From Mugshot to Runway: Jeremy Meeks' Rise

A single photo changed everything for Jeremy Meeks. His arrest photo spread like wildfire online, turning a once-obscure criminal into a global headline and a surprised internet crush. In a matter of weeks he went from a life tied to crime to walking runways and signing modeling deals. It’s a wild flip from his past, and his story has kept people watching.

A Troubled Childhood and Broken Home

Meeks was born in Tacoma, Washington, into a household riddled with addiction and crime. His father committed a violent murder and was jailed for life, while his mother cycled in and out of prison. Responsibility landed early on the family, and his sister Leanna even adopted him and a sibling to keep them safe. Those early years left scars and shaped many of his choices.

Gang Ties, Street Violence, and Early Arrests

Moving to California exposed Meeks to gangs and a harsher world of violence, and he struggled with a learning disability at school. He ran away at 15, spent time in juvenile hall, and survived being shot and later beaten by rivals. By 18 he was tried as an adult for robbery and assault and served prison time, followed by more stints behind bars for other offenses. The cycle kept repeating until his later arrest in 2014.

Mugshot Goes Viral, Doors Open Up

After his 2014 arrest Meeks' mugshot exploded online, bringing modeling offers while he was still behind bars. A judge reduced what could have been a long federal sentence, and Meeks used his time to prepare for a new life. Once released he signed with management, walked New York Fashion Week, and appeared on magazine covers, though past legal issues followed him, including a UK entry ban.

Family Drama, Acting, and Giving Back

Meeks married Melissa, adopted her children, and had a son, but their marriage ended amid tabloid photos showing him with Chloe Green, with whom he also had a child. He now shares custody responsibilities and focuses on fatherhood alongside his modeling and growing acting career. Meeks also visits youth facilities and supports clothing donations and prison reform causes, trying to use his platform to help others. His aim now is to be known for what he builds, not just a viral photo.

The Adoption

Meeks’ older sister, Leanna, didn’t want a crime-ridden life for her siblings. When she turned 18, she joined the military, but returned two years later and immediately adopted her two younger brothers, Jeremy and Emery, becoming their legal guardian. This gesture was more than sweet—it came out of a necessity to protect her brothers and keep them safe during the times they were left completely without parents. But it wasn’t enough to keep him completely out of trouble, especially as he got older.

School Life

School became another source of stress for Meeks—he discovered he had a learning disability and couldn’t focus in class. But when Meeks moved with his siblings to California, focusing in class became the least of his worries on school grounds. A young Meeks, who walked into school wearing a red shirt, found out quickly that specific colors meant something different in Los Angeles. "Coming from Washington state, I had no idea about gangs, really. Next thing you know, I'm fighting and fighting and fighting, and I had to learn really fast about colors, and gangs, and neighborhoods and sets." Before long, Meeks wasn't only fighting at school.

On the Streets

At the age of 15, Meeks found himself being drawn to the streets, and he officially ran away from home. Within months, he had been caught up in violent events and eventually found himself serving time in a juvenile hall. With fights within the juvenile hall and riots among young people, violence became expected in Meeks’ life. But little did Meeks know that when he got released from the juvenile detention center, there were people waiting for him on the other side, hoping to get revenge.

Gang Involvement

Though he’s never confirmed it, Meeks’ tattoos spelling out “Crip” and “NC” indicates possible involvement with the North Side Gangster Crips, a prominent gang in Los Angeles. Now back on the streets, Meeks was vulnerable to the activity that occurred in the neighborhoods he lived in. Within just six days of his release, Jeremy was shot five times, with the bullets hitting him in his foot, his leg, and his hip. But the pain and violence didn’t end there.

Rival Gang

Six days after getting shot at, a rival gang jumped Meeks, beating him up using baseball bats. They destroyed his kidneys and left him worse for the wear. As he struggled to get back to a healthy state, Meeks knew that this had become a constant in his life. The violence, the rivalries, the pain he himself would suffer—all of it became commonplace in his daily activities. Though many of his actions over the next few years went unknown to the authorities after his juvie days, everything would come to a head when Jeremy was 18 years old.

