Joe Giudice Officially Checks Into Prison

Joe Giudice officially began his 41-month prison sentence on Wednesday, March 23, The Daily Dish has confirmed. The Real Housewives of New Jersey husband will spend his sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, the same facility where Phaedra Parks' estranged husband, Apollo Nida, is currently serving time. Joe's term begins just three months after his wife, Teresa Giudice, was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Conn on December 23. 

"Joe Giudice surrendered himself to the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix today at 12 PM to begin serving his sentence. His brother, his sister and several other members of the Giudice family, as well as myself, were present when he turned himself in to the prison, including Teresa. It was obviously a very emotional day, but this is a very strong family with a tremendous support system and they will get through this, just as they did when Teresa was away," Giudice family attorney James J. Leonard Jr. said  in a statement to The Daily Dish. 

In 2014, Joe pled guilty to conspiracy and bankruptcy fraud charges. In addition to the 41 months in prison, he could face a possible deportation back to Italy in connection with those charges following his jail sentence. However, that aspect of his conviction has not been one he's been readily open to discussing. He and Teresa, on the other hand, have opened up about having to separate again after her release in late 2015. "I'm going to miss sleeping with him at night and cuddling with him," Teresa told Entertainment Tonight earlier this month. "I'm going to miss the passion, and I can't say any more than that."

However, Joe is hopeful something good can come out of his time away. "I haven't stopped drinking in I don't know how long, so I could definitely use it just for that, you know?" Joe told ET. "[It's] probably going to be a good thing for me, health-wise anyway."

He has also been candid about having to leave his daughters, Gia, 15, Gabriella, 12, Milania, 10, and Audriana, 6, and how they've been coping with the news. "My kids are very smart, and they know what he deal is," Joe told People earlier this week. "The younger ones don't understand why you have to go, what you did — I don't think either one of them know exactly why you are going in, but you we just told them that we did some things wrong and we gotta go in."

Teresa will return to RHONJ for Season 7 later this year. Check out a preview below.

See Teresa Giudice's Emotional Homecoming