Joe Exotic Faces New Charges, Including Shooting And Killing Animals

Animal park operator and former gubernatorial candidate Joseph “Joe Exotic” Maldonado-Passage is now facing 21 charges, including shooting and killing animals at his exotic animal park. 

Maldonado-Passage, 55, was indicted in early September for allegedly hiring an unnamed person to murder a Florida woman.

Read Related Story: The Alleged Target Of ‘Joe Exotic’s’ Murder-For-Hire Plot Speaks Out

Now, according to court documents, Maldonado- Passage is being indicted on several violations of the Endangered Species Act and the Lacey Act related to working at the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park.

Court documents state, in order to make room for new "big cats", Maldonado- Passage emptied cages by shooting and killing endangered tigers and lions. He's also accused of unlawfully importing and exporting endangered species. 

Read the full indictment here: 

Maldonado-Passage is currently in custody at the Grady County Jail. His trail date has been set for December 4, 2018.