A judge fined /*Chris Russo*/ of Morris Plains and /*Joe Rudy*/ of Chester Township $250 each and ordered them to perform 50 hours of community service for creating a disturbance.
Authorities say the pair triggered a flurry of 911 calls when they lit road flares tied to helium balloons and released them in Morris County in January and February.
The men said they did it to debunk so-called /*UFO*/ experts. They posted details of their exploits on a Web site on April Fools' Day.
The prosecutor charged them with disorderly conduct, saying the balloons could have interfered with air traffic and posed a potential fire hazard.
For more information:
UFO Evidence
MUFON
UFO Reporting Center
Project Blue Book
UFO Digest
UFO Casebook
UFOmaps.com
UFO Hunters as seen on The History Channel
Center for UFO Studies
Real-Time Sighting Map
UFO Abduction Quiz
