-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Colorado couple who said their 6-year-old son was aboard an escaped balloon pleaded guilty Friday to charges related to the well-publicized `` balloon boy '' case . Richard Heene pleaded guilty in Larimer County Court to a felony charge of attempting to influence a public servant . His wife , Mayumi Heene , pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of false reporting to authorities . The Heenes ' attorneys said prosecutors had agreed to a sentence of probation with the possibility of up to 90 days in jail for Richard Heene and up to 60 days in jail for his wife . The incident occurred in October , when a large silver balloon came loose from its moorings in the Heenes ' yard and drifted over eastern Colorado . Mayumi Heene called 911 and said the couple 's 6-year-old son , Falcon , was inside the craft . Millions of people across the country watched the saga on television for nearly two hours as military aircraft tracked the balloon in the air and rescuers chased it below . Mayumi Heene later admitted the whole thing was a hoax and that Falcon was safe in their home the whole time , authorities said . Watch the moment the hoax was revealed The couple 's attorneys have said that the threat of Mayumi Heene 's deportation was a factor in the plea deal negotiations . Mayumi Heene is a Japanese citizen but is in the United States legally . `` Even though Mr. Heene would have a triable case , I believe , to avoid the risk that his wife is deported ... we have decided that the best course of action is to proceed as we are proceeding , '' Richard Heene 's lawyer , David Lane , said Friday . The judge is allowing the Heenes to leave the state while they remain on bond . Lane said Richard Heene is going to seek employment in New York and also has plans to go to California . Mayumi Heene 's attorney said she may accompany him on those trips . Sentencing will be next month . Court documents released last month said the couple hatched the plan about two weeks before the incident and `` instructed their three children to lie to authorities as well as the media regarding this hoax . '' Their motive ? To `` make the Heene family more marketable for future media interests , '' the documents said .