After he was taken custody by the police for possessing a firearm and grand theft, the Stockton Police Department took and posted his mugshot on Facebook.
This was when Jeremy Meeks became viral.
While serving 27 months in prison, the media dubbed him as a "hot felon". The photo which prominently features his blue eyes and enviable bone structure, quickly received thousands of shares and likes.
Meeks who is also known with the nickname "The Blue Eyed Bandit" and "Jail Bae", was discovered by Jim Jordan and signed a modeling contract with White Cross Management, while still in jail.
His mother, Katherine Angier, decided to capitalized Meeks' viral fame by setting up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his release.
When Meeks was released in 2017, he made his runway debut. Meeks is later known as a model, famous for swapping his life of crime for the fashion world after his mugshot went viral.
His fame also made him move from his previous marriage.
Meeks started a relationship with heiress fashion Chloe Green. The media first spotted the relationship when the two were snapped sharing an intimate kiss and cuddling on the sunbeds. This was reportedly on the same day as his wife Melissa was celebrating her birthday.
Melissa said that Meeks told her that he was working in Turkey, and the first she knew about the affair was when a stranger sent her the picture over Instagram. Heartbroken, Melissa announced her plans to split just days after the photos surfaced.
"I didn't mean it to happen like this," said Meeks after she discovered his betrayal.
Having a child with fashion heiress Chloe Green, Meeks' wife divorced him. In a deal with Melissa, Meeks received primary custody of their son, Jeremy Jr., and she took home a six-figure check.
