UFO Hoax Leads to Arrest of New Jersey Men

Two men who released helium balloons with flares attached into the night sky above Morris County, NJ say they were "on a mission to help people think rationally and question the credibility of so-called UFO 'professionals.' " But professionals in the field of law-enforcement have some questions of their own, and local prosecutor Robert Bianchi has filed disorderly person charges against Chris Russo, 29, and Joe Rudy, 28. Speaking to reporters yesterday, Bianchi said, "If there is a single word to describe this... it is in essence stupidity."

Rudy, a science teacher, and Russo, who works in sales, revealed their identities in an article for eSkeptic magazine explaining the hoax, which took place over the course of five nights in January and early February: "Like most other people, we had always heard about the uneducated farmer spotting an alien spaceship hovering over his farm, but we wondered if that amount of gullibility could be found in our upper-middle class hometown of Hanover, NJ, and the surrounding cities." Indeed, gullibility could be found, and though local police immediately dismissed the phenomenon as road flares attached to balloons, the media ran with the story, and soon History Channel show "UFO Hunters" was on the scene.

Russo and Rudy finally ended their "social experiment" after Bianchi issued a public statement asking the unidentified light-launchers to stop because they could be interfering with planes traveling to area airports. Yesterday, Bianchi said their actions were "indictable offenses," but because they'd ended the hoax at his urging, he would take a "measured approach." And in addition to their eSkeptic article, Russo and Rudy documented every aspect of the hoax on video; it's all here for those who want to disbelieve.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on April 3, 2009 5:30 PM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

If Scully (Gillian Anderson) would agree to have regular sex with me, I will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of the truth that space aliens chose Morristown over tonier Basking Ridge for their little appearance.

Murray Hillster

The Morris County prosecutor is living up to the cliche of a small town (or county) official overreacting to the slightest provocation. And it's another instance of people not correctly evaluating the odds of X event occurring before attempting to regulate or control it.

The chances of these balloons causing a threat to aviation are infinitesimal. Far less than the likelihood a wide variety of other things could cause harm or damage.

Indeed, as the article notes, they made sure to investigate whether or not they could be causing any problems and stopped immediately when there was any issue:

They bought the balloons online and the flares at several different automotive stores to avoid suspicion. They said they checked the wind every night they launched, making sure the orbs wouldn't float toward the nearby Morristown Airport. ...

After their fifth launch on the evening of Feb. 19, Bianchi issued a statement asking the light-launchers to stop, saying the objects could interfere with aircraft traveling to airports in Morristown and Newark.

"When we saw that, we said, 'That's it. We're done,'" Rudy said.

The prosecutor has the same mindset as the one that has us taking our shoes off at the airport or keeping liquids below 3oz on planes. It gives some semblance of doing something to protect people, but it's actually an idiotic allocation of resources in an attempt to stop things that are incredibly low threats.

Of course, it's an incredibly easy way for the prosecutor to get his name in the paper.

gymnasticks

the people in this article and the people commenting on this story are complete morons.

Toby von Meistersinger

My guess is that the Morris County prosecutor is running for re-election and wants some free media coverage, as that is typical behaviour for scumbag politicians like that.

zincink

I blame SETI for not sending me a proper Twitter notice

mtauser

maps.google.com enter in Morristown, NJ, then put on Terrain mode.

mtauser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqcRpQ-WaQw&feature=related

The UFO was related to Homeland protection and was monitoring the NorthEastern United States. It was up in Morristown, NJ because of terrain conditions (please see location on Google Maps and use Terrain mode).

mtauser

April 1st, hence april fools!

Yes the UFO was REAL. 1000000000000000% POSITIVE.

No ifs ands or butts about it.

adeez

It's funny, I guarantee that many people, in their infinite wisdom, will now think something like:

"ha! see, now that we know this sighting was a hoax, it obviously follows that the thousands of other sightings that span the entire planet, through various cultures and for thousands of years, were all hoaxes too!"

Ufo's are nonsense! Know why I'm so sure? The U.S. gov't says so. That's enough for me!

jaycjay

Or people in their infinite wisdom will think,

"ha! see, once again a UFO report has turned out to be a hoax, and there's never been any solid evidence to support the idea that some of them represent extraterrestrial life, but still it is obvious that of the thousands of other sightings that span the entire planet, through various cultures and for thousands of years, some of them must be!"

Ufo's are real! Know why I'm so sure? The U.S. gov't says they're not. That's enough for me!

mtauser

This arrest REALLY bothers me because the UFO was real and I have literally and statistically confirmed it was up there and why it was there.

The story was done on April 1st and these guys are being taken out of context completely. The same day I was fully aware of this UFO and its place and the location and the like.

Don't believe the corporate media and don't believe these people who believe in disinformation campaigns. The story lies on the logic and advancement of human knowledge.

A terrain analysis map on Google images is the best way to identify and understand why it was in that location at that time.

inoyourider

Didn't know this could lead to arrest.

I was planning on letting some sky lanterns go on an upcoming trip to see what would happen.

I was more concerned about setting something on fire than about getting arrested though.

GoToHell

and it never crossed your mind that one those idiotic "sky lanterns" could get sucked into the engines of a commercial airliner and bring it down, killing hundreds of people both in the air and on the ground???

Asswipe.

jaycjay

"those idiotic "sky lanterns" could get sucked into the engines of a commercial airliner and bring it down"

Thank you. Best laugh of the day.

GoToHell

Laugh all you want, the fact is they actually could. Why do you think the asswipe idiots who set off those balloons are in trouble?

inoyourider

Never did cross my mind.

Where I was going the only planes are 30000+ feet up, well above the range of a candle on a kite.

Way to show your ignorance, asswipe.

madzack

JESUS! why do they even let airplanes fly!?

JenChungsBaby

I admire their intent to make people think about rationally UFO sitings. But to hell with their closemindedness about alleged uneducated farmers. That "uneducated" farmer knows more about the earth and growing crops and the business of farming than those guys will ever know. How obnoxious.