The world went absolutely wild for Joe Exotic back in 2020. Remember those early lockdown days? Everyone was glued to their screens watching the bleached-blonde mulleted zookeeper spiral into a murder-for-hire plot. But while the memes have mostly faded, the man himself is still very much behind bars.
If you're wondering where is Joe Exotic in prison right now, the answer isn't a simple cell block in Oklahoma. He’s been moved around quite a bit.
As of early 2026, Joseph Maldonado-Passage is currently being held at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Fort Worth in Texas. He hasn't been in the "regular" prison population for a while because his health has taken some pretty serious hits.
Life at FMC Fort Worth
You might think "medical center" sounds like a hospital, but don't get it twisted. It’s still a federal prison.
The facility is designed for male inmates who need long-term medical or mental health care. Joe ended up here primarily because of his ongoing battle with cancer. Back in 2021, he went public with a prostate cancer diagnosis that honestly sounded pretty grim. He was actually moved to FMC Butner in North Carolina for a stint to get specialized treatment before eventually landing back in Fort Worth.
Recent Health Struggles
Joe’s been vocal—well, as vocal as you can be through prison emails and legal filings—about his condition.
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- Weight Loss: He reportedly dropped from over 200 pounds down to around 170.
- Cancer Status: While he once mentioned being in remission, more recent updates from his team suggest the cancer returned and may have spread to his lungs.
- General Conditions: He’s complained about everything from the food quality to an outbreak of scabies.
It's a rough scene. He’s 62 now, and honestly, he sounds convinced he won't survive the full length of his stay.
The Marriage and the Deportation Drama
Prison hasn't stopped Joe from looking for love. Or headlines.
In late 2024, he announced he was engaged to a fellow inmate named Jorge Marquez. They actually got married inside the facility in April 2025. It was a whole thing on social media, with Joe praising Jorge for helping him through the darkest days of his treatment.
But the "wedded bliss" didn't last long. Jorge was reportedly in the system for immigration-related issues. By May 2025, Jorge was released from the medical center only to be picked up by ICE and eventually deported back to Mexico. Joe was devastated. He’s been pleading with anyone who will listen to help bring his husband back or grant them both asylum.
Why is He Still There?
You might remember he got a tiny bit of good news a few years back.
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A court ruled that his original 22-year sentence was calculated a bit wonky. They were supposed to group the two murder-for-hire counts together rather than treating them as separate things. So, in January 2022, a judge re-sentenced him.
The result? He got one year shaved off.
He is currently serving a 21-year sentence. If he serves the whole thing, he isn't scheduled for release until 2036. That feels like a lifetime away when you're already struggling with your health.
The Constant Quest for a Pardon
Joe Exotic hasn't given up on the idea of a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
His legal team, led by attorney Levi McCathern, has been aggressively pushing for a presidential pardon for years. They've held press conferences claiming they have "new evidence" that proves witnesses like Allen Glover lied on the stand. They argue the whole thing was a setup by federal agents and his former business partners.
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He’s pinned a lot of his hopes on the political landscape. He even tried to run for president from prison in 2024 to draw attention to his case. Lately, his social media accounts (run by his team) have been tagging political figures constantly, basically begging for a signature that would let him go home.
What’s Next for the Tiger King?
The legal road is mostly a dead end at this point.
His appeals for a new trial have been shot down repeatedly by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges basically said his "new evidence" wasn't actually new or wouldn't have changed the jury's mind.
So, what should you keep an eye on?
- Health Updates: His medical status is the biggest factor in whether he gets a "compassionate release."
- Pardon Moves: Keep an eye on any year-end clemency lists. That’s realistically his only way out before the 2030s.
- The Husband Situation: There’s still a lot of legal maneuvering regarding Jorge’s deportation and whether they can reunite.
If you’re looking to follow the case closely, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) website allows you to search for "Joseph Maldonado-Passage" using his register number 26154-017. It’ll show you his current facility and projected release date, which is the only way to get the 100% official word on where he's at.
For now, the man who once ruled a zoo in Oklahoma is just another number in a Texas medical facility, waiting on a miracle that might never come.
Actionable Insights:
To stay truly updated on the legal status of Joe Exotic, you can monitor the Pacer.gov database for new filings in the Western District of Oklahoma (Case No. 5:18-cr-00226). This is where the actual transcripts and motions live, providing more concrete facts than what you’ll find on social media or tabloid headlines. If you're interested in prison reform issues highlighted by his case, look into the First Step Act, which governs how medical transfers and compassionate releases are handled in the federal system.