Earlier today we learned that Richard Heene was due to surrender himself to begin serving his 30 day jail sentence for orchestrating the infamous Balloon Boy Hoax last October. Since that earlier post, Heene has indeed turned himself in and went and got himself a new mugshot:

So now this idiotic father of 3 young and very impressionable sons has 2 mugshots to add to the family album. His first mugshot was taken last November after he was arrested and charged for the Balloon Boy Hoax and this second, jailhouse, mugshot is his latest. Call me crazy but methinks these mugshots are just the first of possibly many to be attributed to the Heene family.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Last month we learned that Richard Heene, the moronic “mastermind” of the infamous Balloon Boy Hoax that gripped the nation last October, was sentenced to spend 90 days in jail for his conviction of that crime. It turns out that he will only have to serve 1/3 of that sentence (and I wouldn’t be surprised if he will be released even sooner) but he will have to spend some time in jail … because today is the day he surrenders himself for incarceration:

Richard Heene won’t have to worry about the “shower situation” in lockdown — TMZ has learned dude will get to shower alone. Heene has roughly an hour to check himself into Larimer County Detention Center — where he will begin his 30-day sentence for being a hoax-running, resource-abusing d-bag. We’re told Balloon Dad has quite a schedule when he arrives at the jail — starting with a 72 hour evaluation where authorities will decide where to put the guy. Heene will also be issued his orange uniform. As for the food — Heene will eat breakfast at 6:15 AM every morning. Lights out is at 10:30 PM. At least he’ll be eating like true royalty — his first meal is turkey a la king with rice. Bon appetit.

Blah. Heene made an appearance on Larry King Live last night (a show that has really sunk to new lows these days, Tila Tequila is scheduled to appear on the show this Tuesday) to declare to the world that the Balloon Boy incident was not a hoax after all. Whatever his lame-ass story is, he has been convicted of his crimes and now will be begin to repay society for what he took from it. Good riddance, I saw. I’m guessing he will be released before his measly 30 days are up but one hopes he will learn the err of his ways while he cools his heels in jail for whatever stretch of time he ends up serving.

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Yesterday we learned that the Heene family, the idiots who orchestrated the Balloon Boy Hoax back in October, got slapped with a bill for $42,000 to repay the costs incurred by their stunt and today we learn that Richard Heene, the “mastermind” of the hoax, got sentenced to 90 days in jail for his crimes. Before sentencing, Richard had to “choke back tears” as he apologized in open court for his actions … but the judge saw fit to throw his dumb ass in jail anyways. At last, justice is served! Here are some photos of Richard and wife Mayumi Heene as they made their way into and out of the courthouse earlier today:

The parents of “Balloon Boy” Falcon Heene were sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges that they carried out the stunt in October to promote a reality TV show. Richard Heene received four years probation and was prohibited from receiving any kind of financial benefit from the case. during the period of his probation He was also ordered to serve 90 days in jail, which includes 60 days work release that will let him pursue work as a construction contractor while doing his time. Heene choked back tears as he stood before a judge and apologized: “I do want to reiterate that I’m very, very sorry.” Earlier, a prosecutor urged a judge to give Heene the maximum punishment of 90 days behind bars. His lawyer asked for probation. District Judge Stephen Schapanski said, “Mr. Heene, I believe, is contrite. I do believe he regrets this incident.” Heene’s wife, Mayumi, received a lesser sentence due to her limited involvement in the hoax. Mrs. Heene was given 20 days in jail. Judge Schapanski noted that Mrs. Heene’s offense is less serious that her husband’s. “It’s clear that she accepts responsibility for what occurred, and it’s also clear that although she participated in the planning of this scheme, her role was less involved than Mr. Heene.” Prosecutors say a message needs to be sent to other self-promoters that they will be punished for orchestrating hoaxes. The Heenes made frantic calls to 911, the news media and the Federal Aviation Administration to report that their 6-year-old son may have been aboard a runaway balloon. That triggered a desperate 50-mile chase as the craft drifted across northern Colorado’s plains – and then another desperate search once the balloon landed and the boy was nowhere to be found. In his letter to the judge, Heffernan described his pain at having to tell the Heenes that their boy was not inside the balloon when it landed in a field. “I wish I could make you realize the anguish I had when I went into that room,” Heffernan said. “To have the Heenes start the grieving process with me trying to comfort them and give them some hope. Then to find out later they were just acting.” He added, “Yeah, it’s personal, but I ask you to seek some justice for me and others by ensuring the Heenes’ sentence … reflects this personal anguish the Heenes caused to so many people worldwide.” The Larimer County District Attorney’s Office estimates total search and rescue costs at $46,000, according to Lane.

Thank ye gods! These idiots really do deserve to be punished in this way, how else would they learn the err of their ways? Neither Heene will serve the full length of their sentences since work release probation is built into their sentences … which seems totally fair to me. I contend that at least some jailtime should be served but it’s more important that the family pay restitution back to the public. If any one out there thinks they got a great idea for a similar hoax in the future, I want you to think about this picture first:

You don’t really want to look this stupid, do you?

