NYC Radio: Sports Talker Craig Carton Released From Federal Prison

Craig Carton

Former WFAN radio host Craig Carton has been released from federal prison on Tuesday morning, The NY Post is reporting.

Carton, 51, will either enter home confinement or a halfway house to finish out his sentence, according to sources.

Carton’s release is unrelated to COVID-19. Carton went to prison on June 17, 2019, so he served a little more than a year. He was let out early from his 3½-year prison sentence for a ticket scam due to completing a number of programs offered by the federal penitentiary.

Carton may have a path back to WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM as Chris Oliviero, his former producer, now heads up Entercom’s New York stations.

According to The Posrt, when Oliviero agreed to return to the company, he asked if he would be able to re-hire Carton at FAN. He was told he would be allowed to if he saw fit, according to sources. It is not a done deal and it is not exactly clear when Carton would be able to return to FAN, but with his release, there is a belief that a return to FAN could very well happen.

On April 5, 2019, Carton was sentenced to 3½ years behind bars. He was ordered to pay nearly $5 million in restitution to his victims. He had been convicted the previous November for a nearly $7 million ticket resale scam that he said was to pay off gambling debts.

After his arrest, Carton resigned on Sept. 13, 2017. He was eventually replaced by Gregg Giannotti. Boomer & Gio have mostly been atop the morning ratings.