Naija Celebrity Gossip: Update on the felon whose mugshot caused a storm online

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Update on the felon whose mugshot caused a storm online

More details has emerged on the 30 year old felon whose mugshot won the hearts of thousands of women around the world after it was posted on Facebook. He is gorgeous but behind those ice-blue eyes is a much less attractive story of gangs, grand theft and forgery. UK Daily Mail reports below...

Jeremy Meeks' handsome photograph made social media swoon when the Stockton Police Department shared it on its Facebook page on Wednesday - sparking thousands of shares, 'likes', memes and very suggestive propositions.

But the married 30-year-old dad, who was arrested on five weapons charges and one gang charge when cops allegedly found a pistol in his trunk, has a much less desirable rap sheet, it has emerged.

For a decade, he has been in and out of courtrooms in California and Washington for crimes including resisting arrest, faking his identity and grand theft, for which he served two years. Continue...

He also bears gang tattoos, including a teardrop beneath his eye - often to symbolize a gang killing - and the word 'Crip' on his forearm, suggesting his link to the notoriously dangerous Crips gang.

In a statement released on Friday, Stockton police said he was part of the Northside Gangster Crips.

He appeared briefly at an arraignment in Stockton on Friday wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs and only spoke to confirm that he wanted a court appointed lawyer. His bail was set at $1m and he is due to appear again June 27th.

In their statement, cops explained that he was stopped after he was seen leaving a home where a search warrant was about to be executed and, after carrying out a search on his car, cops found a 9mm round of ammunition and a small amount of 'what is believed to be' marijuana in his passenger compartment.

Inside the trunk, cops also allegedly found an unregistered and loaded Springfield Armory .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun along with two extended magazines for the firearm.

Stockton police explained that the documented gang member has a felony conviction and a two year state prison sentence from a 2002 conviction for grand theft from a person in Solano County.
But records show that was just the start of his trouble with the law.

In April 2005, Meeks was charged with identity theft in the second degree and resisting arrest in Spokane County, Washington, although the second charge was later dismissed.

According to the investigating officer, Meeks was spotted picking up a package of pellets at the Sporting Goods Department of the General Store and leaving the store without paying.

When he was pursued he threatened the store security officer saying he would 'f*** you all up... mess you up' as well as threatening to 'kick your ass' until he was sprayed with pepper spray and arrested.
Meeks initially tried to pass himself off as his brother, Emery Meeks (pictured above with him), who already had an outstanding arrest warrant. It was only the following evening after he had been booked into Spokane County Jail that his true identity became known and he was charged with Forgery and Identity Theft.
At the time there was also an outstanding warrant for his arrest in California. He plead guilty in October 2007 and was sentenced to 71 days and ordered to pay $800 in fines and fees.
In 2007, he was charged with negligent driving and driving without a license, although this second charge was later dropped and he was fined just $252.

Speaking to News10 from behind glass in Stockton this week, he told News 10 that he also served nine years for grand theft, although records were not immediately available.

Records from April this year also reveal that he was arrested for resisting a peace officer or EMT in San Joaquin County - throwing doubt on his claims that he is now staying out of trouble.

Public Information Officer Joseph Silva called Meeks 'one of the most violent criminals in the Stockton area'.

'It's been a long term investigation over many weeks and Mr Meek's gang was identified as the most violent and active gang in the area,' he told MailOnline. 'Two of his charges are gang related.'

A tattoo running along Meeks' right forearm shows the word 'Crips' - the name of a notorious U.S. gang known to be involved in murders and drug dealings, although there is no suggestion that Meeks has been involved in any such crime.

Silva declined to provide further details about the activity he had been involved with.

Despite this extensive rap sheet and his part in local gangs, Meeks and his family still insist that he is not involved in criminal activity.

Doshaney Lewis, 22, the girlfriend of Terry Joe Bailey, who was arrested at the same time as Meeks, said that the pair were no longer involved in the Crips.

'I cannot deny they were members and they call each other brothers but they have given all that up,' she told MailOnline. 'This has all been ridiculous. People think this is funny but the families are hurting.'

Miss Lewis, who is unemployed and eight months pregnant with Terry's child, said they carried the guns for protection like many Americans. They were on their way to the warehouse where they workwhen they were arrested, she said.

And speaking out from jail, Meeks insisted his gang days were behind him.

'I appreciate [the attention] but I just want them to know that this is really not me,' he told News 10 from behind glass. 'I'm not some kingpin.'

He would not reveal the meaning of the teardrop tattoo beneath his left eye - which is sometimes a gang sign for carrying out a murder or relating to time spent locked up - but simply said he has done some things in the past he'd rather forget.

The ink sometimes represents hardship in life, while other reports say the outline of a tear is worn when the person has lost someone close to them - and then filled in when they get revenge.

Meeks added that he learned of his new-found fame when he spoke with his wife. They have been married for four years and have one child, a three-year-old son, together.

Speaking to MailOnline, relatives also insisted that he left the gang life more than seven years ago, found God and settled down with his wife, child and a job.

His niece, who lives in Florida, said that her uncle is 'amused that he is famous off his looks'.

'He is a loving father, husband, brother, and uncle,' she said. 'He has a past and because of it he is being stereotyped. We wish all the judgement would stop... He just wants to get home to his family.'

She admitted that he had been involved with gangs when he lived in Washington but gave up the 'gang life' more than seven years ago.

'He gave his heart to God, that is why he changed,' she said.

Afterwards, he got married and had a child. Of his wife, the niece added: 'She just wants everything to go back to normal.'

She said she was uncertain if the gun in the car was his - 'but I assure you IF it was his he wasn't using it for terrorism or anything remotely close', she insisted.

His sister (pictured above with him) added to TMZ that he had the gun for protection.

His mother, Katherine Angier (pictured above with him), has also insisted that her son is innocent and has even set up a GoFundMe page to raise $25,000 to get him a fair trial.

Angier apparently has been in trouble with the law for offenses including drugs, aiding and abetting a criminal, trading property for welfare checks and battery, according to records.

'He has a job and he was on his way to work, with no gang affiliations as per two of the charges,' she wrote on the fundraising page.

'He has old tattoos... which causes him to be stereotyped. He's my son and he is so sweet. Please help him to get a fair trial or else he'll be railroaded.'

So far her fundraising page has raised less than $500 - and her son seems to be getting more propositions than cash.

'Hit me up when u get out daddy, I got a list of naughty things I wanna do to you,' one donor wrote

The sordid suggestions also continue to appear on the Stockton police's Facebook page, where the felon's photo was liked more 20,000 times in less than 24 hours.

'What is he guilty of?! First Degree Sexiness?!' wrote fan Ashley Pruitt Carden, while Rhonda Cee, quipped: 'He'll probably be on next years prison calendar...Mr....EVERY MONTH!'

And many agreed Meeks had missed his calling.

'He needs to be a model,' wrote Bettina Jones. 'I would buy whatever he's selling!'

Meeks was charged with illegally possessing firearms and ammo, carrying a loaded firearm in public and criminal street gang activity.

Three other men, Terry Bailey, 22, Juzri Coleman,18, and Joelin Coleman, 44, were also arrested on felony weapons charges.

The repeat offender is being held on $900,000 bail, but perhaps not for long. There's talk amongst the commenters of raising the funds to set him free.

And there's been all sorts of memes using his mugshot