Richard and Mayumi Heene, the parents who allegedly staged the Balloon Boy hoax last month, plan to plead guilty to making a false report to authorities, according to a statement from their lawyer.

The charge, a misdemeanor, will result in probation and comes as part of a deal to avoid the deportation of Mayumi Heene to Japan.

The Coloradoan reports:

The parents of Balloon Boy Falcon Heene will enter guilty pleas in court Friday as part of a deal to avoid deportation to Japan for Mayumi Heene.

In a statement released early this morning, Heene attorney David Lane said Mayumi will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities, a misdemeanor, with a stipulated sentence to probation.

Father Richard Heene will plead guilty to attempting to influence a public servant, a felony, with a stipulated sentence to probation, according to the statement.

In the statement, Lane said authorities insisted that Richard Heene “fall on his sword” and take a felony plea.

The Heene family drew international attention Oct. 15 when Richard and Mayumi called 911 to report Falcon had floated away from their home in a UFO-shaped helium balloon.

Millions watched as the balloon’s flight was televised live, but Falcon wasn’t aboard when it landed near Denver International Airport.

A few hours later, the boy emerged at the family home, besieged by reporters. Falcon said he had been hiding in the garage all along.

Sheriff’s investigators said the family staged a hoax to boost their prospects in reality television.

In the statement, Lane said Mayumi Heene is a citizen of Japan, so a felony conviction would result in her deportation. Mayumi Heene confessed, according to sheriff’s investigators.

However, under the law, her statements could not be used against Richard Heene, Lane said, setting up the possibility she would have been convicted and deported, while Richard Heene may have been acquitted.

“It is supremely ironic that law enforcement has expressed such grave concern ot 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,” the statement said.

The statement, which was released at 12:49 am this morning, does not indicate whether the Heenes will face paying restitution for the search.

The couple is due in court at 8:30 a.m. on Friday to enter guilty pleas, according to the statement.

Lane noted in the statement that Richard Heene could be sentenced to 90 days in jail, and Mayumi, 60 days. He said once the pleas are entered, court workers will conduct a “pre-sentence” evaluation, and the sentences will be formally handed down in about a month.

(Source: The Coloradoan / BBuser / YWN BBRY GROUP 2)