The so-called "handsome felon," whose mug shot attracted thousands of Facebook "likes" has had experience in front of the police camera, as a convicted felon who has been arrested multiple times since 2002.
Earlier this week a picture of Jeremy Meeks posted to the Stockton, Calif., Police Facebook page quickly went viral as online commentators were apparently taken in by Meeks' good looks.
"Momma, I'm in love with a criminal," one person wrote. Others superimposed Meeks' photo into fake fashion ads.
Police arrested Meeks in Stockton earlier this week after he left a house where search warrant was about to be carried out. A gun, ammunition and a small amount of marijuana were allegedly found in his car, police said. Meeks was charged with five felony weapon charges and one gang charge.
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Meeks has been in trouble with the law on and off since 2002, when the now 30-year-old served a two-year sentence for grand theft of a person (a lesser offense than robbery), according to Stockton police.
After leaving prison, Meeks reportedly got into legal trouble again in 2005. According to documents obtained by the Smoking Gun website, Meeks was reportedly arrested for alleged identify theft in 2005. Online records show that Meeks was a listed as a defendant in Spokane, Wash., courts five different times from 2005 to 2007.
According to KTXL-TV in Stockton, Meeks was convicted of theft in 2005 and forgery in 2007 and served less than 75 days total for both offenses.
In spite of his past arrests, Meeks said during an interview with ABC News affiliate KXTV in Stockton that his law-breaking days are behind him, saying he was, "not some kingpin."
"I just visited my wife and she said I like, blew up all over Facebook," Meeks told KXTV's Nick Monacelli on Thursday.
While Stockton police claim that Meeks is a documented gang-member, the 30-year-old disputes the accusation.
"I haven't done anything gang related," he told KXTV.
Meeks remains in jail on a $100,000 bail, with a trial scheduled for later this month.