Rapper Released From Prison After Nearly 2 Decades: Big Meech Transferred to Residential Program

Rapper Demetrius Flenory – a.k.a. “Big Meech” – has been released from prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in a residential reentry program, according to a report by The Associated Press. Flenory was convicted of drug trafficking and money laundering in 2008, and was sentenced to 30 years behind bars. His attorney Brittany K. Barnett told the AP this week that he has recently been released.

Flenory was the co-founder of the drug trafficking organization known as “Black Mafia Family,” or BMF. His story rose to prominence in 2021 thanks to the Starz original series BMF, which was spearheaded by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. It dramatized the story of Flenory and others building a huge network of drug distribution from their beginnings in Detroit, Michigan. Now, Flenory is 56 years old and he has spent nearly two decades behind bars.

Barnett is the co-founder of the Buried Alive Project, and she said she is “overjoyed” that Flenory has been released. She said: “He used his time in prison to focus on personal growth and transformation, and now he has the opportunity to begin a new chapter. 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.”

Flenory was arrested in 2005 and sentenced in 2008. His sentence would have ended in January of 2026. He is reportedly being monitored closely at a residential reentry center in Miami, Florida, which aims to prepare ex-convicts to reintegrate into society and reduce the chance of them being imprisoned again. Flenory’s brother Terry is at a similar reentry center in Detroit, and is expected to be released in August of 2025.

The Flenory brothers made connections with drug cartels based in Mexico, as well as sources in Los Angeles, California. They made their way into the rap music industry in the early 2000s through their company BMF Entertainment. However, prosecutors later made the case that it was all a front to launder money from their drug empire. They distributed cocaine and other illegal substances all across the U.S. They made an estimated $270 million throughout their careers.

The public response to Flenory’s release has been mixed, but many commenters online wonder how the popularity of the Starz series will impact his life on the outside. BMF is streaming now on Starz and on Prime Video.