Richard Heene is photographed by a television crew as he leaves his house with his family in Fort Collins, Colo., on Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. AP Photo.

The parents who carried out the balloon boy hoax were sentenced to jail Wednesday and given strict probation conditions that forbid them from earning any money from the spectacle for four years.

Richard Heene was sentenced to 90 days in jail, including 60 days of work release that will let him pursue his job as a construction contractor while serving his time. His wife, Mayumi, was sentenced to 20 days in jail. More.

Does the punishment fit the crime?

In this image rendered from video and released by KMGH-TV in Denver, a hot-air balloon is seen over Colorado, near Fort Collins. A 6-year-old boy climbed into a hot-air balloon aircraft and floated away Thursday, forcing officials to scramble to figure out how to rescue the boy. Larimer County sheriff’s spokeswoman Eloise Campanella says the device, which is shaped like a flying saucer, has the potential to rise to 10,000 feet. (AP Photo/KMGH-TV )

“The Colorado parents who reported their 6-year-old son floated away aboard a helium balloon will plead guilty to some charges in an attempt to keep the family together, the attorney for the boy’s father said Thursday. Richard Heene will plead guilty to attempting to influence a public servant, a felony, his attorney David Lane said.” http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/12/lawyer-colo-balloon-boy-parents-plead-guilty/

What do you think would be the appropriate punishment in this case?