Finding Trouble

In 2002, Meeks was arrested for robbery and for assaulting a 16-year-old kid. However, he was now 18, which of course meant that he would be tried as an adult and would have to serve time in an actual prison. Meeks ended up making a plea deal and was sentenced to two years in a California prison. Just as juvie hadn’t made him stray away from a crime-ridden life, this stint in prison would not be the last time he saw the inside of a prison cell. Soon after he was released, he found himself right back in the system.

Another Arrest

In 2005, Meeks was caught stealing goods from a sporting store. When they tried to arrest him, he resisted, yelling obscenities at the officers, and threatening them. In addition, he had tried to convince them that he was actually his older brother, Emery Meeks. When he was taken to the county jail, his real identity became known, which, of course, didn’t help his case. In the end, he was sentenced to 71 days in prison for identity theft and forgery, and had to pay a decent amount in fines, according to the *Daily Mail*. Nevertheless, these consequences never seemed to stick with Meeks.

Revolving Door

In total, Jeremy Meeks served about nine years in the prison system, constantly finding himself in and out of jail. The mentality he had in prison followed him outside, and he found that without family in California to see him while on parole, getting out of jail seemed pointless. Naturally, he found himself back in the system for years. “I turned short sentences into long sentences…I didn’t really mind not being on the streets…I would end up right back in prison and it was just a revolving door,” he revealed on *What's Your Water*. But Meeks was about to meet someone that would change his life forever.

Wedding Bells

In 2008 Meeks married Melissa Meeks, a nurse in a juvenile detention center in Oakland, California. Melissa had two children from a previous relationship, which Jeremy adopted as his own children. The couple then had their own child together, a boy named Jeremy Jr., and their family lived well together. “He was an amazing, amazing husband honestly…We had a really good life together,” Melissa Meeks said in an interview with *This Morning*. It seemed life was turning around for Jeremy Meeks.

First Job

With things looking up for Meeks, at 30 years old, Meeks finally got his first job—one that allowed him to earn check stubs and put money away. Now that he was a husband and a father, Meeks wanted to take things a bit more seriously, and he went to get a special license so that he could drive forklifts. Meeks was prepared to work as a driver for as long as he needed. Unfortunately, after about a year, his time as a forklift driver came to an end, as his life was yet again affected by his aversion to the law.

The Last Case

In 2014, Meeks and a friend of his were pulled over by the police, who were ready to charge him with weapon possession. Before they took Meeks to the station, they allowed him to drop off his friend at home. But when the two men pulled up to the house, they realized this arrest was a lot more serious than they had thought. One hundred agents from the FBI, the DEA, and other government agencies had beat them there. They had created a task force they called "Operation Ceasefire", to catch gang-related activity, and over two years, they had found more than enough evidence to put Meeks, and a few other men, away. Everything was about to change for Meeks.

The Moment That Changed It All

By now, Meeks was used to the proceedings of getting arrested. Going to the station and getting his mugshot taken wasn’t anything new to him, but this time, everything would be different. The Stockton police department posted Jeremy Meek’s mugshot on Facebook, listing him as a “convicted felon, arrested for felony weapon charges." Within 24 hours, the post went viral, taking over the internet and receiving thousands of likes and comments from people completely enamored by Jeremy Meeks' looks. He even became known as “hot felon.” But his popularity wouldn’t stop there.

The Mugshot

Meeks' chiseled cheekbones and striking blue eyes caught the attention of people all over the world. Though Meeks was obliviously sitting behind bars, waiting for his court date, the internet was obsessing over him. Before Meeks even went to court, his friend came to him with the news of his viral photo. Suddenly, it made sense when a few hours later, the press showed up to do an interview. Soon, If people hadn’t yet seen Jeremy’s face, they were seeing it now—and they were more than happy to write to the beautiful criminal to tell him what they thought about him.

Fan Mail

Meeks had about two months to wait before a judge was able to see him, which meant he had the same amount of time to receive over 200 letters every single night. People sent him fan letters and money, but perhaps the most exciting—and confusing—part was that companies were sending contracts. People wanted to sign Meeks to their modeling agencies before he had even gone to jail, but Jeremy had trouble understanding what was happening. “Honestly, I had never seen a contract in my life, so it was like French to me,” he said on *What's Your Water*. But with some help from his wife, Melissa, Meeks began to understand that he had a slew of opportunities waiting for him on the other side.

