Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. and his family faced a poignant farewell in the recent installment of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys.
On the emotional episode airing July 20, Steven’s eldest son, Steven McBee Jr., shared a heartfelt moment with his family. As they made their way from Missouri to South Dakota, he remarked, “We’ve got tough days coming, but none like today,” referring to their journey to see Steve begin his prison sentence at FPC Yankton.
Along on the five-hour journey was Steve’s former spouse, Kristi McBee, who played a pivotal role in supporting their four sons. (The episode captures events from December 2025.)
“We chose the bus so our last moments together could be cherished,” she explained to viewers while scenes of their bus traversing the snowy landscape were shown.
After a noticeable absence in the third season of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. returned briefly before his incarceration. In the same July 6 episode, viewers also witnessed Steve’s third son, Cole McBee, as he prepared to propose to his girlfriend, Kacie Adkison, adding another layer of emotion to the story.
As the camera panned around the bus, Steve’s sons, Steven, 33, Jesse, Cole and Brayden McBee, all tried to keep their emotions in check. However, it was clear that the sadness of the day was felt by them all, including Jesse’s wife, Alli McBee, who had puffy eyes from crying.
In the background, Blues Saraceno’s 2013 song “Carry Me Back Home” played, setting the tone for the melancholy journey.
“Goodnight, my dear, be still your worried heart / Keep me in your prayers, and we’ll never be apart,” the American musician sang while playing the guitar.
Kristi could be seen wiping tears from her eyes as a “Federal Prison Camp” sign appeared, telling everyone she’s been “dreading this moment.”
Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. was thrust into the limelight during season 1 of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys — but soon his legal woes were making headlines. Fans met Steve and his four sons, Steven McBee Jr., Jesse McBee, Cole McBee and Brayden McBee, during the first season of the reality show in 2024 […]
Kristi — who divorced Steve in 2019 after 28 years of marriage amid his affair with Galyna Saltkovska — then told her boys and their significant others, “It’s gonna be OK.”
“My dad has always been our biggest hope. Kinda the person to rally us and give us confidence in any situation,” Jesse revealed during a confessional. “No matter what we do, no matter what we say, we can’t change what’s happening right now. I think that’s the hardest part.”
Steve, who remained off camera while on the bus, tried to lighten the mood by checking on Cole’s fiancée, Kacie Adkison — the only person at that point in time not starting to tear up.
“Kacie, you good?” Steve, 54, asked, to which she nodded. “She’s the rock here,” the patriarch said.
Brayden, Cole, Jesse and Steven McBee. Bryan Steffy/Bravo
Kacie — who is pregnant with her and Cole’s second baby — made a joke, telling her future father-in-law, “I’m ready to get rid of ya.”
The comment broke the tension on the bus and everyone let out a little — but much needed — laugh.
“That’s why I love ya,” Steve told her, before he made his way off the bus and outside into the snow alone.
Steve yelled back, “Bye, baby,” seemingly talking to his granddaughters, Blair and Summer, who were both under the age of 1 when he reported to prison.
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys stars are gearing up to welcome Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. home early amid his two-year prison stint, Us Weekly can exclusively confirm. “Thankfully, we’re down to less than two months now before he gets out,” Steve’s eldest son, Steven McBee Jr., exclusively told Us on Thursday, July 16, confirming that […]
“Love you, dad,” Steven, 33, said as both he and Cole began to cry back in the vehicle.
As Steve exited the bus, baby Blair began to cry and the rest of the group huddled at the window to see him make his way to the gate.
Steve wore a green hooded sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers and was carrying what appeared to be a Bible as he left his family to start serving his time.
“To see him walking away into prison by himself, it is a top three hardest day in my life,” Steven later told the cameras. “I don’t want to say that it’s broken our spirit, but we’re damn close to being there.”
Steve McBee. Courtesy YouTube/USA Network
Steve reported to prison on December 1, 2025, after pleading guilty to one count of crop insurance fraud in November 2024. He was sentenced in October 2025 to two years behind bars and two years of supervised release.
Steve, who founded McBee Farms & Cattle Co., was ordered to pay $4 million in restitution and $3 million in fines.
Less than one year into his sentence, Steven exclusively told Us that his dad was “down to less than two months now before he gets out.”
Steven revealed on Thursday, July 16, that Steve was “able to get into a program that allows him to cut down on the time served” but when he is released later this year, he will be “under home confinement for four to six months.”
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys airs on Bravo on 9 p.m. ET.