Jeremy Meeks
His viral mugshot launched an unlikely journey from prison inmate to international fashion runway model.
Born 1984 (age 42)·American model and convict·Birthday: February 7·Millennials
Biography
Jeremy Meeks’s life took a turn so sharp it defies conventional narrative. A former member of the Crips in Stockton, California, his path seemed set after a 2014 arrest on felony weapons charges. Then, the Stockton Police Department posted his booking photo online. The internet, captivated by his sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, dubbed him the 'Hot Mugshot Guy,' and his image spread globally. Upon his release in 2016, that notoriety became a currency. Modeling agencies, seeing a story as much as a face, signed him. Meeks walked for Philipp Plein in Milan, starred in campaigns for luxury brands, and became a tabloid fixture, embodying a bizarre, modern-day tale of crime, viral fame, and reinvention.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jeremy was born in 1984, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jeremy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1984
#1 Movie
Beverly Hills Cop
Best Picture
Amadeus
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Jeremy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1984Born
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1989Started school
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1997Became a teenager
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Could drive
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2002Could vote
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Turned 21
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2014Turned 30
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 40
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 42 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Landed a modeling contract with White Cross Management immediately after his release from prison in 2016.
- Walked the runway for designer Philipp Plein at Milan Fashion Week.
- Featured in advertising campaigns for major brands like Roberto Cavalli and Diesel.
Did You Know?
His viral mugshot was posted by the Stockton Police Department's Facebook page in June 2014.
He was released from the Mendota Federal Correctional Institution in March 2016.
Meeks has a distinctive teardrop tattoo under his left eye.
“My past is a place of reference, not a place of residence.”
