CNN has reported that authorities in Richard Heene’s local county are expected to press charges related to the balloon boy events.
"We anticipate criminal charges will be filed sometime in the near future," Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told CNN.
CBS Radio News tweeted earlier that "The Larimer County Sherrif says criminal misdemeanor charges are expected to be filed in the Heene-Balloon Boy case."
CNN’s Don Lemon echoed the message in his tweet that the "associated press reporting possible criminal charges against the ballon boy’s family.. stay tuned.. details at 10pm EST on CNN."
The news of possible charges followed revelations today by Robert Thomas, a former coworker of Richard Heene, that he had helped Heene plan a media stunt to publicize his UFO-shaped flying saucer invention. Gawker paid Thomas an undisclosed sum for the exclusive.
GroundReport was one of the first to question the balloon boy saga’s authenticity in the piece, Was Balloon Boy Chase a Hoax?