Dude Claims He Helped Plan Balloon Boy Stunt; Cops to Press Charges Against Richard Heene
Robert Thomas, who used to work for Richard Heene (Balloon Boy's dad), said he was obsessed with becoming famous, wanted his own reality show, and had this wild idea for a media stunt that involved a weather balloon that resembles a UFO.
As with Heene's press conference, we wish we were kidding.
Thomas tells Gawker that Heene said this would "be the most significant UFO-related news event to take place since the Roswell Crash of 1947."
He says Heene was "driven by ego and fame" after being on Wife Swap. He says Heene's idea for a show was something like "MythBusters-meets-mad scientist."
Yeah. Richard's gonna be out a lot of money pretty soon.
Thomas says he worked for Heene from March-May of this year, and said he was looking to sell his side of the story for money. Gawker admits paying him for it.
Nevertheless, the Larimer County Sheriff's Department is preparing to file charges against the Heene family over the heavily-publicized incident late last week.
Hopefully Richard Heene and family have a lot of money saved up.
Six-year-old Falcon Heene (middle) was reported missing and thought to be carried off in Richard's balloon, causing mass hysteria. But he was just in the attic.
Sheriff Jim Alderden indicated criminal charges may be filed against one or both parents for the Balloon Boy hoax. He said the charges now would likely be misdemeanors, but that "hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances."
He said he will speak with the FAA about pursuing more "appropriate charges."
In other words, payback for the millions Heene caused emergency responders to waste planning to rescue his son, who wasn't even on the freaking balloon.
Deputies are already working on a search warrant of Richard Heene's home. Officers showed up at the Heene home with a search warrant late Saturday night.
At least three officers showed up at the home to execute the warrant, and while they wouldn't reveal what they were looking for, they're not taking it lightly.
No word on whether Falcon Heene is feeling better.
Related Posts
- Richard Heene Jailed; World Celebrates
- Richard Heene: Balloon Boy Hoax Not a Hoax!
- Richard Heene Gets 90 Days in the Slammer
- Balloon Boy Hoax Fines at $42K and Climbing
October 20th, 2009 1:58 PM
this guy is nothing but a controlling low life women hater he couldn't find a woman in America who he can control so he found one born in Japan where they are taught and raised to be sub servant
I feel very sorry for the wife and the kids
real-wishes dot com where wishes become reality
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October 19th, 2009 1:43 AM
Esther Ahonen - thats excatly what im saying! i would have searched the whole house before calling the police
October 19th, 2009 12:42 AM
You people are all as nuts as the Heene's; there has been absolutely nothing to incriminate the Heene's as having faked the alarm that their son was in that balloon - sure maybe the father was planning some wacky stunt with it, and maybe the child knew that, but that doesn't mean the stunt was that the child was supposedly in the balloon and unless officials have something more to go on than the confused and scared comment of a six year old with tv lights in his eyes and a statement from a man who admits to being paid for it, which again only talks about a planned balloon UFO type hoax, to accuse these parents of knowingly lying, and compelling their children to lie about Falcoln being in the balloon is collective CHILD ABUSE by all you self-righteous idiots
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October 18th, 2009 9:27 PM
i think they are shooting their reality program pitch in this picture, look at the video camera the mother is holding!
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October 18th, 2009 7:42 PM
the smiles in the pic look so forced
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October 18th, 2009 7:41 PM
sorry i meant too* not two
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October 18th, 2009 7:40 PM
i hope the parents have to give up every cent they made on interviews and then some extra two
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October 18th, 2009 7:35 PM
i heard that they are already being charged
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October 18th, 2009 7:02 PM
now i hope this family has had their 15 mintues and will shut up - buy a tv and cable and be able to view all the reality shows they want to..without appearing on one!
Rank: D-Lister
October 18th, 2009 7:00 PM
why does he think his family is good enough for a reality show? they all suck anyway!