'Tiger King's Joe Exotic Quarantined as Precaution After Being Transferred to New Federal Prison

Joe Exotic Netflix
Netflix

The incarcerated former zookeeper is being quarantined behind bars for 14 days as a precaution amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Joe Exotic is currently in quarantine while behind bars.

ET has learned that Exotic -- whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage -- was transferred from a county jail, where he was being held since his sentencing in January, to a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

Due to concerns surrounding the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak, the Tiger King star was quarantined as a safety precaution upon his arrival at the prison, which is currently a standard procedure for all inmates currently checking into any prison due to the circumstances.

During the 14-day quarantine, ET has learned that Exotic is not able to make any telephone calls or check and send emails.

Exotic -- a former zookeeper who is one of the main subjects in the megahit true crime documentary Tiger King -- was sentenced to 22 years in prison after being convicted on an array of charges, including two counts of murder-for-hire and 17 other wildlife violations.

Many of the crimes in question were examined thoroughly in the recent Netflix documentary.

From jail, Exotic filed a $94 million lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior, as well as his one-time business partner Jeff Lowe.

For more on the ongoing legal drama surrounding Exotic -- and the documentary which has become an enormous hit while people have been staying home and socially distancing -- check out the video below.

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