A mug shot of a Northern California man, who was arrested Wednesday on felony weapons charges, went viral on Thursday after the Stockton Police Department shared his picture on Facebook.

Jeremy Meeks was arrested in the Ranch section of Stockton, Calif., and faces five weapons charges and one gang charge, Associated Press, or AP reported, citing Joseph Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department. By early Friday, Meeks' mug shot had received more than 38,000 likes, and well over 12,100 comments, and was shared more than 4,000 times.

"I have not seen that many likes for a photo before," Silva told AP, adding that this was the first time since the department's Facebook page was created in March 2012 that a picture had received so much attention.

Some Facebook users commented about Meeks' looks while a fan page set up for the offender garnered more than 8,000 likes.

"Wow. That is one good looking mug shot!" one person wrote.

"Momma, I'm in love with a criminal," wrote another.

Some of the users also wrote that Meeks should be released because he was “handsome,” while others disapproved of the attention showered on Meeks, calling those praising the man's looks “stupid” and “desperate.”

Silva reportedly said that Meeks is “one of the most violent criminals in the Stockton area” and added that Meeks was being held on a $900,000 bond, and was scheduled to be put on trial Friday afternoon.

Meeks was one of four men taken into custody during “a multi-agency Operation Ceasefire enforcement mission.” Authorities seized four guns, two rifles, a handgun and a shotgun during the operation, Washington Post reported, citing police.

The popularity of Meeks also spread on Twitter as users re-imaged his photo as a model.

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