by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 19, 2024

Demetrius “Big Meech” is closer to regaining his freedom after nearly 20 years in prison.

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The notorious drug kingpin Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory has plenty of reason to celebrate amid his early prison release.

Detroit’s notorious former organized crime leader, founder of the Black Mafia Family (BMF) drug trafficking syndicate, will complete the remainder of his prison sentence in a residential reentry program in Miami, the Federal Bureau of Prisons revealed on Thursday. Flenory, 56, was granted early release nearly 20 years after receiving a 30-year sentence in 2008 for drug trafficking and money laundering, as reported by AP News.

Brittany K. Barnett, Flenory’s attorney and co-founder of the Buried Alive Project, celebrated his release, stating she is “overjoyed” that he is finally free after spending nearly 20 years in prison.

“He used his time in prison to focus on personal growth and transformation, and now he has the opportunity to begin a new chapter,” she said in a statement. He’s out, but millions more remain trapped inside — there’s still so much work to be done. We need to push for real change, for a justice system that recognizes the dignity and potential for redemption in every individual.”

Many were first introduced to Flenory’s story when hip-hop mogul Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson released the eight-episode series “BMF” in 2021. The hit show was renewed for two more seasons and continues to air on Starz. It follows Flenory and his brother Terry Flenory’s rise in success as drug traffickers and the formation of the BMF organization in Michigan.

Flenory is portrayed by his son Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr., 24. He has shared how the show helped him get to know his father, who has been incarcerated for most of his life.

“I was born in 2000, so this is all new to me. It’s all a learning experience. I got to learn a lot about my family that I didn’t know about,” Lil Meech told Black Enterprise in February. “When I came to set, it was like a clash. Like, I was going to tell everything about my roots and about my family that I didn’t know. And with that, I get to play my father and still live up to his name.”

Amid Flenory’s prison release news, NBA star LeBron James faced backlash after tweeting out a welcome home message to the BMF leader.

Welcome home Big Meech!! 🫡

— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 17, 2024

“You want to fit in so bad, wanna be hip and cool so bad that you just follow whatever is deemed cool at the moment. Shame on you. Grow tf up,” one person wrote.

Demetrius Flenory was arrested in 2005, and his sentence is set to conclude on January 27, 2026. But amid his early release, he will be under supervision at a residential reentry center in Miami, which provides community-based services to help federal offenders transition back into society.

His brother Terry Flenory, 54, is completing his sentence on similar charges at a residential reentry center in Detroit. He is scheduled to be released on August 17, 2025.

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