Nice Judge

Despite the attention he was getting, Meeks had still been found with a weapon in his possession. Not to mention, his PSI—the sheet detailing his history in juvie, his previous crimes, and his history of coming in and out of prison—was setting him up for a long 63 months in jail. But his saving grace ended up being the judge on the case, Troy Nunley. This judge had heard that Meeks had gone viral and felt that this man had an opportunity in front of him. Judge Nunley got Meeks’ sentence down to 27 months. With a shorter sentence and a whole new life on the other side, this time serving time didn't seem so bad.

Serving Time

For 27 months, Jeremy Meeks sat in his cell, reading and mentally preparing himself to take on this new job—one that he was excited for. While he had his mugshot to thank for a brighter future, he couldn’t help but think about the reality of the situation he was in. “The ‘Hot Felon’ label is a blessing and a curse because it was the thing that gave me the opportunity to change my life for the better. But the look on my face in that picture is me in my mind thinking: ‘I won’t be able to put my son to bed tonight or take him to school tomorrow morning.’ It was sadness and regret,” Meeks told the *Daily Mail*. However, 27 months flew by, and soon, he was one step closer to that future.

Few More Weeks

After getting out of federal prison, Meeks still had a few more months to finish in a transitional housing facility or a halfway house. His wife and kids had met him outside of jail and driven him to the facility, which just so happened to be called Hotel California. During his stay, a man named Jim Jordan and his crew at White Cross Management, a talent agency, met with Meeks. Something big was waiting for Meeks when he was officially released.

Modeling Career

As soon as Meeks got home, he hit the ground running. Jim Jordan had become his manager while he was still in prison and released a statement on Meeks’ behalf. “We have a lot in store regarding Jeremy’s new career. There are a multitude of offers on the table. Jeremy is humbled and grateful and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, support, and prayers for him and his family,” Jordan told the *Los Angeles Times*. Soon, Jordan’s efforts were paying off for Meeks. In 2017, he walked in New York Fashion Week and he even made the cover of *Man About Town*. Though things were happening quickly for him, Meeks’ past was still following him around.

Banned From the UK

After Jeremy Meeks made the cover of *Man About Town*, there was a launch party in London. But instead of attending the party, Meeks was stopped as soon as he got off the plane at Heathrow Airport. At the airport, he was interrogated for over seven hours. Even though he had the correct documentation, the officers fingerprinted, interrogated, and even strip-searched him, according to *The Independent*. After hours of questions, Jeremy had had enough and stopped answering. The officers then banned him from entering the UK for 10 years, turned him around, and sent him back to the United States. Although this was upsetting for him, his international travels elsewhere didn’t stop.

Trip to Turkey

Soon, he was traveling all over, shooting campaigns for different companies and attending festivals. He traveled solo a lot of the time since his family was at home going about their daily regularly programmed schedules of work and school. On one supposed trip to Germany for a job, he happened to make a stop in Turkey. But when pictures began to surface in tabloids and across news sources, it was clear that Meeks had found himself engaging in an activity that had nothing to do with modeling at all.

The Other Woman

Suddenly, magazines everywhere were publishing and republishing pictures of Jeremy Meeks embracing and kissing a woman on a yacht in Turkey—a woman who was very much not his wife, but instead was 26-year-old Chloe Green. Green was the daughter of Sir Philip Green, the billionaire who created the brand TopShop. Apparently, the two first met at the Cannes Film Festival and then again at a gala dinner. They became cozy and there was photographic evidence everywhere showing the details of their relationship. Unfortunately, this exposure hurt one person the most.

Filing for Divorce

While Jeremy Meeks and Chloe Green were getting close on a yacht, his wife, Melissa Meeks was back in California with their kids. But she wouldn’t be oblivious for long. “The first I learned of it was when I woke up and checked my phone. Some random person I don’t know sent a direct message with the photograph of my husband kissing that woman…I felt nauseated,” Melissa told *Daily Mail*. Melissa felt furious and betrayed by her husband’s actions and by Chloe’s behavior with a married man. Soon enough, divorce proceedings were underway. However, Meeks had some claims of his own.