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The long arm of the law may have reached out and touched the Heene family (the morons responsible for the Balloon Boy Hoax) last month but they still have MUCH they need to repay for their irresponsible actions. The Larimer County District Attorney has reportedly sent a bill of $42,000 to Richard and Mayumi Heene so that they can pay the cost for the emergency personnel who responded to their hoax last October:

The parents in the “Balloon Boy” ruse have been hit with a tab of $42,000 from local, state and federal agencies for their October stunt that briefly left many fearing for the fate of their 6-year-old, their lawyer said Monday. The Heenes’ attorney, David Lane, said the Fort Collins couple isn’t ready to pay up, at least not yet. “Let’s see the bills,” he said. “They’re not paying anything until they see some receipts.” Lane said he was e-mailed the amounts by the Larimer County district attorney’s office. The Heenes reached a plea deal on charges stemming from the October hoax, in which they led the world to believe their 6-year-old son was aboard the homemade craft on its 50-mile flight from their Fort Collins home. They are to be sentenced Wednesday in Larimer County. A judge could determine then what they owe in restitution to the agencies that responded, from police to the National Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration. “If they’ve got records to show these are legitimate costs, then we can discuss it,” Lane said. “But, first off, these people don’t have that kind of money.”

What? No money? Well, isn’t that a shame. For these people to get all high and mighty and demand to see “receipts” for the costs generated by their idiotic sham is laughable. I sincerely hope they are punished with a sentence that fits their crimes. Hopefully a judge will throw the book at them in order to drive home the point that this type of behavior cannot be tolerated. Whether there is jail time served or the family is forced to pay out of pocket for the rest of their lives, they need to pay for what they did. It’s horribly unfortunate that the Heene children have to suffer because of their parents’ irresponsible behavior but the time as come, payment is due — and they have to pay for their idiocy.

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Earlier today we learned that Richard and Mayumi Heene, the parents who perpetuated the Balloon Boy hoax in Colorado last month, would be pleading guilty to charges that they illegally orchestrated the hoax. This afternoon, Richard Heene turned himself into police to officially be placed under arrest. Here is the loser’s mug shot:

The parents of a 6-year-old Colorado boy once feared missing inside a runaway helium balloon have accepted a plea deal to avoid a trial, according to the father’s attorney. Richard Heene turned himself in Thursday afternoon and was released on his own recognizance, authorities said. The Heenes will appear Friday in Larimer County Court, where they are expected to plead guilty, their attorneys said. The penalty range for the felony is two to six years in prison with a fine of $2,000 to $500,000. The range for the misdemeanor would be six months in jail with a fine of $50 to $750, the district attorney’s office statement said. The prosecutor has recommended probation, Richard Heene’s attorney said. Under the deal, Richard Heene, 49, will plead guilty to a felony charge of attempting to influence a public servant. Mayumi Heene, 48 and a Japanese citizen, will plead guilty to false reporting, a misdemeanor, lawyer David Lane said in a statement. Lane said the Heenes accepted the plea deal rather than risk a trial in which Mayumi, if found guilty, would face deportation to Japan. Mayumi Heene admitted to deputies last month that she and her husband Richard “knew all along that Falcon was hiding in the residence” in Fort Collins, according to an affidavit used to get a search warrant for the home. She allegedly told investigators the incident was a hoax meant to make them more marketable to the media. “Mayumi described that she and Richard Heene devised this hoax approximately two weeks earlier…. She and Richard had instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax,” the affidavit said. Richard Heene had denied a hoax. The most serious charges recommended by Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden would have carried a maximum sentence of six years in prison.

To be honest, I’m thoroughly done with this whole sad ordeal … but I couldn’t resist sharing the moron’s mug shot with the entire World Wide Web. Let this be a lesson to any potential fame-hungry losers out there who are thinking about using their children to get famous … you’re an idiot, don’t do it. The world already has enough Heenes, Gosselins, Federlines, Lohans … we don’t need any others.

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Just when you thought you’d heard the last of the Balloon Boy incident comes new word that Richard and Mayumi Heene, the parents of the so-called Balloon Boy Falcon Heene, will plead guilty to charges that they orchestrated the hoax that cost local government tens of thousands of dollars and very valuable man-hours. As you may recall, the Heenes called 911 to report that their son Falcon flew away in a balloon only to have it turn out that no such thing happened and that the whole incident was a hoax to try and generate media attention for the fame-hungry family. After Mayumi Heene admitted that the incident was a hoax, mastermind Richard Heene had no recourse but to plead guilty to charges as well:

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. The threat of deportation for Mayumi Heene was a factor in the plea deal negotiation, the attorney’s statement said. “Mayumi Heene is a citizen of Japan. As such, any felony conviction or certain misdemeanors would result in her deportation, even though her husband and children are Americans,” the statement said. “It is supremely ironic that law enforcement has expressed such grave concern over the welfare of the children, but it was ultimately the threat of taking the children’s mother from the family and deporting her to Japan which fueled this deal.” Prosecutors in the case could not be immediately reached for comment.

Thank goodness … even if these idiots aren’t thrown in the slammer (where they belong) I’m very glad to know that they will have their sorry asses hauled into open court and that convictions will be added to their records. While I personally do not believe they are fit parents to care for their 3 children, I suppose it would be too cruel for the children to suffer in foster homes for their parents crimes. This story has been insane from the get-go … I’m glad it’s finally about to be over, once and for all.

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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 …

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