Jeremy Meeks Explained

Jeremy Meeks
Birth Date:7 February 1984[1]
Birth Place:Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Occupation:Model
Years Active:2016–present
Partner:Chloe Green (2017–2019)
Children:2
Height:183cm
Hair Color:Black
Eye Color:Gray
Agency:White Cross Management (Los Angeles)

Jeremy Ray Meeks (born February 7, 1984)[1] is an American fashion model, actor and convicted felon. A former member of the Crips street gang, Meeks was arrested in 2014 during a gang sweep called Operation Ceasefire in Stockton, California.[2] Afterward, police posted his mugshot on Facebook, which went viral due to his attractive appearance. He was convicted on federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and grand theft.[3] Meeks' mugshot was noticed by modeling agencies and, upon his release from Mendota Federal Correctional Institution in March 2016,[4] he began a modeling career.[5] [6]

Early life

Meeks was born in Tacoma, Washington, on February 7, 1984,[1] and is the son of Katherine Angier and Raymond Meeks.[7]

In 2002, Meeks was charged with robbery and corporal injury to a child, assaulting a 16-year-old boy. He was sentenced to serve two years in a California prison, during which he admitted to claiming to be a member of the North Side Gangster Crips.[8]

2014 arrest and viral popularity

On June 18, 2014, Stockton Police Department arrested Meeks and three other men in a multi-agency law enforcement mission dubbed Operation Ceasefire. Meeks was listed as a "convicted felon, arrested for felony weapon charges".[9] He denied the charges.[10] The same day, Meeks' and the other men's mugshots were posted on the Stockton Police Department's Facebook page.

Within 24 hours from when the photos were posted to the department's page, Meeks' photo had acquired more than 15,000 "likes" and 3,700 comments,[11] mostly from women enamored of his looks.[12] His multiracial mix of black and white features was widely considered attractive.[13] The next day, on June 19, news and entertainment site BuzzFeed recognized Meeks' mugshot as a "meme".[14]

On Friday, June 20, Twitter fans created the hashtag "#feloncrushfriday" in honor of Meeks' mugshot.[15] Stockton Police Department spokesman Joe Silva acknowledged that the mugshot had received more attention than any other mugshot since they launched the Facebook page in 2012.[16] As of April 2021, the post has received 95,000 "likes", 24,000 comments, and 11,000 shares.

A July 2014 court hearing was set, while Meeks awaited his trial at the San Joaquin County Jail, with his bail set at $1,050,000.[17] Meeks' mother, Katherine Angier, set up a GoFundMe page in an attempt to raise money for his bail. His sister, Leanna Rominger, used the proceeds from the campaign to hire a defense lawyer for him.[18]

On July 3, 2014, a Northern California Grand Jury indicted Meeks on a charge of possession of a semiautomatic .45 caliber pistol that was transported across state borders in the commission of Grand Theft.[19] The state dropped its charges against Meeks and his case was handed over to federal prosecutors.[20]

On February 5, 2015, Meeks was convicted by a federal judge[21] of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. The judge further ordered Meeks to participate in the 500-Hour Bureau of Prisons Substance Abuse Treatment Program.[22] He was incarcerated at Mendota Federal Correctional Institution. Meeks served 13 months of the sentence, and was released from prison March 8, 2016, after which he was ordered to reside in a transitional housing facility for a few weeks.[23]

Modeling career

On March 4, 2015, photographer and talent agent Jim Jordan's company White Cross Management confirmed having signed a management contract with Meeks.[24] Jordan began working with Meeks upon the latter's release from the transitional housing facility which he was ordered to stay in after his March 2016 release from prison.[25] Meeks' first modeling headshot was published in June 2016.[26] White Cross Management continues to manage Meeks,[27] and featured Meeks on the cover of their online magazines James Magazine USA Vol. VII[28] and White Cross Magazine Vol. 01.[29]

On February 13, 2017, Meeks made his runway debut for the Philipp Plein Fall/Winter 2017/2018 Women's And Men's Fashion Show collection at the New York Public Library during New York Fashion Week.[30] In April, Meeks was scheduled for an appearance and series of photo shoots in the United Kingdom, but was barred from entering the country upon landing in Heathrow Airport. Meeks was interrogated by officials and then sent back to the United States.[31] Meeks made his European runway debut in May 2017 at Philipp Plein’s resort 2018 presentation at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.[32] He then walked for Plein’s spring/summer 2018 sport collection on June 18 during Milan Fashion Week.[33]

