So … remember a couple of days ago when the world was riveted to their TV screens watching what was believed to be a 6 year old little boy, Falcon Heene, floating away (possibly to his death) inside a big, shiny helium balloon? Remember the relief that was felt when it was determined that the boy was NOT in the balloon and was found home safe and sound? Remember when the family did everything they could to appear on every national news program to tell their story … and remember when the little boy at the heart of this story puked on his father on live TV presumably because even he was getting sick of hearing his father spew their story? Yeah, well it turns out that investigators in the case now believe the whole incident was an orchestrated hoax intended to drum up media attention so that the family could enjoy some sort of financial gain (ie. get their own TV series). Even yesterday, Richard Heene (the father of “balloon boy” Falcon) called a press conference asking that interested news outlets provide them with written questions that the family would respond to in due time. It is now being reported that criminal charges may be filed against the family on the grounds that they orchestrated the whole thing:

Deputies searched the home of a couple caught up in Colorado’s “balloon boy” saga after the sheriff said he was pursuing criminal charges in a case that at first sparked fear for the child, then relief he was okay, to suspicions of a hoax. Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden spoke to reporters Saturday to announce “significant progress” in the investigation after a second round of interviews with the family that afternoon. The sheriff indicated the likely charges are misdemeanors and no one in the family will be arrested. Alderden said, given the seriousness of the incident, he would consult with the Federal Aviation Administration and other federal agencies on potential federal charges. Alderden previously said that if the balloon ordeal was a hoax, the parents could be charged with making a false report to authorities, a low-level misdemeanor. “We were looking at Class 3 misdemeanor, which hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances,” Alderden said Saturday. “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.” He said deputies wanted a search warrant for the family’s home, and there would be more information at a news conference Sunday. It wasn’t clear where the family was late Saturday night. By 9 p.m., an Associated Press reporter at the family home said the couple hadn’t returned after leaving the sheriff’s office. Their three sons were believed to have been at home being watched by sheriff’s officials earlier in the day, but their whereabouts also weren’t known to reporters in the evening. The Heenes were expected to speak to reporters outside their home later Saturday, after a strange day that began with Richard Heene knocking on the windows of journalists camped outside his home and promising a “big announcement.” Richard Heene later asked reporters to give him their questions in a cardboard box. Heene did field one question from a reporter who asked him to clarify — once and for all — whether the balloon incident was a hoax. “Absolutely no hoax, I want your questions in the box,” Heene replied, and returned to his home, placing the box on his front porch. The “announcement” drew boos and jeers from the reporters. Prior to the news conference, two apparent protesters were seen on the street in front of the house. One had a sign that read: “Put Balloon Boy on TV: America’s Most Wanted.” The other had a sign that said: “10/15/09 We will never forget.”

Misdemeanor nor not, I hope these people are held accountable financially if they are guilty of these charges. They should have to pay for the cost of setting into motion the rescue attempts to “save” their little boy who they reported was flying away in a balloon. Additionally, Gawker PAID for a story by a man, Robert Thomas, who claims that he helped Richard Heene plan the whole hoax many months ago … you can read that story HERE but because it is a paid story, take what you read with a grain of salt. I find the entire matter really shady and do not trust a word that comes out of Heene‘s mouth. If guilty, I hope the Heene‘s are punished to the full extent of the law allowed and are forced to pay back the cost to the public that their alleged actions stole.

UPDATE: Larimer County, CO Sheriff Jim Alderden called a press conference just a few moments ago to announce that the “balloon boy” incident had been ruled a hoax/publicity stunt and reconfirmed that criminal charges are expected to filed against the Heene family:

The case of a giant Mylar balloon, which ascended into the sky late last week amid fears a 6-year-old boy was aboard, has been determined to be a “hoax” and a “publicity stunt,” Larimer County, Colorado, Sheriff Jim Alderden said Sunday. The family of the Fort Collins boy, Falcon Heene, engineered the incident in order to better market themselves for a reality television show, Alderden told reporters at a news conference. The incident Thursday prompted a widespread search, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the Colorado National Guard. It ended when Falcon climbed down from the attic above the garage at the family’s home. Earlier Sunday, sheriff’s deputies were seen entering and leaving the Heene home. A dispatcher with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department declined to release any information about the search. “We anticipate criminal charges will be filed sometime in the near future,” Alderden told CNN late Saturday. Speculation over whether Thursday’s incident, which prompted a widespread search, was a hoax has mounted against Heene, father of three young boys.

THROW THE BOOK AT THEM!! I’m so glad these idiots are being prosecuted. After the jump, watch video of the sheriff’s press conference announcement …