Sep 7, 2006 7:48 pm US/Mountain
Boulder To Seek Restitution In Marine Search
by Terry Jessup
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) ―
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Lance Hering, a Marine who was reported missing last week, is now accused of staging his disappearance according to Boulder County Sheriff's Department investigators.
CBS
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Steve Powers, 20, was arrested Wednesday night by the Boulder County Sheriff for false reporting. Investigators believed Powers helped his friend, Lance Hering, a United States Marine disappear.
CBS
The Boulder County Sheriff's office may seek restitution for the manpower used in the search for a missing marine that turned out to be an elaborate scheme.
Lance Hering, 21, disappeared on Aug. 30 while hiking with his friend Steve Powers, 20. Powers told officials Hering fell and hit his head and when he went to get help, Hering disappeared.
The 5-day search cost thousands of dollars and the sheriff's office said they would tabulate the overall cost for the search in the rugged Eldorado Canyon.
About 30 veteran marines volunteered in the search with Rocky Mountain Rescue and some said they had sympathy for Hering.
"He's hurting, this man is hurting and he needs help," said Rick Baum, a veteran marine who volunteered on the search. "He needs really a haven to come back to. Bottom line, whatever the circumstances may be as to why he's missing, the point is he's missing and is there a way that we can help."
Rocky Mountain Rescue had about 600 volunteers who put in 7,000 hours in 12 hour shifts during the search that lasted through Labor Day weekend.
"It would've been nice to have known the truth earlier and not to have gone through that much effort, but whatever their reasons are or were will come out," said Kevin Harner from Rocky Mountain Rescue. "The law enforcement community will work through that, as I understand the sheriff's department will seek restitution."
The Boulder County Sheriff's office is concerned that Hering and Powers' costly hoax could hurt future appeals for the public's help.
"We're certainly a little embarrassed that we were duped," said Commander Phil West with the Boulder County Sheriff's office. "Angry because we rely on these volunteers and the search and rescue groups to come forward when we call out and I think it's got to be in the back of their mind 'is this another cry wolf situation.'"
Some of the searchers were relieved to find out that Hering was alive and were happy they didn't miss him in their exhaustive efforts in the canyon.
Powers was arrested for false reporting in the search for Hering.
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