GREEN LAKE, Wis. -- Adrian Karsten, a former college football sideline reporter for ESPN, was found dead at his home just before he was scheduled to report to federal prison for tax evasion. He was 45.
Karsten was expected to report to a facility in Rochester, Minn., this week to serve an 11-month prison sentence followed by probation after pleading guilty to failing to file federal income tax returns.
Green Lake County sheriff's deputies found Karsten dead in his home Friday in the town of Brooklyn.
The coroner's office was still investigating the death yesterday and declined comment, saying the sheriff's department would release more information today.
Investigators said there was no indication of foul play and "the death does not appear to be suspicious," according to a statement.
Karsten pleaded guilty in March to two counts of failing to file federal income tax returns totaling about $363,000 in income from 2000-02.
Karsten began his career at ESPN as a production assistant in 1983 and was a reporter from 1991-03, ESPN spokesman Michael Humes said. Humes declined to comment on whether Karsten left voluntarily.
First Published: September 7, 2005, 4:00 a.m.