EXCLUSIVE: 'You'll be home soon, stay strong.' Jailed Joe Exotic's 22-year-old husband sends him a heartfelt anniversary message as the Tiger King is slapped with a 60-day phone ban and 30-day ban on visitations for breaking prison rules
Joe Exotic's husband Dillon Passage has made the Tiger King a heartfelt video message for their third wedding anniversary, saying: 'I love you very much. You'll be home soon, stay strong.'
In the video, given to DailyMailTV exclusively, Passage, 22, says he wishes they could spend 'this special time together' ahead of the anniversary Friday.
Former zoo owner Exotic is currently in prison serving a 22-year sentence after being found guilty of a murder-for-hire plot against his exotic animal rival Carole Baskin.
His legal team, dubbed Team Tiger, is working on an appeal and also pushing for a presidential pardon for Exotic.
And supportive Passage, who recently moved to Texas to be closer to his husband, made the video for the 57-year-old in the hope he will catch a glimpse of it on DailyMailTV from Federal Medical Center, Fort Worth,Texas.
Joe Exotic's husband Dillon Passage has sent the Tiger King a heartfelt video message for their third wedding anniversary
In the video, given to DailyMailTV exclusively, Passage, 22, says he wishes they could spend 'this special time together' ahead of the anniversary Friday
'I love you very much. You'll be home soon, stay strong,' he says in the video filmed on a terrace balcony
In the video, filmed on a terrace balcony with a picturesque view behind him, Passage blows his husband a kiss, saying: 'Hey Hun, I just wanna say happy anniversary, I love you very much. I hope you could be home spending this special time for us together. You'll be home soon, stay strong.'
Joe Exotic is currently in prison serving a 22-year sentence after being found guilty of a murder-for-hire plot against his exotic animal rival Carole Baskin
This comes as DailyMailTV has learned Exotic – real name Joe Maldonado-Passage – has been slapped with a 60-day phone ban and 30-day ban on visitations following a series of rule breaches.
Exotic's close friend and TV producer Theresa McKeown said Exotic was accused of discussing business in an email to his attorney and was also written up for being in the background when another inmate was on a call.
'The crazy thing is Joe's letters to his attorney are supposed to be private,' said McKeown, who was one of the executive producers of the recent Discovery ID special ‘Joe Exotic: Tigers, Lies and Cover-up'.
'They took away all his privileges other than using email so he won't be able to see or speak to anyone over Christmas and New Year.'
McKeown adds that Exotic still hasn't been given an orientation despite arriving at the facility in April.
She said the video message will lift his spirits, however.
'He will cry his eyes out when he sees it, he's very sensitive and he loves Dillon so much,' she said.
'And the only thing he ever thinks about is taking care of him and he prays he's going to get out one day soon and they're going to be together and have a new life together.
'He's got so many big plans, it's really beautiful. Dillon was in Florida and now he's in Texas, he filmed the video at his new place.'
McKeown says Team Tiger is hopeful that Exotic will be released by Christmas but the phone and visit ban is a setback.
This comes as Joe Exotic has been slapped with a 60-day phone ban and 30-day ban on visitations following a series of rule breaches. Exotic's close friend and TV producer Theresa McKeown said Exotic was accused of discussing business in an email to his attorney and was also written up for being in the background when another inmate was on a call
'Hey Hun, I just wanna say happy anniversary, I love you very much. I hope you could be home spending this special time for us together. You'll be home soon, stay strong,' Passage says in the video
Joe Exotic and Passage are pictured at their wedding with his ex Travis's mom. 'It's kind of my normal life now. It's kind of weird to say, but I've kind of gotten used to our situation,' Passage previously said
She said: 'Joe has a photographic memory and he knows everything, every date, every time, where all the evidence is, so he can be extremely helpful to the attorneys in gathering all the evidence they need for the appeal hearing next month.
'His team is confident, however, we all truly believe he is going to get the pardon from President Trump but the appeal is also very important.
'Joe wants to be home for Christmas and I don't think it's a stretch to say he will.
'It's an emotional roller-coaster for him, he keeps saying, 'Do you think this is ever going to happen?' He's very very sad that he can't get out and he's praying he doesn't get passed over.'
Earlier this year Passage told PEOPLE of how he's coping without Exotic.
'It's kind of my normal life now. It's kind of weird to say, but I've kind of gotten used to our situation,' he said.
'The only thing that's keeping us going is really just hoping for the best and these lawyers seem like they have a really good plan to kind of get things executed.'
Exotic was found guilty in 2019 for paying 'hitman' Allen Glover $3,000 to kill his rival big cat owner Carole Baskin and for killing tigers to make room for more big cats at his exotic animal park.Exotic has always maintained his innocence.