Carlee Russell won’t have to come up with the nearly $18,000 a Hoover municipal judge recommended she pay in restitution for faking her abduction on one condition, according to conservative commentator Candace Owens.

Owens offered to pay Russell’s fine if the Hoover resident appears on Owens’ show and accounts for the 48 hours she went missing in mid-July. Owens made the announcement on the Oct. 13 episode of her show.

“I will pay the $18,000 fine if you sit down with me and give me a one-on-one on where you were for the 48 hours. I mean that. Take it to the bank, Carlee Russell,” Owens said, “just talk to me on this show about where the heck you were for 48 hours. America deserves to know.”

Hoover Municipal Judge Brad Bishop found Russell guilty Oct. 11 of false reporting to law enforcement authorities and falsely reporting an incident based on the recommendation of state prosecutors.

Bishop recommended one year in jail and $17,874 in restitution. He also recommended two fines of $831 each.

Russell is appealing Bishop’s recommendations to circuit court in Bessemer.

Owens, who has previously opined on the Russell saga on her show, claimed she would visit Russell if Russell has to serve prison time.

“I want to be very clear: If Carlee Russell goes to prison for one year, I will be on the visitor log. I will be seeing her, probably daily. I’ll probably see her at least see her once a week, because I feel attached to the story. I feel attached to Carlee. Carlee feels like she’s my cousin the way I’ve been covering the story,” Owens said.

“So, Carlee, I want you to know that if they put you behind bars for one year I am going to visit you and I’m going to bring you things,” Owens continued. “I will bring you candy, because I need to talk to you, I need to understand where you were for 48 hours. I will give you anything. Please, come on this show.

“We would break the internet, Carlee Russell,” Owens said. “Let’s break the internet, Carlee Russell.”

Emory Anthony, one of Russell’s attorneys, deferred comment to the Alabama attorney general’s office when asked where his client was when she went missing.

“The AG’s office I don’t think it being…compassionate,’’ he said. “They know the young lady was not off on a whim. They knew the young lady was not off with some young man. So they know that.”

Russell seemingly vanished Thursday, July 13, after calling 911, and a family member, to report seeing a child, about 3 or 4 years old only wearing a diaper, walking alone on I-459.

The family member reported hearing a scream, and then only interstate noise through the open cell phone line.

Russell’s disappearance sparked a massive search and widespread concern.

Two days later, Russell showed up alone at her parents Hoover home. She was taken to UAB Hospital for evaluation.

While at UAB Hospital, Russell told Hoover police she escaped the clutches of a man and woman who abducted her.

Authorities determined Russell left her job at Woodhouse Day Spa – from which she has since been fired – after taking a robe, toilet paper and a small amount of cash.

She ordered food from Taziki’s at The Colonnade. Carlee then traveled to Target on U.S. 280 where she bought some granola bars, Cheez-its, and a drink.

She remained in the parking lot there until 9:21 P.M., then drove to I-459.

Russell called 911 at 9:34 p.m. She then called her brother’s girlfriend, and about 9:36 p.m. went missing.

No one else ever reported seeing a toddler there.

Russell traveled approximately 600 yards while on the phone with 911.

Police found Russell’s wig, cell phone and purse near her vehicle. Her Apple Watch was in her purse.

The food from Taziki’s was in her car. Items from Target, as well as the items taken from the spa, were not at the scene.

In her interview after her return – the only interview she has given to police – Russell told officers she was abducted.

“She told detectives that while traveling down the interstate, she saw a baby walking down the side of the road and called 911. When she got out of her vehicle to check on the child, a man came out of the trees,” Derzis previously said.

“That man then picked her up and she screamed. He then made her go over a fence. He then forced her into a car and the next thing she remembers is being in the trailer of an 18-wheeler. She stated that the male was with a female, however she never saw the female, only hearing her voice. She also told detectives she could hear a baby crying,” he said.

“She told detectives the male had orange hair with a big bald spot on the back. She was able to escape the 18-wheeler and fled on foot, only to be captured again and put into a car,” Derzis said.

“She said that they took her into a house and made her get undressed. She believes they took pictures of her, but she does not remember them having any physical or sexual contact with her. She stated that the next day, she woke up and was fed cheese crackers by the female,” according to Derzis.

“She stated the woman also played with her hair, but she could not remember anything else.

“She was put back in a vehicle that she claims was able to escape from while it was west Hoover area. She told detectives that she ran through lots of woods until she came out near her residence,” the chief said.

“Detectives noted that Carlee had a small injury to her lip, and she complained of her head hurting. She also had a tear in her shirt. Detectives also noted that she had $107 in cash in her right sock.”

Police announced the charges against her two weeks after the staged disappearance, which Russell admitted was fabricated in a statement released through her lawyer.

“As we all know, actions can have consequences and that’s why we are here today,” Derzis said when announcing the charges.

“Her decisions that night created panic and alarm for the citizens of our city,,’’ he said, “and even across the nation as concern grew that a kidnapper was on the loose, using a small child as bait.”

“Numerous law enforcement agencies, both local and federal, began working tirelessly not only to bring Carlee home to her family, but locate a kidnapper that we now know never existed,’’ Derzis said. “Many private citizens volunteered their time and energy into looking for a potential kidnapping victim that we now know was never in any danger.”