From behind bars, Tiger King Joe Exotic claims his deported husband developed a serious drug addiction inside federal prison and is now struggling in Mexico.
In a candid April 2 interview with The Dallas Express, the 63-year-old reality star blasted the prison system for fueling addiction among inmates while pushing for clemency from President Trump so he can “save” his husband, Jorge Marquez Flores, and return him to America legally.
“I’m not going to bullsh*t you. He’s struggling,” Exotic said of Jorge, whom he described as “one of the most amazing men I’ve ever been involved with.” He said Jorge developed an addiction to synthetic marijuana while incarcerated and is now attempting to seek rehabilitation in Mexico.
“He came [to prison] clean,” Exotic said. “He got addicted to synthetic marijuana… and he’s really struggling with it in Mexico.”
The remarks build on prior reporting by The Dallas Express, including an October 2024 report detailing Exotic’s relationship with Jorge, a fellow inmate he planned to marry while in federal custody, and a May 2025 interview in which Exotic said his husband was deported before receiving an asylum hearing.
Exotic blamed conditions inside the federal prison system for contributing to addiction issues, claiming that “more people become addicts in here than come here as addicts.” He added that drugs remain accessible behind bars, arguing the system “is not about fixing anything.”
Research on offenders who acquire a drug habit in jail is sparse. However, “[An estimated] 26% of Hispanic federal prisoners, met the criteria for having a substance use disorder in the 12 months prior to admission to prison,” according to a 2016 report from the Department of Justice.
The interview comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Exotic’s appeal of his conviction, a development previously reported by The Dallas Express. Exotic said he is now pursuing additional legal filings while continuing to seek executive clemency from Trump.
“I’ve got a clemency on the desk at the White House,” Exotic said in the earlier report, adding that prison officials told him an inquiry had been made about his status. However, White House officials told The Dallas Express that no clemency request had been received and directed inquiries to the Department of Justice, which did not respond before publication.
During the April 2 interview, Exotic also described daily life inside the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, including interactions with what he said was a large population of inmates he claims are illegal aliens.
“Most of them are nonviolent,” he said, adding that many are incarcerated for drug offenses or what he described as “trafficking” charges tied to immigration status. He claimed many would prefer deportation over extended prison sentences.
“This isn’t about shipping the illegals back to where they belong,” Exotic said. “Half of the illegals in here would love to get shipped back.”
Data that nails down the type of offenses for which illegal aliens are incarcerated at the Federal Medical Facility in Fort Worth in 2026 is hard to come by. However, nationally, the U.S. Sentencing Commission reported that around 22,000 illegal alien cases were reported to the commission in fiscal year 2024. Less than 5% were incarcerated for a violent crime, according to data from the same report.
Exotic further alleged that inmates spend significant amounts of money inside prison on commissary and other goods, arguing that incarceration costs taxpayers more than deportation would.
In addition to discussing prison conditions and his husband’s situation, Exotic provided an update on his health, saying recent medical tests showed concerning signs related to his cancer.
“I just saw the oncologist two weeks ago. My PSA level is rising, which means my prostate cancer is back,” he said, adding that he previously declined further treatment due to severe side effects from chemotherapy and radiation.
Exotic, 63, has repeatedly cited his health as grounds for clemency, along with his claims that the witness testimony at his trial was unreliable. Federal prosecutors have defended his conviction, and courts have upheld it on appeal.
He is currently serving a 21-year sentence for a murder-for-hire plot against animal rights activist Carole Baskin, along with wildlife-related offenses. Despite his legal setbacks, Exotic said he remains focused on securing release and reuniting with Jorge.
“Please sign my clemency and let me go save my husband and bring him back to America the proper way,” he said to Trump.
The Department of Justice did not immediately return a request for comment from The Dallas Express on why it sometimes seeks incarceration over deportation for nonviolent illegal aliens.
