The father who pled guilty to a hoax by saying his 6-year-old son was drifting over Colorado in a balloon began his jail sentence on January 10, 2009.
He turned himself in Monday morning at the Larimer County Detention Center, according to Larimer County sources.
He pled guilty in November to a felony count of attempting to influence a public servant.
The County Prosecutors said he and his wife planned the hoax, specifically their son's disappearance, to get publicity for themselves. The Prosecutor's Office says there is overwhelming evidence that this was a hoax and the parents' motive was that they wanted to be selected for a reality television show.
The father reported to authorities in October that his young son was drifting over eastern Colorado in a homemade balloon that came loose from its moorings in the family's backyard. Authorities scrambled to track the balloon and rescue the apparent child inside. But, when the balloon came to rest in a field, the balloon was empty. The boy was later discovered hiding inside their family's attic.
The presiding judge sentenced The father to 90 days in custody. He will spend 30 full days in jail. He is eligible for work release for the last 60 days according to the County Prosecutor's Office.
If he has a job, he would get out of jail during the day and return to spend the night. He also has to serve 100 hours of community service.
His wife has pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of false reporting to authorities. Her sentenc is 20 days in jail. She must begin serving it after her husband's sentence ends so the children will have a parent able to care for them.
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- David Schreiber
- I have been practicing law since 1994. From 1994-1998, I was a State's Attorney with the "Governor's Law Firm", called the Office of General Counsel. I represented the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Civil Actions, including winning cases on appeal before the Commonwealth Court. In 1998, I joined a local firm. I became a shareholder. I am now a Partner at Wolpert Schreiber P.C., focusing on injury law and insurance disputes. I am one of the few lawyers handling injury cases who has worked exclusively both as a lawyer for injured people and in house for a large law group defending those claims when I was with the "Governor's Law Firm". My work also includes Insurance Disputes and Contracts. I have successfully handled hundreds and hundreds of cases, including cases to jury verdict, in State and Federal Court. I am honored to help people who come to us to solve their problems. Our goal is to seek truth and accountability, while working as hard as possible for our clients. I have obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for clients over the years. We work for your case.