Rapper 50 Cent has reintroduced the Black Mafia Family to a new generation with his most recent hit STARZ show “BMF.” Now, one of the central figures in the show, who has been locked away in federal prison for close to two decades, might be coming home years earlier than expected, after a judge cut down three years off his prison sentence.
A court order issued by U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson on Wednesday, Feb. 28, and obtained by Atlanta Black Star stated that the government will be cutting off 32 months from Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory’s sentence, citing a recent retroactive amendment to U.S. sentencing guidelines.
Initially, Big Meech was sentenced to serve 324 months in prison. However, federal authorities have now reduced his sentence to 292 months, which equates to 24 years and four months.
The notorious cocaine kingpin, depicted by his junior in the series, was originally slated for release from the low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Coleman, Florida, on May 5, 2028. With the revised sentence, his new release date could potentially be moved up to September 2025 or earlier.
Meech’s son also shared an update about his dad during a radio interview with “The Morning Hustle” Show. Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. revealed that his dad is in a particular program that “should release him in like 9, 10 months.”
“He just got transferred to a low facility,” he explained. “It’s the lowest facility between the high, the medium the low and the camp. When you in the low, that means you coming home.”
As he awaits his father’s return home, Lil Meech is actively promoting the new and third season of “BMF” that catapulted him into stardom, set to release on Friday, March 1, on the X platform. The show has reportedly already been greenlit for season four.
March 1st🚦 pic.twitter.com/RM8ZAoVdEc
— LIL MEECH (@BMFLILMEECH) February 28, 2024
Additionally, on his Instagram, Meech is promoting a cannabis brand, suggesting a potential collaboration.
According to his attorney, Brittany Barnett, he has been working on changing his life over the past 18 years.
“The court’s decision to reduce Mr. Flenory’s sentence is a testament to Mr. Flenory’s personal growth and commitment to change,” the lawyer said in an email to The Detroit News.
She said that her client “also reflects a long overdue shift in our nation’s understanding of justice and the need for meaningful sentencing reform.”
Barnett added, “Mr. Flenory’s case underscores the importance of continual re-evaluation of sentences so that our justice system recognizes a person’s capacity for growth and rehabilitation. We applaud the court’s decision and remain resolved in our commitment to freedom and to challenging injustice in the criminal legal system.”
As Big Meech prepares to return to his family and friends sooner than expected, it seems that the world can’t get over his son Lil Meech. portraying him in the Starz series.
The show premiered in September 2021 and was renewed for season two less than months later. When its second season premiered in 2023, 4.1 million multiplatform viewers tuned in to watch, according to a press release. During the premiere weekend, the show also earned the spot as the most socially engaged drama across all networks for that period.
“BMF captures the essence of Detroit through elevated, gritty storytelling and our fans have passionately responded to this show more than ever before,” Kathryn Busby, president of original programming for Starz said in a statement.
“Following such a strong debut with season two, we’re thrilled to continue to expand on the incredible story of the Flenory brothers as they change the game by writing their own rules,” she continued. “We can’t wait to see what our extraordinary producers and cast deliver next.”
Some would say the show was never meant just to glorify Big Meech’s gangsta lifestyle, but to show the poverty that pushed them into a life of crime and the pitfalls that the lifestyle leads to. Meanwhile, others would describe it as an iconic story of how two brothers, Meech Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, started the Black Mafia Family, which became one of the most notorious drug distribution networks and crime families in history. The brothers also influenced hip-hop music and culture, allowing many to view them as legends.
In 2016, years before the show aired, 50 Cent said he spoke to the Meech about his life and got a jewel about how he got his name.
“I talk to Big Meech yesterday, he said poverty made his skin thick, it was tuff. Him and his brother had to share the same pants. They couldn’t afford to have a different style. His generosity put BIG in front of Meech.# BMF Coming soon !!!” he wrote on Facebook
Earlier this year, one Instagram user wrote, “I love how they turned an illegal legacy into something legit,” while another added, “50 took it over the top.”
Terry still currently lives in Detroit and plays an active part behind the scenes telling his brother’s story in “BMF” and promoting his nephew’s lead role in the show on social media. But the world will soon hear from the source about how (or if) Meech turned his life around when he gets out.
