DENVER -- Richard and Mayumi Heene, the couple accused of perpetrating the balloon boy hoax to promote a reality TV show, are expected to enter guilty pleas Friday morning in Larimer County Court.

"Richard Heene will plead guilty to attempting to influence a public servant, a class-four felony," said Richard Heene's lawyer, David Lane, in an emailed statement Thursday.

Mayumi Heene will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities, a class-three misdemeanor.

"The stipulations carry the possibility of up to 90 days in jail for Richard and 60 days for Mayumi along with the probation," said Lane.

Two days after the Oct. 15 flying saucer-shaped balloon chase riveted TV audiences worldwide, Mayumi Heene allegedly admitted "that she and Richard Heene had lied to authorities," Larimer County sheriff's investigator Robert Heffernan wrote in a sworn statement supporting a warrant to a recent search of the family's home.

Mayumi Heene is a citizen of Japan. Any felony conviction or certain misdemeanors would result in her deportation.

She is avoiding that possibility with this plea, according to Lane.

"It is supremely ironic that law enforcement has expressed such grave concern over the welfare of the children, but it was ultimately the threat of taking the children's mother from the family and deporting her to Japan which fueled this deal," said Lane.

After pleas are entered 8:30 a.m. Friday, the sentencing will be continued for approximately one month for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.