A sheriff said he was pursuing criminal charges in Colorado’s “balloon boy” saga, which he described Sunday as a hoax to generate publicity for a reality TV show.

Deputies searched the home of the boy’s parents Saturday night, carrying away several boxes and a computer.

“Needless to say they put on a very good show for us,” said Sheriff Jim Alderden in a news conference Sunday. He said the first clues of the hoax came during the family’s interview by Wolf Blitzer on CNN Thursday night. The young boy said “you said we did this for a show” when asked why he didn’t come out of his hiding place.