Mugshots aren’t typically considered flattering photos…at least they’re not supposed to be. However, some law-breaking ‘hotties’ have managed to have their booking images go viral for how unexpectedly good they looked. Of course, it raises questions about what people are prepared to overlook just because of physical appearance, but here are 10 criminals whose mugshots have made them famous.
Abbie Newman
In 2023, Abbie Newman’s mugshot went viral after she was arrested for shoplifting and disorderly conduct. Following the incident, her account on an adult-content website skyrocketed in followers and subscribers.
“It’s funny how life works,” Newman explained. “In America, for some reason, if you look good and you’re a criminal, you make money,” she told the New York Post. Newman has since passed away, but the circumstances of her death are unclear.
Jeremy Meeks
Former Crips gang member and convicted felon Jeremy Meeks became a viral internet sensation after his mug shot was posted online in 2014. In fact, the attention landed him a modelling contract after he served his prison sentence. Meeks has even gone on to star in several films and TV shows after the incident.
“If anyone would’ve told me 10 years ago that I was gonna be travelling the world, walking in fashion shows, acting in movies? I don’t know what I would’ve done,” he said in a 2020 BuzzFeed video. The viral mugshot truly turned Meeks’ life around for the better.
Laura Sevostjanov
Laura Sevostjanov was arrested in Clearwater, Florida, for alleged street racing (like something out of a Fast and Furious film). Sevostjanov faced charges of highway racing, driving under the influence, and felonious possession of a firearm in 2024. Her booking photos, on the other hand, brought her some internet attention for being one of Florida’s hottest mugshots that year.
Lily Stewart
University of Georgia student Lily Stewart was arrested for speeding in 2025. Stewart’s viral mugshot images prompted hundreds of DMs and messages, which essentially helped her lawyer, Stephen Morris, get the charges against her dropped. Unfortunately, she was booked again a month later for evading arrest.
Luigi Mangione
Despite being the primary suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Luigi Mangione’s looks have earned him plenty of online admiration. During his time behind bars, the 27-year-old has received an outpouring of support on social media, as well as numerous emails, physical letters, and financial deposits from his fans. That said, Mangione is facing federal charges for murder with a firearm, interstate stalking, and a firearm offence involving a suppressor. He is also facing state charges in New York for deliberate murder, weapon possession, and illegal possession of a forged instrument.
Marshala Perkins
Marshala Perkins of Dallas, Texas, was arrested for marijuana possession in 2018, but it was also the moment she was recognised for her flawless makeup skills. Her fake eyelashes, bright pink eyeshadow, and perfectly placed highlighter in her booking photos drew plenty of attention from netizens, who requested makeup advice.
“My phone started going crazy,” Perkins told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I was still kind of embarrassed about it because it was something I didn’t want people to know. But then when I started reading the comments I was like, besides me being in jail, people are really noticing my talent and what I can do.”
Meagan Simmons
Mother of four, Meagan Simmons, gained internet fame after a mugshot from 2010 was turned into an ‘advice animal’ meme. The former Hooters waitress, also known as the ‘attractive convict’, was only booked for a few hours after being arrested for reckless driving, but her mugshot went viral three years later. The image has been viewed worldwide and racked up plenty of marriage proposals and media attention for Simmons, albeit somewhat unwanted, as she points out in a 2013 interview on YouTube with USA Today.
Mekhi Alante Lucky
Mekhi Alante Lucky is another former felon whose mugshot turned his life around. Lucky was arrested in North Carolina back in 2016 for speeding and driving a stolen vehicle, but his mesmerising eyes, caused by an eye condition known as heterochromia, attracted a lot of attention after his mugshots were released online. The booking pics even landed him a modelling contract with St. Claire Modelling in New York. Lucky is still modelling and turning heads to this day.
Sean Kory
Sean Kory, who was arrested for assaulting a man who was dressed as a Fox News reporter for Halloween, went viral in 2014 after his mugshots were published online. Kory received plenty of media coverage, citing him as the new ‘hot mugshot guy’ taking over from the previously mentioned Jeremy Meeks. Netizens were even willing to overlook the fact that he attacked the man with an aluminium tennis racket because of his good looks.
Veronica Koval
After being arrested for reckless driving in 2023, registered nurse Veronica Koval became internet famous thanks to her incredibly beautiful mugshot. Koval was charged with misdemeanour dangerous driving and was sentenced to ten days in jail, a $750 fine, and a 30-day licence suspension…all for what she claimed was a Starbucks run before work.
“I definitely made a mistake,” she explained to the New York Post. “I don’t condone it, [and] I will never speed again.”
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