In August 2017, Meeks appeared in a campaign for Israeli sunglasses fashion house Carolina Lemke, partially owned by Israeli model Bar Refaeli.[34] The campaign tagged Meeks' background as different from Refaeli's, who appeared in the campaign alongside Meeks, stating, "There has never been a mix like this".[35] In December, Meeks appeared on the cover of the men's fashion magazine MMScene.[36]

Meeks appeared in Tommy Hilfiger's Spring 2018 fashion show in Milan on February 25 of the same year. The show was a collaboration with model Gigi Hadid and ran during Milan Fashion Week.[37] He appeared on the cover of the Summer 2018 issues of the fashion and lifestyle magazines FV[38] and L' Officiel Hommes.[39]

In September 2019, Frankfurt-based fashion company Fashion Concept GmbH announced a $15 million partnership with Meeks to build a fashion line in his name.[40] The fashion line launched in July 2020.[41] In 2022, Fashion Concept GmbH filed for bankruptcy after alleged fraudulent practices were discovered.[42]

In November 2019, Meeks became brand ambassador for fragrance line Gisada Switzerland's fragrance duo "Gisada Ambassador."[43]

Acting career

In January 2018,[44] Meeks flew to Moscow to appear in the music video "Wi-Fi" by Russian pop singer Olga Buzova.[45]

Meeks made his feature film debut in 2020 with the BET+ streaming feature Trigger.[46] In 2021, Meeks appeared in the independent feature film Secret Society; the film was directed by Jamal Hill, and is based on the book of the same name by Miasha Coleman.[47]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020TriggerTrey MassTV Movie
True to the Game 2Saleem
2021DutchCraze
Secret SocietyKhalil
Dear Best FriendJamieTV Movie
True to the Game 3Saleem
2022The Wrong High School SweetheartCamp SweetheartTV Movie
Circumstances 3Big L
Unfair ExchangeChad Perry
Secret Society 2: Never EnoughKhalil
2023Dance For MeSeth CallowayTV Movie
Secret Society 3: 'Til DeathKhalil
2024Dutch II: Angel's RevengeCraze
TBABeach ChainDwayde
DoggmenSparks
Rise of the TarroganDime

Writing career

Meeks will release an autobiographical book titled Model Citizen: The Autobiography of Jeremy Meeks in September 2024.[48]

Personal life

Meeks has a child with Melissa Meeks, to whom he was married from 2008 to 2018.[49]

In June 2017, it was reported that Meeks was in a relationship with Chloe Green, the daughter of British businessman Philip Green. Meeks had gone on a trip to Turkey, where the first images of him and Green came out on a yacht.[50] On May 29, 2018, Green gave birth to the couple's son.[51] In August 2019, it was reported the couple had amicably split and were selling their joint London home.[52]

