Recently, Richard Heene of Denver made national news when he claimed that his son, Falcon Heene, climbed into his homemade balloon before it lifted off. In the resulting rescue effort, Denver International Airport was shut down and two National Guard helicopters were sent in for the rescue attempt. When the balloon eventually landed with no trace of Falcon on board, people assumed the worst, and the hunt for his body began. However, Richard Heene eventually announced that his son was discovered hiding in the attic, and had never actually been on the balloon after all.
    During a CNN TV interview with the Heene family, when asked why he had hidden in the attic, Falcon responded, “you guys [the Heene family] said, we did it for the show.” The Heene family acted confused by this slip, but it was later confirmed when Robert Thomas, who had apparently helped Richard Heene plan the hoax, sold his proof for an unknown sum of money. In two subsequent interviews with Falcon, when asked the same question, the boy got very sick.
    Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderson says that he is seeking charges, including felonies, against Richard Heene and his wife. Their children will not be charged, despite their knowledge of the Hoax, because of their age. The felonies carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine.