It’s kinda been building up this way. Two days after a Colorado family reported to authorities that their homemade flying saucer balloon had floated out of their backyard carrying their 6-year-old boy causing a media frenzy, the sheriff of Larimer County, Colo., said Saturday evening that charges were pending in the case. The boy’s father, Richard Heene has insisted that the drama that unfolded Thursday wasn’t a publicity stunt, but met with sheriff’s officials Saturday amid lingering questions about whether he perpetrated a hoax. The boy’s mother, Mayumi Heene, was also interviewed by the sheriff department Saturday. [More...]
“We do anticipate … there will be some criminal charges filed in respect to this incident,” said Sheriff Jim Alderden, speaking to reporters in a news conference televised on CNN.
He said initial charges would likely be a misdemeanor. The department was preparing search warrants, he said, adding the possible misdemeanor charge “hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances.” He said the department was in contact with federal authorities and additional federal charges were possible.
