Instead, the spotlight has shifted to the legal saga surrounding Steve McBee Sr., who publicly confirmed last year that he planned to plead guilty to crop insurance fraud.
Now that he has begun serving his expected two-year sentence, the McBee family is speaking out—and so is one of Steve’s closest reality-TV allies.
A Son’s Public Plea and a Message Aimed at Donald Trump
The McBee family has always been central to the show’s appeal: Steve McBee Sr., his sons Steven Jr., Jesse, Cole, and Brayden, and the family business that ties them all together.
But after Steve Sr. officially pleaded guilty in 2024 and prepared to surrender himself in early December, the tone around the family shifted from reality-show tension to real-life crisis.
As his father reported to begin his term in South Dakota, Cole McBee took to Instagram to voice what the family has been feeling privately for months. His post was stark and emotional, writing:
“I’ll never forget what our justice system has done to our family. It’s so wrong and now my daughter won’t see her grandpa for we don’t know how long.”
Cole didn’t stop there—he directed his message to former President Donald Trump, saying:
“We will not stop fighting for the truth. This is wrong and @realdonaldtrump will fix this when he sees the facts and not just a local trophy prosecution.”
The post quickly caught the attention of fans who had already been following the story, especially as the McBee patriarch had begun sharing his own reflections with the press.
Steve McBee Sr. Reflects On His Sentence: “A Sobering Moment”
Opening up to Fox News Digital, Steve McBee Sr. described the moment he learned he would be going to prison as:
“a sobering moment.”
He has also publicly explained the reasoning behind his decision to plead guilty. According to Steve, he was warned that another “teammate” or “co-worker” would be facing “27 federal indictments in 48 hours,” a pressure tactic he called a “bullying technique.” That’s when he says he made his choice:
“I made the decision the buck stops with me.”
This revelation immediately drew comparisons to another famous reality-TV legal case: Todd and Julie Chrisley from Chrisley Knows Best, who were convicted in 2022 on federal charges ranging from tax evasion to bank fraud.
They were sentenced to a combined nineteen years—sentences that were ultimately pardoned by President Donald Trump in May 2025.
And interestingly, it turns out the McBee and Chrisley stories crossed paths long before Steve Sr. ever reported for his own sentence.
Todd Chrisley’s Unexpected Role: A Mentor in Crisis
Steve revealed last November that he had actually found support in Todd Chrisley as he braced himself for prison. The two met during a podcast appearance, and from there, Todd became a surprising source of guidance.
In an interview with People, Steve said Todd gave him:
“1,000 tips”
and regularly reached out with messages like:
“Checking on you, buddy. How are you feeling today? It’s going to be okay. Everything’s going to be all right. We’re going to get through this. I’m going to help you any way I can.”
The support reportedly extended to Steve’s sons as well:
“Todd texts all of my boys telling them they’re going to be okay.”
It’s a rare bond—one reality-TV family rallying behind another during one of the most difficult chapters of their lives.
A Final Message Before Surrendering
Before turning himself in, Steve Sr. shared what he called his “last video” on Instagram. In the post, he told followers that Cole would be taking over his phone while he served his sentence and encouraged fans to stay connected.
He also added a message of gratitude to those who’ve supported the family through the storm:
“Thank you all for the love and support of our farm and family.”
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