Balloon Boy Family To Pay $36K Restitution

http://www.theindychannel.com/family/23213576/detail.html

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The parents who pleaded guilty in the balloon boy hoax have agreed to pay about $36,000 in restitution to authorities who responded to the incident.

Larimer County Chief Judge Stephen Schapanski accepted the agreement that prosecutors reached with Richard and Mayumi Heene, who weren't at Tuesday's hearing.

The Larimer County sheriff's office and other agencies had sought $48,000 for responding to the Oct. 15 incident. The Heenes reported their 6-year-old son had floated away in a homemade UFO-shaped helium balloon, touching off a scramble of dozens of emergency responders and two

Colorado National Guard helicopters.

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Prosecutors reduced the amount sought, agreeing to drop the sheriff's request for investigative costs. Damage to a farmer's wheat crop where the balloon landed hasn't been calculated.

Richard Heene was sentenced to 90 days in jail for falsely influencing authorities. Mayumi Heene was sentenced to 20 days for filing a false report.

I'm happy to see that they didn't get their hearts' desires.

Neither were the 90 / 20 day sentences. But that's justice for you.

nt