In 2014, Facebook users couldn’t escape one face— a mugshot so viral it turned a convicted felon into an internet celebrity.
The man in the photo was dubbed “Prison Bae,” “Hot Mugshot Guy,” and “The world’s hottest felon” on social media, as users were seemingly far too distracted by his good looks to care about his crimes.
Now, those who remember Jeremy's mugshot are quite pleased to see what he looks like as a 41-year-old man. One user summarized the general sentiment, saying, "He still looks as good…maybe even better."
Highlights
- Jeremy Meeks' 2014 mugshot went viral, earning him nicknames like 'world’s hottest felon' due to his striking good looks.
- Despite a troubled past and criminal record, Jeremy turned his internet stardom into a modeling and acting career.
- Jeremy began preparing for a modeling career while in prison, staying active and talking to a talent agent.
In 2014, Jeremy Meeks’ mugshot went viral on Facebook, earning him the nickname “Prison Bae”
Image credits: Stockton Police Department
Jeremy Meeks became the talk of the web soon after his mugshot was posted on the Stockton Police Department Facebook page.
While many ex-felons struggle to find work after serving their sentences, Jeremy capitalized on his internet fame, walking the runway for top designer brands, signing million-dollar fashion deals, and even landing movie roles.
Following his sentence for weapons charges, Jeremy gave several interviews in which he discussed his troubled childhood.
Image credits: Getty/Elijah Nouvelage
“It didn’t fix it then. I still had a father in prison doing life. I still had a h*roin-addict mother and me and my brother and sisters struggling through life’s tribulations."
Jeremy became an internet sensation after the Stockton Police Department posted his photo online
Image credits: Getty/Prince Williams
Two years later, he revealed that both of his parents had struggled with substance dependency issues and described himself as a “h*roin baby.”
Jeremy said his father committed a crime when he was just nine months old, murdering his mother’s best friend.
The father of two, who has 1.4 million followers on Instagram, released a memoir last year titled Model Citizen, which reveals details about his childhood and time in prison.
Image credits: Instagram/jmeeksofficial
“Jeremy Meeks first catapulted to fame when his mugshot went viral, earning him the nickname ‘Prison Bae,’” the official synopsis reads.
“But beyond the headlines and the high fashion, Model Citizen reveals a complex journey from hardship to reinvention.”
His story is described as a “modern take on the American dream,” tracing Jeremy’s transformation from a troubled adolescence marked by crime to a life of modeling and Hollywood glamour.
The internet star began preparing for his modeling career while still in prison
Image credits: Getty/George Pimentel
The blue-eyed felon, who was a member of the Crips criminal group, was sentenced to 27 months in prison on weapon charges in 2014. Before his arrest, he had spent over a decade in and out of prison for crimes including grand theft and forgery, as per Unilad.
Jeremy gave an interview to ABC News from prison, saying he was working on his physique and preparing for a future in modeling and acting.
“I eat healthy. I do a lot of push-ups, pull-ups, dips, burpees, and I stay very active,” he explained, adding that he had already been contacted by a talent agent.
“I’m in a place where I will be able to provide for my family and really change my life. I never thought that everyone in the world would recognize me for my looks, so I feel extremely blessed and very thankful.”
As for the viral mugshot, Jeremy said he wasn't intentionally giving his best pose for the picture. “I was just thinking about missing my family,” he said. “I was really thinking about my son a lot at that moment, that was the only thing that was on my mind.”
Since his release from prison in 2016, he has landed a modeling contract with White Cross Management and walked the runway for designers such as Philipp Plein and Tommy Hilfiger.
He has also appeared in several films, including Trigger, Secret Society, and True to the Game 2 and 3, and even signed a $15 million deal with Fashion Concept GmbH to launch his own clothing line.
Following his prison release, he modeled for brands like Philipp Plein and Tommy Hilfiger
Image credits: Instagram/jmeeksofficial
The convicted felon, who grew up in Stockton, California, now uses his life experiences to advocate for change in other people’s lives, according to his memoir.
Apart from his modeling and acting work, the 41-year-old is a father to Jeremy Jr., whom he welcomed with his ex-wife Melissa, and Jayden, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Topshop heiress Chloe Green.
Image credits: Instagram/jmeeksofficial
“I just believe in myself. And once I started acting, I finally found a passion and it feels good,” he told Extra in 2020.
According to TMZ, Jeremy was previously charged in 2002 with robbery and corporal injury to a child. He allegedly “jumped a 16-year-old and beat him to a pulp.” After making a plea deal, he was sentenced to two years in a California prison.
During this time, he reportedly admitted to being affiliated with the Crips, one of the largest g*ngs in the United States.
Image credits: Instagram/jmeeksofficial
After he served his sentence, the report states, the viral felon moved to the Spokane area of Washington. In 2007, he was charged with identity theft and resisting arrest. According to legal documents, Jeremy was caught in a sporting goods store attempting to steal a package of pellets.
"Glad life is working out for him," one netizen expressed
