When season 1 of The McBee Dynasty premiered last year, it was clear that Steven McBee Sr. ruled his family and his business. Season 2 premiered this summer, and Steven McBee Sr. is nowhere to be found. Fans might have been a bit confused by his absence, but there is a good reason for it. The McBee family patriarch has been kept off the show as he navigated a serious legal issue. He probably won’t be back for season three if it happens either. Steven McBee Sr. could face up to 30 years in prison due to serious insurance fraud charges.

What was the reality TV star charged with?

Steven McBee Sr. is in serious legal trouble. In November 2024, the patriarch of the McBee family pleaded guilty to one count of federal crop insurance fraud. Court documents allege that the farmer committed insurance fraud between 2018 and 2020, resulting in significant economic loss to the government.

According to court documents, Steven McBee Sr. underreported his corn and soybean yields in 2018. His fraudulent reporting allowed him to collect millions in insurance proceeds. In 2019, he misrepresented planting details. Further fraudulent activity occurred in 2020. Court documents alleged that the reality TV star planted corn after the allowed planting window and submitted falsified planting dates for the 2020 season. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, McBee’s fraudulent activity cost the federal government more than $4 million.

Will Steven McBee Sr. end up in prison?

While Steve McBee Sr.’s decision to plead guilty helped him avoid a grand jury, it probably won’t help him avoid prison time altogether. It might allow him to garner some lenience, especially when you factor in his lack of a criminal past. Still, he is likely to spend a fair number of years behind bars. While some fraud cases result in short prison terms or fines and restitution, McBee’s case is far more complicated. The large sum of money involved in the case, its status as a federal crime, and the blatant nature of the fraud could impact his prison term. Fines and restitution will likely be factored into his sentence, but they won’t be the only punishment he faces.

As it stands, the reality TV star is facing up to 30 years behind bars. He won’t learn his fate until September. While sentencing was initially scheduled for late June, it has since been pushed back. He’ll be in court for sentencing on September 9, nearly 10 months after he entered his guilty plea.