Joe Exotic
Ran an Oklahoma big-cat zoo; featured in Netflix's Tiger King
- Entries
- 11
- On the record
- 10
- Stories
- 1
- Latest entry
- Nov 21, 2023
The record
Joseph Maldonado-Passage, known as Joe Exotic and listed in court papers also as Joseph Allen Maldonado and Joseph Allen Schreibvogel, owned and operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, a roadside zoo that housed dozens of big cats and other exotic animals, until his arrest. He ran an unsuccessful campaign for Oklahoma governor in 2018, the same year a federal grand jury indicted him.
The criminal docket goes further than the sentence covered on this file. The September 2018 indictment charged two murder-for-hire counts, and a 21-count superseding indictment about two months later added Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act counts. After a seven-day trial that opened on March 25, 2019, the jury convicted him on all nineteen counts that remained, two false labeling counts having been dismissed at trial.
He has maintained his innocence. His attorneys filed a pardon application in 2020, but he was left off the pardon list President Trump announced on January 20, 2021. The Tenth Circuit affirmed his 252-month resentence in December 2022, and in November 2023 the trial judge, Scott L. Palk, denied his two motions for a new trial without holding a hearing.
Roles and honours on the record
- 2018 Owner and operator of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, a roadside zoo, until his arrest source
- 2018 Candidate in an unsuccessful campaign for governor of Oklahoma source
- 2018-2023 Defendant, United States v. Maldonado, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, No. CR-18-227-SLP source
Every entry, newest first
- Ruled
Federal judge resentences him to 21 years, the Associated Press reported. Joe Exotic got 21 years for murder-for-hire; Baskin won $1M
- Ruled
Tenth Circuit affirms convictions and vacates the sentence for resentencing. Joe Exotic got 21 years for murder-for-hire; Baskin won $1M
- Ruled
Judge Scott L. Palk sentences him to 264 months in federal prison, per the Justice Department. Joe Exotic got 21 years for murder-for-hire; Baskin won $1M
- Ruled
Federal jury convicts on two murder-for-hire, eight Lacey Act and nine Endangered Species Act counts, per the Justice Department. Joe Exotic got 21 years for murder-for-hire; Baskin won $1M
Stories in this file
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The record, entry by entry
- 2018-09-05 Filed A federal grand jury indicted him on two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. About two months later a 21-count superseding indictment added Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act false labeling counts. U.S. District Court, W.D. Oklahoma, order of Nov. 21, 2023 (govinfo)
- 2019-03-25 Ruled His seven-day jury trial began. The government called nineteen witnesses and the defense four, including him; the government dismissed two false labeling counts, and the jury found him guilty on all nineteen remaining counts. U.S. District Court, W.D. Oklahoma, order of Nov. 21, 2023 (govinfo)
- 2020 Filed His attorneys filed a pardon application arguing he was "railroaded and betrayed" by others, AP reported. Associated Press report
- 2021-01-20 Reported He was not included on the list of pardons President Trump announced, AP reported. He was then serving a 22-year federal sentence in Texas and has maintained his innocence. Associated Press report
- 2021-07-14 Ruled The Tenth Circuit affirmed his convictions but held that the two murder-for-hire counts shared a common criminal objective and should have been grouped at sentencing, and remanded for resentencing. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, opinion No. 22-6025, summarizing No. 20-6010 (govinfo)
- 2022-12-23 Ruled A Tenth Circuit panel of Judges McHugh, Baldock and Murphy affirmed the 252-month sentence imposed on remand, rejecting his second appeal. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, opinion No. 22-6025 (govinfo)
- 2023-11-21 Ruled U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk denied his motion for a new trial and his second motion for a new trial, finding a hearing was not necessary. U.S. District Court, W.D. Oklahoma, order of Nov. 21, 2023 (govinfo)
Documents
Sources behind this file
- Associated Press report on the resentencing (Dallas Morning News)
- Tenth Circuit opinion, United States v. Maldonado-Passage
- Associated Press report on the appeals ruling
- New York Times report on the appeals ruling
- KOKH-TV report on the zoo ruling
- The Hollywood Reporter report on the zoo judgment
- U.S. Attorney's Office (W.D. Okla.) sentencing announcement
- Washington Post sentencing report
- U.S. Attorney's Office (W.D. Okla.) verdict announcement
- The Oklahoman verdict report