Notes and References

  1. News: Jeremy Meeks kisses Chloe Green on Courchevel ski break . Metro . February 7, 2019 . en.
  2. Web site: Jeremy 'Hot Felon' Meeks: Convict to cover model? - HLNtv.com . Emily . Barsh . hlntv.com.
  3. News: 'Hot mugshot guy' Jeremy Meeks has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison . Washington Post. June 23, 2017.
  4. Newman . Vicki . Who is Jeremy Meeks? Everything you need to know about the 'Hot Convict' storming New York Fashion Week . Daily Mirror . 15 February 2017 . 11 April 2021 . Reach plc . London . Online.
  5. Web site: 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks released from federal prison and gets job offers . Veronica . Rocha . March 9, 2016 . LA Times.
  6. Web site: The 'hot felon' is now a successful model . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/hot-felon-jeremy-meeks-male-model-prison-milan-mens-fashion-week-new-york-a7796951.html . June 8, 2022 . subscription . live . June 19, 2017 . independent.co.uk.
  7. Web site: Jeremy Meeks: Sexy Felon Is A 'Crips Member,' Police Say . . Tierney . McAfee . June 20, 2014 . August 14, 2017 . August 15, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170815175455/http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/06/20/jeremy-meeks-crips-gang-member-mug-shot/ . dead .
  8. Web site: Jeremy Meeks: Beat Up Teenager To A 'Pulp' In 2002 — Report . . Megan Rosshl . June 21, 2014 . August 14, 2017.
  9. Web site: Stockton Police Department . 18 June 2014 . SPD NEWS - WESTON RANCH OPERATION CEASEFIRE ENFORCEMENT MISSION . 5 April 2021 . Facebook.com . Facebook, Inc. . Social Media . Menlo Park, CA.
  10. Camilli . Doug . Viral convict Jeremy Meeks scores a modelling agent . Montréal Gazette . 3 July 2014 . B14 . 5 April 2021 . Postmedia Network . Montréal . English . subscription .
  11. Web site: McDonald . Ian . 4 Arrested in Weapons Sweep; 1 Getting Extra Attention Online . Fox40.com . KTXL-TV . 5 April 2021 . Sacramento, CA . 18 June 2014.
  12. Banks . Sandy . Swooning Over a Mugshot . Los Angeles Times . 1 July 2014 . CXXXIII . 210 . "World Report" section, p. 3 . 5 April 2021 . Los Angeles . subscription .
  13. Book: Curington . Celeste Vaughan . Lundquist . Jennifer Hickes . Lin . Ken-Hou . The Dating Divide: Race and Desire in the Era of Online Romance . 2021 . University of California Press . j.ctv1gwqmnk . 10.2307/j.ctv1gwqmnk . 197 .
  14. Web site: Jones . Saeed . Time For An OZ Marathon . Buzzfeed.com . Buzzfeed, Inc. . 5 April 2021 . New York . Online . 19 June 2014.
  15. Stebner . Beth . Adams Otis . Ginger . Web goes wild for 'model' prisoner . New York Daily News . 21 June 2014 . 95 . 361 . 3 . 5 April 2021 . Daily News L.P. . New York . subscription .
  16. Facebook mug sensation arraigned in Stockton . The Sacramento Bee . 21 June 2014 . 302 . 172 . B3 . 5 April 2021 . The McClatchy Co. . Sacramento . subscription .
  17. Web site: Reports: 'Hot Convict' Jeremy Meeks Signs Modeling Contract . CBS Sacramento . KOVR-TV . 5 April 2021 . West Sacramento, CA . Online . 2 July 2014.
  18. Web site: Pressler . Jessica . The Felon is Hot . The Cut . Vox Media . 5 April 2021 . New York . Online . June 2016.
  19. News: NorCal Grand Jury Indicts 'Hot Convict' Jeremy Meeks On Gun Charges . 5 April 2021 . KPIX-TV . 3 July 2014 . San Francisco . Online.
  20. News: 'Dreamy' Felon Jeremy Meeks Gets Bad News in Court . 5 April 2021 . NBC Mews . 8 July 2014 . Online.
  21. News: Molinet . Jason . Model prisoner: 'Hot convict' Jeremy Meeks sentenced to two years in federal prison . 5 April 2021 . Tribune Publishing . New York Daily News . 5 February 2015 . New York . Online.
  22. Web site: Jeremy Meeks Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison . CBS Sacramento . KOVR-TV . 5 April 2021 . West Sacramento, CA . Online . 5 February 2015.
  23. 'Hot felon' trading prison for runway . The Tampa Tribune . 11 March 2016 . 2 . 11 April 2021 . Tampa Media Group, Inc. . Tampa, FL . subscription .
  24. Web site: Heigl . Alex . 'Hot Convict' Jeremy Meeks Finally Signs That Modeling Contract in Jail . People.com . Meredith Corporation . 5 April 2021 . Des Moines IA . Online . 4 March 2015.
  25. News: Holley . Peter . The 'hot mugshot guy' is free: 'It's almost as if being in jail for so long made him hotter' . The Washington Post . 31 March 2016 . 11 April 2021 . Nash Holdings . Washington, DC . Online.
  26. Reed . Sam . Jeremy Meeks' First Professional Headshot Has Arrived . The Hollywood Reporter . 14 June 2016 . 11 April 2021 . MRC . Los Angeles . Online.
  27. Web site: JEREMY MEEKS: MODEL, ACTOR . White Cross Management . 11 April 2021.
  28. Web site: VOLUME VII - JEREMY MEEKS . James Magazine USA . 11 April 2021 . Online.
