Comedian Artie Lange of 'Crashing' arrested for violating drug court program

Stand-up comedian and former radio co-host Artie Lange was arrested in a halfway house for violating his drug court program, authorities said.

Lange, who rose to prominence as a cast member on "MadTV" and as co-host of "The Howard Stern Show" for almost 10 years, was arrested early Tuesday morning at Freedom House, a halfway house and addiction treatment center, said Kevin Lynch, spokesman for the Essex County New Jersey Sheriff's Office.

"He was taken into custody for failing to comply with the terms of his participation in the drug program," said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the county prosecutor's office.

Lange's time in the drug court system dates back to a May 2017 traffic stop on the Garden State Parkway. Lange was originally charged and placed on probation, but violated probation by using drugs, Carter said. A judge ordered Lange to jail, but he applied and was accepted into drug court, which landed him in a residential treatment program.

Lange was processed Tuesday morning and will be held in the Essex County Correctional Facility until a judge can re-evaluate him.

Part of the reason a judge allowed the residential treatment program was that Lange said he needed to work. Most recently he's been a cast member on the HBO series "Crashing."

Lange has struggled with substance abuse through his life. He's been vocal about his addiction. In December, he tweeted about using cocaine shortly after leaving rehab.

"I’m a bad addict," Lange tweeted. "I had to see if I could get high. It was awful."

Email: torrejon@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: Comedian Artie Lange of 'Crashing' arrested for violating drug court program