Tuesday, April 07, 2009

MORRIS PLAINS: Two tricksters who created a UFO hoax in the skies over the Morristown area were sentenced this afternoon by a municipal judge to pay $250 in fines each and work off 50 hours of community service for their antics.
Municipal Court Judge Michael Carlucci told Chris Russo, 29, of Morris Plains, and Joe Rudy, 28, of Chester Township the hoax could have had tragic consequences. The pair's "UFOs" were made with road flares tied to helium balloons.
Their antics on four foggy nights in January and February triggered 911 calls to police. So proud of their work, the two men had a log of their activities on April Fool's Day posted on a Web site called eSkeptic.com.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi said, "Throughout we were concerned that what was now a joke could turn into a tragic situation. It was a tremendous waste of police resources and posed a serious fire threat to homes, wooded areas, and posed a significant danger to air traffic, and tied up valuable 911 resources.

"In mitigation, however, since these defendants stopped their actions once authorities asked them to, have led otherwise law abiding lives, did not contemplate that their actions would cause harm, and since they were cooperative with investigators, I believe that the plea to a municipal ordinance violation with a fine and community service and no criminal record, serves the deterrent effect in this matter to punish this conduct in a measured way. I also take into consideration that these young men should not have to suffer a criminal conviction in their young lives for what can otherwise be deemed a youthful indiscretion.

Bianchi added, "A municipal ordinance is not a criminal conviction, and does not appear on their record."