  29. Web site: VOL. 01 - JEREMY MEEKS . White Cross Magazine USA . 12 April 2021 . Online.
  30. Web site: 'Hot Convict' Jeremy Meeks Debuts On Runway At New York Fashion Week . CBS Sacramento . KOVR-TV . 11 April 2021 . West Sacramento, CA . Online . 13 February 2017.
  31. Blair . Olivia . Jeremy Meeks: 'Hot Felon' model barred from entering the UK at Heathrow Airport . The Independent . 25 April 2017 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/jeremy-meeks-hot-felon-model-heathrow-airport-barred-uk-entry-convicted-criminal-a7700801.html . June 8, 2022 . subscription . live . 11 April 2021 . Independent Digital News & Media Ltd . London . Online.
  32. Carballo . Charlie . Former 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks Hits the Runway With Paris Hilton for Philipp Plein's Resort 2018 Show . Footwear News . 25 May 2017 . 11 April 2021 . Penske Media Corporation . New York . Online.
  33. Truong . Peggy . Hot Felon Jeremy Meeks and His Shirtless Bod Are on the Runway Again . Cosmopolitan . 19 June 2017 . 11 April 2021 . Hearst Communications . New York . Online.
  34. Davidovich . Joshua . Bar Refaeli to star in ad with 'world's hottest felon' . The Times of Israel . 30 August 2017 . 11 April 2021 . Jerusalem . English . Online.
  35. Web site: (Untitled social media post). Facebook.com . Hebrew . Facebook, Inc. . 11 April 2021 . Melno Park, CA . Social Media . 13 October 2017 .
  36. Web site: JEREMY MEEKS COVERS MMSCENE #020 . Male Model Scene . 11 April 2021 . Online . 20 December 2017.
  37. Adducci . Shannon . Gigi Hadid and Tommy Hilfiger Closed Out Milan Fashion Week With a Race Car-Themed Extravaganza . Footwear News . 25 February 2018 . 11 April 2021 . Penske Media Corporation . New York . Online.
  38. Web site: Jeremy Meeks is the Cover Star of FV Magazine Summer 2018 Issue . Male Model Scene . 11 April 2021 . Online . 11 May 2018.
  39. Huerliman . Mark . Rebellisch . L'Officiel Hommes Schweiz . Summer 2018 . 8 . Cover, 140-149 . 11 April 2021 . Jalou Media Group . Paris . French.
  40. Web site: Fashion Concept GmbH: Jeremy Meeks to conquer fashion world . Business Wire . Berkshire Hathaway Inc. . 11 April 2021 . Omaha, NE . Press Release . 27 September 2019.
  41. Web site: King . Fattie . Model Jeremy Meeks launches his own fashion brand . Fashion Maniac . 11 April 2021 . Blog . 27 July 2020 . August 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210815201521/https://fashionmaniac.com/model-jeremy-meeks-launches-his-own-fashion-brand/ . dead .
  42. Web site: bender-pfitzmann . 2022-10-26 . FashionConcept insolvent: Jetzt Geld zurückholen von Pegasus . 2023-04-27 . Bender und Pfitzmann Rechtsanwälte . de-DE.
  43. Web site: Raičević Petrović . Sandra . Gisada Ambassador Duo: New Fragrances . Fragrantica . 11 April 2021 . San Diego, CA . Online . 18 November 2019.
  44. Web site: 'World's hottest felon' arrives in Moscow to star in Russian music video . Russia Beyond . 11 April 2021 . English . Online . 31 January 2018.
  45. Web site: First look at Olga Buzova's new music video featuring Jeremy Meeks . Frivolette magazine . 11 April 2021 . Online.
  46. Daniels . Karu F. . 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks makes film debut in BET+ thriller 'Trigger' . New York Daily News . 21 October 2020 . 11 April 2021 . Daily News LP . New York . Online.
  47. Web site: Fashion Bomb Daily . On the Scene at the Pajama-Themed Premiere of 'Secret Society' Movie in Atlanta Hosted by Claire Sulmers: Moments With the Film's Executive Producer Miasha Coleman and Stars 'Prison Bae' Jeremy Meeks, Erica Pinkett, Reyna Love + More . SME News . 11 April 2021 . Moscow . Online . 21 March 2021 . April 11, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411230340/https://smenews.org/2021/03/28/on-the-scene-at-the-pajama-themed-premiere-of-secret-society-movie-in-atlanta-hosted-by-claire-sulmers-moments-with-the-films-executive-producer-miasha-coleman-and-stars/ . dead .
  48. Web site: Model Citizen: The Autobiography of Jeremy Meeks . 2024-07-22 . Amazon . 9781954220669.
  49. Web site: 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks Talks Coparenting With Exes Chloe Green and Melissa Meeks: 'Incredible Mothers' . US magazine . 2020-10-21. 2021-11-11. Online. Cardoza . Riley. en.
  50. Web site: Topshop heiress Chloe Green has had a baby with 'hot felon' Jeremy Meeks. Corcoran. Kieran. June 7, 2018. Business Insider.
  51. Web site: 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks Welcomes Son Jayden with Girlfriend Chloe Green. Juneau. Jen. June 7, 2018. People.
  52. Web site: 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks and Chloe Green Split After 2 Years Together. Hearon. Sarah. August 12, 2019. US Magazine.