The Marriage Was Over

Though Melissa Meeks was devastated to see the photos of her husband in the arms of another woman, according to Jeremy, their marriage was over long before he even met Chloe Green. “With my ex-wife, I love her to death, still love her, always will. We were married for nine years…And just, grew apart. It was more me. She did not want to divorce, but I didn’t want it to get to the point where we hate each other and can’t co-parent,” he said years later on *What's Your Water*. The papers tried to announce it as a scandal, and they succeeded for the most part, but Jeremy had already checked out of his marriage with Melissa. As such, their divorce was expected, at least in his eyes.

Officially Over

To Melissa, though, while their marriage was experiencing problems, she thought there was a possibility of saving it. “What they did destroyed my entire world…Did either of them think about the children and how this will affect them? They’re the innocent victims in this. And so am I,” Melissa shared with the *Daily Mail*. In June of 2018, the divorce was finalized. While the marriage was officially over, nothing could have prepared her for what came next.

New Baby

The day after their divorce was finalized, Meeks took to Instagram to share another announcement. He and Chloe had just become new parents to a baby boy. “We are pleased to announce the birth of our beautiful baby boy, Jayden Meeks-Green. Born May 29th, 2018. Mommy and baby are both doing well. We kindly ask you to respect our privacy, please. Much love Chloe & Jeremy,” Meeks wrote on his Instagram. Now Meeks had two children of his own, and he couldn’t be happier to be sharing this one with his girlfriend, whom he couldn’t help but fawn over all over social media.

Public Displays of Affection

As anyone in the spotlight knows, any kind of press is sure to bring a whole slew of new fans—and haters to a celeb’s life. Since Green and Meeks’ had originally been portrayed as part of a scandal, people didn’t bother holding back their comments—but the couple was ready for them. They proudly posted photos and went to events together. Green captioned an Instagram photo that has since been taken down, “Just the Beginning. We appreciate all the love and the hate." Meeks was right behind her, posting a photo that said, “When you find the one.... You know...... #blessed #love #sohappy.” Still, people weren’t convinced that their relationship was happening for the right reasons.

Rumor Mill

Instead of trusting that this new couple had simply fallen in love with each other’s personalities, the public, with the help of news sources, was convinced that Chloe Green’s inheritance was a lot more attractive to Meeks than she was. But Meeks was quick to dispel those rumors. “When I met Chloe I had no clue who she was, she was just Chloe to me and she still is. I love her for her... if she didn’t have a dollar I wouldn’t give a s--- because we’re so happy,” Meeks said in an interview, according to the *Daily Mirror*. However, even this relationship would soon find its end.

Another Ended Relationship

Though the two shared a child together and hinted at an engagement in 2018, the pair officially split in 2019. They had continued to speak on and off, but their relationship was over, and they sold their joint house. Still, Meeks has the utmost respect and love for his ex-girlfriend. “I have an incredible relationship with Chloe, the mother of my 2-year-old, [Jayden]”, Jeremy shared with *Extra TV*. He went on to say that they co-parent their son. After all, it’s fatherhood that’s given him a purpose in his life.

Loves Fatherhood

When the divorce was finalized between Melissa and Jeremy, he was granted full custody of their son, Jeremy Jr. However, he’d been able to arrange it so that Jeremy Jr. still had the opportunity to live with his mom and stepbrother at times. In fact, Meeks himself spent time with his stepsons, whom he helped to raise for nine years during his marriage to Melissa. With another little boy in the family, Meeks doesn’t hold back from posting and sharing his love for his sons, and it’s a sight to behold. He’s got sons to provide and set an example for now, and it’s something he takes seriously.

Booming Career

Meeks’ modeling career started off on the runway, but soon he moved on to more and more campaigns. In 2017, he did a campaign for Israeli sunglasses fashion house Carolina Lemke, alongside Bar Rafaeli. He would go on to appear on the cover of major magazines such as *26Magazine* and *Bleu Magazine* He even created his own fashion line with Fashion Concept GmbH. It seems like his modeling career hasn’t slowed down since the moment Meeks got home back in 2016. But these days, he’s adding another career to his repertoire.

