CARTON OUT OF JAIL

COULD WFAN RETURN BE IN HIS FUTURE?

Former WFAN radio host Craig Carton was released from federal prison on Tuesday morning, The Post has learned.

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 3 ½-year 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 as Chris Oliviero, his former producer, now heads up Entercom’s New York stations.

It is believed that when Oliviero agreed to return to the company, he asked if he would be able to rehire Carton at the 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 WFAN, but with his release, there is a belief that a return to the FAN could very well happen.

On April 5, 2019, Carton was sentenced to 3 ½ years behind bars and 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.

Carton joined WFAN in 2007 in the wake of Don Imus’ firing over racist remarks. Teamed with Boomer Esiason, Carton performed on the edge, as he helped produce what was consistently the No. 1-rated morning program in the New York.

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.

In the afternoon, Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts have struggled since replacing Mike Francesa. The duo has been hurt by the lack of sports during the pandemic. Benigno, 66, has consistently spoken about his desire to retire.

In middays, Maggie Gray’s contract is up at the end of this year. She is teamed with Marc Malusis.

Carton was imprisoned in the United States Penitentiary’s Lewisburg (Pa.) minimum-security satellite camp until Tuesday morning.

He is now released — and a return to WFAN has a real chance of happening down the road.

Erik Thomas A FREE MAN: Former WFAN host Craig Carton, exiting federal court in Manhattan on Nov. 7, 2018, after being found guilty on three fraud charges, received an early release Tuesday from his three-plusyear prison sentence.