattled couple.
He said: “They do not have any money and neither of them come from wealthy families either.
“If they get hit with a heavy fine then they will have to land some television or promotional deals to pay it off.
Balloon Boy Dad Action Figure
“But I don’t know if the courts will allow them to do that, so, they could be in a real sticky situation.
“The irony is that Richard always wanted to be famous but probably not in this way – still there will be a part of him that is enjoying all the attention.”
Attorney: Balloon Boy Parents To Plead Guilty
Posted on Nov 12, 2009 @ 08:05AM - 16 comments
The Heene family's bubble -- or should we say balloon -- looks like its about to burst: Richard Heene's attorney David Lane on Thursday said that the science buff and his wife Mayumi will plead guilty to charges stemming from their well-publicized balloon hoax last month, when they appear in a Colorado courtroom Friday morning.
PHOTOS: The Heene Family On Wife Swap
Dad Richard is expected to plead guilty to a felony offense of attempting to influence a public servant, according to Lane, while mom Mayumi is expected to plead guilty to a misdemeanor offense of false reporting to authorities.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Balloon Boy Dad's Bizarre Short Movie
Posted on Nov 04, 2009 @ 07:02PM - 7 comments
RadarOnline.com has uncovered a beyond bizarre short movie staring Balloon Boy dad, Richard Heene.
Richard Heene Wears Bra And Make-Up, Bashes Britney Spears
In the short Heene and a female are filmed driving down a lonely deserted road in a jeep. Cut to Heene playing the harmonica while the female dances on the roof of the jeep.
Balloon Boy Dad Action Figure
It then shows the two of them walking down the road, discussing how they have run out of gas. They then have a conversation about how much they love each other, embrace and it cuts to a photo montage of them together.
Balloon Boy Mom Admits Hoax Was Planned For Two Weeks
End of movie.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Balloon Boy Dad Suffers From Violent And Unpredictable Temper
Really not sure what the point of the film actually is, but when it comes to the fine art of movie making, one thing is for sure Richard Heene, don't give up your day job!
EXCLUSIVE AUDIO: Balloon Boy Dad Halloween Song
Posted on Oct 30, 2009 @ 12:20PM - 3 comments
Looking for a scary theme song on Saturday night? – how about Happy Halloweenie With the Heenes!
Richard Heene’s former business partner cult performer Count Smokula has penned this catchy ditty in tribute to the ‘Balloon Boy’ saga.
Hear the Halloween song below:
Smokula – who also goes under the name of Smokey Miles – used to share an office space with Heene in Los Angeles and wrote the lyrics and music for The Psyience Detective, The Contractor and Box Time Playhouse.
Balloon Boy Dad Action Figure
Posted on Oct 27, 2009 @ 06:38AM - 1 comment
Move over GI Joe -- Balloon Boy dad Richard Heene has been forever immortalized in plastic in the form of an action figure doll.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Balloon Boy Dad Suffers From Diabetes, Has A Violent And Unpredictable Temper
The $34.95 doll, manufactured by Hero Builders, is a movable figurine complete with an "I'm with stupid" T-shirt.
Balloon Boy Sheriff Refused To Bail His Own Son Out Of Jail!
Posted on Oct 25, 2009 @ 03:27PM - 10 comments
.jpg)
Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden became the center of the Balloon Boy story. He initially believed the Heene family's claim that their son Falcon had been carried away by a home-made flying saucer, committing all the resources his department had to offer towards getting the six-year-old back safe and sound.
That was before Mayumi Heene admitted the balloon incident was a "hoax."
Balloon Boy Mom Says Hoax Was Planned For Weeks
But Alderden, whose personal hero and role model is the late actor John Wayne, took a very different approach when his own son was in trouble.
Earlier this year, John W. Alderden, 32, was busted over an unpaid traffic fine. "As a father, I am embarrassed and disappointed in him," the Sheriff told the Fort Collins Coloradoan. "We spoke by phone when he was in booking, and he asked for the money to pay his fine. I declined."
The result? John W. spent 10 days in the Larimer County jail under orders that he be treated just like any other inmate.
PHOTOS: The Heene Family Tries To Return To Normal
Sheriff Alderden is known by the locals to be opinionated and most like him that way. His term expires in 14 months and supporters are already calling for him to run for state office. We're not sure if his son or the Heenes are among those.
The Heene Family Lives On The Edge
Sheriff Alderden would like to see the book thrown at Richard and Mayumi Heene, and Child Protective Services to make sure their sons have not been harmed.
NEW PHOTOS: Balloon Boy Family Tries To Pick Up The Pieces
Posted on Oct 24, 2009 @ 04:27PM - 16 comments
If it were not for those pesky criminal charges overhanging Richard and Mayumi Heene, it would have been just another Saturday morning: a stop for gas, a trip to a convenience store, and oh yes, a visit to Mrs. Heene's lawyer.
PHOTOS: Balloon Boy Family Out & About
According to the Larimer County, Colorado Sheriff's Office, Mayumi Heene admitted the entire flying saucer incident was a "hoax."
Balloon Boy Mom Admits Hoax Was Planned For Two Weeks
Posted on Oct 24, 2009 @ 03:42PM - 21 comments
Mayumi Heene admitted to sheriff's deputies that she and her husband Richard planned the now-infamous Balloon Boy hoax for two weeks.
Balloon Boy’s Mother Mayumi Heene Finally Admits Stunt Was A Hoax
That admission is contained in an affidavit sworn by sheriff's investigator Robert Heffernan, a document used to get a search warrant for the family's home.
The couple called 911 on October 15 and claimed their six-year-old son Falcon was inside a UFO-shaped helium balloon that floated away and eventually drifted 50 miles, leading to national TV coverage. When the balloon finally landed and its compartment was empty, most people assumed the child was dead.
Balloon Boy Dad Has Diabetes, Suffers From A Violent And Unpredictable Temper
And now Mayumi has confessed it was all a stunt to make the family more marketable for the media.
But instead of appearing on TV, Mayumi and Richard may be watching one from behind bars, as they are under investigation for both felonies and misdemeanors stemming from the incident.
Richard Heene Stealing Credit For Theme Songs Says Former Partner
The couple claimed Falcon had been hiding in the house during the balloon flight and they were unaware of that fact.
But the sherrif's affidavit states that Mayumi admitted to cops on October 17 that she and her husband lied two days earlier. Mayumi admitted, "...that the release of the flying saucer was intentional as a hoax, that she and RICHARD HEENE knew all along that FALCON was hiding in the residence. The motive for the fabricated story was to make the HEENE family more marketable for future media interest. MAYUMI described that she and RICHARD HEENE devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier. The experimental flying saucer was specifically made to carry out this hoax. That she and RICHARD had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax."
The family previously appeared on the reality show Wife Swap, and as RadarOnline.com has reported, has tried out for numerous reality shows for years.
Balloon Boy’s Father Richard Heene Wears Bra & Makeup, Bashes Britney Spears
Despite the document containing Mayumi's confession, Richard Heene is not ready to give in. His lawyer, David Lane, told the Denver Post that Mayumi's confession is meaningless. "[Mayumi's] English is not that great, first of all," Lane said.
Cops obtained Mayumi's statement after questioning her separately from her husband.
Balloon Dad Was Forced To Wear Electronic Monitoring Bracelet