Acting Bug

Meeks has found another interest of his—this time, in acting—and he sees it as more of a long-term career. “It feels incredible to finally have a passion. I knew that modeling was a stepping stone to some extent. I’m forever going to do that. But how do I have longevity in the industry? And I found it,” he said in an interview with *HipHollywood.* As soon as Meeks got his first role in the BET+ movie *Trigger*, his acting career took off, and he’s already found himself with over 10 movies to his name. *Dutch* was one of his favorites to film, alongside co-star Erica Pinkett, since he had read the book while he was in state prison. His newfound fame continues to surprise him every day—and he’s inspiring others with his success.

Inspiring Others

Jeremy Meeks started off his life in a dark and violent place. It took finding an incredible and unexpected opportunity for him to realize just how much his life could be changed for the better, and he’s learned a lot. Now, he’s sharing his story with others. He posted on his Instagram that he regularly attends the “California Youth Authority” juvenile prison, where he talks to a group of young people who have found themselves in dangerous situations. With his own story to share and some inspiration for others, Meeks is hoping he’ll inspire some kids to change their own lives too.

Helping Inmates

He’s even taken inspiration a step further—he’s putting his actions where his mouth is. He told *HipHollywood* that he’s been trying to help release inmates who have been wrongly convicted, especially when it comes to cases involving possession and changing laws. In addition, Meeks created a partnership with the owner of Fashion Nova to donate a bunch of clothes to hundreds of kids living in group homes in the Los Angeles area. The combination of his prison history and the amazing opportunity to use his platform have made Jeremy Meeks a force to be reckoned with.

New Life

Jeremy Meek’s life is a far cry from where he was 10 years ago. In 2014, he was going back to jail. Now, he’s living in huge houses, driving luxury sports cars, providing for his family without having to drive forklifts for $13 an hour. He’s taking the time to live his life in the moment and appreciate everything that’s come his way. “I’m focused on my family and my career. I don't want to be pulled in any direction that I don't want to be pulled in…Life is crazy…you gotta take it all in and appreciate the now,” he told *HipHollywood*.

Looking to the Future

From the moment he was born, Jeremy Meeks wasn’t set up for success. He experienced incredible lows from a young age, and he didn’t have high hopes for his life. Although he thought he was at one of the lowest points of his life, his mugshot turned everything around for him and his family. Now that he’s been given a chance to show his worth, Meeks hopes that one day, he’ll be known for his achievements, not his failures. “I just can’t wait for a day when I am seen as Jeremy Meeks and not just a “Hot Felon”. Am I a felon? Yes. Do I have brighter things in my future? A thousand percent,” he told *Daily Mail*,

Runways and Big Brands Keep Coming

Jeremy didn’t fade after his first shows. He’s been booked by major fashion houses and has shot campaigns for established labels, bringing his mugshot-born fame into steady commercial work. The shift from viral curiosity to a repeat booking on international runways shows how the industry kept calling. He’s now a familiar face in fashion circles, not just an internet moment.

Acting Roles Start To Stack Up

Modeling opened a door into film, and Jeremy walked through it. He has taken on parts in multiple feature films and music videos, treating acting as a long-term move rather than a distraction. That work has given him another outlet to reshape his public image and to build a second career away from the headlines.

A Clothing Line and Business Deals

Beyond walks and camera time, Jeremy has leaned into fashion as a business. He partnered with established fashion firms to launch his own label and later released additional collections, moving from model to brand partner. That step turns fleeting attention into something he can control and grow over time.

He Wrote His Story and Speaks Out

Jeremy recently published an autobiography called Model Citizen and has been more public about what he lived through. He also spends time visiting juvenile facilities and working on projects aimed at helping young people avoid the same mistakes. Using his own route out of prison as a talking point, he now tries to turn attention into outreach.

Where He Stands Today

Financially and professionally, Jeremy has moved into more stable ground, with estimates placing his net worth in the millions. He’s focused on modeling, acting, fashion projects and, importantly, his children and co-parenting arrangements. Public life still follows him, but he appears to be steering his future toward work and family, not headlines.