Tonia Haddix is serving a 46-month federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice in the case involving Tonka, the chimpanzee featured in Chimp Crazy. She was sentenced on August 7, 2025, and received three years of supervised release. Her exact federal prison facility has not been confirmed in the authoritative public sources reviewed.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator is the appropriate place to check for a current facility listing. The Bureau cautions that location and release information can change and may not always be current.
Why is Tonia Haddix in prison?
Haddix went to prison for repeatedly lying to a federal court about Tonka’s death and obstructing court orders concerning chimpanzees in her care. The federal criminal case was not simply about owning a chimpanzee.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Haddix said Tonka died on May 30, 2021, and that his body had been cremated. She made the claim in a sworn declaration and repeated it under oath during a January 2022 hearing. Tonka was alive and was found in a basement cage at Haddix’s Missouri home on June 2, 2022.
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Haddix pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. The Justice Department said she had been jailed after violating the conditions of her pretrial release and would remain in custody until transferred to federal prison.
Where is Tonia Haddix now?
As of August 9, 2026, Haddix is serving her sentence. No authoritative public source reviewed for this article confirms her current federal facility. Prison designations can change, so check the official BOP Inmate Locator rather than relying on an unverified facility name.
| Status | Details |
|---|---|
| Sentence | 46 months in federal prison |
| Sentence date | August 7, 2025 |
| Convictions | Two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice |
| Supervised release | Three years after imprisonment |
| Federal facility | Not confirmed in the authoritative public sources reviewed |
| Appeal | Active as of the latest sources reviewed; no final appellate ruling identified through August 9, 2026 |
What happened to Tonka?
Tonka appeared in the films Buddy and George of the Jungle. A federal court ordered the transfer of Tonka and six other chimpanzees after Haddix failed to comply with court orders concerning their care and housing. Six chimpanzees were removed on July 28, 2021, but Haddix had secretly moved Tonka and told the court that he had died.
Tonka was found alive in Haddix’s basement on June 2, 2022, and transferred to Save the Chimps on June 8. The Justice Department reported that he continued to live there. A 2026 PETA appellate filing described him as living with other chimpanzees at an accredited sanctuary.
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Another chimpanzee was found in 2025
In July 2025, authorities found another chimpanzee confined in the basement of Haddix’s Missouri home during a court-ordered search. The discovery violated her pretrial release conditions and earlier court orders barring her from possessing chimpanzees. The animal was removed, and PETA reported that it was later placed in an accredited sanctuary.
What happened to Haddix’s animal-dealer license?
The USDA terminated Haddix’s Animal Welfare Act dealer license, No. 43-B-3839, in a decision dated March 13, 2025. The decision found her unfit to hold the license and disqualified her from applying for another Animal Welfare Act license for at least two years after the order took effect.
PETA reported that the termination prevented her from selling USDA-regulated animals, including primates, or operating her roadside zoo under that license. The license action was separate from the later federal criminal sentence.
How did the legal dispute begin?
PETA’s federal civil lawsuit began in 2016 over the treatment and housing of chimpanzees connected to the Missouri Primate Foundation. A 2020 consent decree required some chimpanzees to be transferred to sanctuaries and set care requirements for those remaining in Haddix’s possession. Repeated noncompliance led to contempt proceedings, animal removals, and a fee award of approximately $224,404 against her.
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The criminal case followed the concealment of Tonka and Haddix’s false statements about his death. The main events were:
- PETA filed a civil lawsuit over chimpanzee care and housing.
- A 2020 consent decree required transfers and set care requirements.
- Haddix concealed Tonka and falsely told the court he had died.
- Tonka was found alive in 2022.
- Haddix pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2025.
Is Tonia Haddix appealing her sentence?
Yes. Haddix filed an appeal seeking a reduced sentence. St. Louis Public Radio reported in January 2026 that the appeal was active. On April 21, 2026, PETA filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit urging the court to leave the sentence in place.
No final appellate ruling was identified in the sources reviewed through August 9, 2026. An appeal does not by itself erase a conviction or sentence; the appellate court must issue a ruling or other order changing the outcome.
FAQ
Where is Tonia Haddix now?
As of August 9, 2026, she is serving a 46-month federal sentence. Her exact facility was not confirmed in the authoritative public sources reviewed. Check the BOP Inmate Locator for a current listing.
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Why was Tonia Haddix sentenced to prison?
She pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice after falsely telling a federal court that Tonka had died and been cremated. Tonka was later found alive in her basement.
What happened to Tonka the chimpanzee?
Tonka was found alive on June 2, 2022, and transferred to Save the Chimps on June 8. The Justice Department reported that he continued to live there; a 2026 PETA filing said he was living with other chimpanzees at an accredited sanctuary.
Can Tonia Haddix still operate as a USDA-licensed animal dealer?
The USDA terminated her Animal Welfare Act dealer license in March 2025 and disqualified her from applying for another such license for at least two years after the order took effect.
Is Tonia Haddix’s appeal over?
No final appellate ruling was identified through August 9, 2026. The appeal was reported active in January 2026, and PETA filed an amicus brief in April 2026.
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