Clyde "Peter" Hall, who played for the New York Giants in the early 1960s, was sentenced recently to five years in prison.
Federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil sentenced Hall after he accepted a plea deal and admitted to an attempted sale of fentanyl-laced drugs in New York City. Prosecutors said Hall tried to sell the drugs to an informant working with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Hall, 85, also apologized for disappointing his family.
"I am incredibly sorry to all my loved ones for letting them down with my actions," Hall said in court. "I am sorry to the court for my actions, and I am remorseful for my conduct."
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Hall had been serving a prison sentence for financial fraud crimes but was granted a "compassionate release" at the time of the attempted drug sale, the New York Post reported.
Prosecutors cited Hall's criminal record when they pushed for a sentence of at least 10 years. In a sentencing submission letter, Manhattan Assistant Attorney Ni Quia wrote that Hall decided to "reengage in crime" shortly after he left prison.
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Authorities said evidence showed Hall planned to sell six kilograms of fentanyl and could have sold up to 11 kilograms based on what was found in his apartment.
Hall cited his age when he asked the judge for leniency in the sentencing.
"I have had a lot of time to think about how my life is in its final chapters and really give thought to what matters most," Hall said.
"For me, that is family and my relationships. For me, it’s about time spent with those people and, unfortunately, I have regrets about the fact that I have not been able to be with them for nearly enough time, especially recently."
Hall faced the possibility of life in prison prior to agreeing to the plea deal. He admitted to the lesser charge of intent to distribute 40 grams of a controlled substance containing fentanyl.
Hall’s attorney, Jason Goldman, expressed gratitude for the minimum sentence.
"The court today saw Mr. Hall for who he truly is, an 85-year-old man who deserves to spend his final years surrounded by family, not prison walls," Goldman said in a statement. "We are grateful that the absolute minimum sentence was handed down."
Hall finished his lone NFL season with the Giants with two receptions for 22 yards.
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