Despite his hope to be pardoned by outgoing President Donald Trump, former private Oklahoma zoo owner Joseph Maldonado-Passage, commonly known as “Joe Exotic,” will remain in prison.
On Tuesday night, somewhere near the federal prison medical center at Fort Worth, Texas, a stretch truck limo was ready and waiting for Joe Exotic to be released following a pardon by Trump. But when the pardons came, the Tiger King’s name was not on the list.
Joe Exotic's legal team tell me they are "100% confident" Trump will pardon the 'Tiger King' from his 22-year criminal sentence. Here's the 38ft "Monster Ram Truck Limo" they've reserved to pick him up. They plan to grab some McRibs immediately after. pic.twitter.com/mK69eGLiBV
— Greg Walters (@thegregwalters) January 19, 2021
President Joe Biden’s inauguration marks the end of a saga that began in April, when then-President Trump said he’d “take a look at” a pardon for Joe Exotic.
A 257-page request followed in September, and in November, news broke that his representatives had run up a $10,000 tab at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. in a bid for Trump’s attention.
With Trump out of office, Joe Exotic will continue to serve a 22-year sentence for animal trafficking, murder-for-hire, and violations of the Endangered Species Act.
