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Highlands Today

Breaking down a hoax

Highlands Today file photo

Members of the City of Sebring Fire Rescue Special Operations Office, wearing level A hazmat suits, get ready to go into the Highlands County Sheriff's Office after receiving two suspicious-looking envelopes in July.

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: October 23, 2009

SEBRING - Americans were glued to their televisions last week as live footage of a runaway balloon crossing the Colorado skies was broadcast on most major news networks.

The drama was all the more compelling because it was believed that 6-year-old Falcon Heene was trapped inside.

Once the balloon touched down, emergency responders discovered that no one was inside after all. The grim realization set in that young Falcon may have fallen out.

Of course, as most everyone by now knows, the boy was later found safe and sound hiding in his home attic.

Six months earlier, on April 2 in Sebring, a different kind of drama was unfolding. The community was kept on its toes after a nurse at Florida Hospital Heartland Division found an envelope under the windshield wiper of her vehicle at 2 a.m. Inside was a white substance and a note indicating it was anthrax.

The hospital was put on lockdown and remained that way for more than 12 hours. As the day progressed, more envelopes were found in the mailboxes of Sun 'n Lake residents and in the neighborhood east of U.S. 27 across from Sun 'n Lake.

Local, state and federal agencies ended up recovering around 80 envelopes, with 48 of them on windshields at the hospital. The substance tested negative for anthrax.

These two stories had different aspects and players, not to mention taking place in separate states, but there was one thing that binds them together - both were hoaxes.

The suspects

Jerron Mario Moffitt, 20, was charged with 76 counts of possession of a hoax weapon of mass destruction in connection with the Highlands County hoax. He remains in jail under a $760,000 bond.

Moffitt briefly appeared in court Thursday for a pretrial conference. Attorney Robert Gray requested a continuance so a mental health evaluation could be completed and other matters taken care of.

"Obviously, there's a great deal of discovery that needs to be done," Gray said.

The attorney said he did not expect to be ready in November, but asked Judge Peter Estrada to schedule another pretrial conference next month to keep the case moving along.

Moffitt's next court appearance is Nov. 19. A co-defendant, Cele Pete Carmona, 20, pleaded no contest last week to one count of possession of a hoax weapon of mass destruction. Per the agreement, he was placed on five years probation and must complete 100 hours of community service.

Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin said last week that Carmona's involvement was "very minimal" compared to Moffitt's.

In Colorado, charges are being considered for young Falcon's parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, which could include misdemeanor and felony counts.

The family has previously appeared on the reality program "Wife Swap."

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said Sunday the parents had been planning last Thursday's hoax for at least two weeks to help them land a deal for a TV show, according to a story in USA Today.

"They put on a very good show ... and we bought it," Alderden said.

Alderden said he would recommend the district attorney file charges of conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, attempting to influence a public servant and making a false report to authorities.

Issue of restitution

Houchin said Thursday the cost incurred from the different agencies who worked April's hoax was "substantial."

The Highlands County Sheriff's Office alone spent approximately $24,996.53 in labor costs for 44 deputies and investigators, according to Lisa Burley, chief of staff.

The Highlands County Emergency Operations Center spent exactly $12,650, another $650 was spent by the Sebring Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Sebring field office incurred more than $3,600 worth of man hours.

Depending on how Moffitt's case proceeds, some of that money could wind up being paid back.

"The law enforcement agencies involved send us paperwork regarding the amount of time they have put in and what that time for the particular officers are worth," Houchin said. "We do try to recover that."

Highlands County Sheriff's Maj. Mark Schrader said their office has had a policy in place for years saying they will seek restitution in cases like this.

"At this point, I don't know if our detectives have sent (the paperwork) over to the state attorney's office," he said.

He added that a future policy is coming that says the sheriff's office will seek restitution in all criminal cases, including misdemeanors.

Out in Colorado, Alderden said deputies will seek restitution as well to cover their costs of the search for Falcon after the balloon was found empty. How much they would be seeking was not immediately available, the USA Today report stated.

Houchin said when it comes to restitution, the exact amount is determined by the court and not by a jury of 12.

"A jury would simply decide guilt or innocence," he said.

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at 863-386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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