Steve McBee Sr. Says Todd Chrisley Has Given Him Prison ‘Tips’ (Exclusive)

As he prepares to report for prison, Steve McBee Sr. is finding support in fellow reality star Todd Chrisley.

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys star, 52, tells PEOPLE he was connected with Chrisley, 56, through a producer on his show who’d previously worked on Chrisley Knows Best. The two quickly bonded over their similar legal ordeals: McBee was sentenced to 24 months in prison in October after pleading guilty to one count of federal crop insurance fraud, while Chrisley and his wife Julie were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and tax fraud in 2022.

While serving their prison sentences, Chrisley and his wife were fully pardoned by President Donald Trump in May.

“I cannot say enough good things about Todd,” says McBee. “After I did a podcast with Todd last Thursday, we went and had lunch. We walked in to the restaurant, and there was a beautiful young lady as a hostess, and she looked at Todd and just started crying. She was like, ‘Mr. Chrisley, we love you. I just got out of prison Oct. 9., and the changes that you have made for my sisters that are still in there of getting treated like a human — you’re changing everybody’s life.’ It was a powerful moment.”

After their lunch, McBee says he called his son Cole to tell him what had happened.

“I said, ‘When I get out, I want to do something like that,'” he says. “It was such an inspiration. My path forward when I’m done with all this may be really trying to lead this next generation to keep family farms [alive], and it really comes back to the consumer. There’s a lot of pathways that they could support local farms.”

McBee was ordered to self-surrender to federal prison in Yankton, South Dakota, before 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1. He says he and his family will drive to Yankton on Sunday and stay the night “so they can see the town and get comfortable with everything.”

“I feel like there’s so many things to get ready, so I’ve just been in this panic mode trying to make sure I thought of everything,” he says. “There’s going to be loose ends that fall through the cracks, but I would say the lion’s share of all major items have been covered. I mean, it’s definitely been an experience I never thought I would have.”

In these final few days of freedom, McBee says Chrisley has given him “1,000 tips” of what to expect in prison.

“We’ve had hours of conversation,” he says. “He doesn’t owe me anything, and he’s texted me every other day, 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.'”

McBee says Chrisley has also been in contact with his four sons: Steven Jr., Jesse, Cole and Brayden.

“Todd texts all of my boys telling them they’re going to be okay,” he says. “I literally can’t tell you enough good things. I don’t care. People all have pasts, but I know who that man is today and for him to continuously take his time, it’s special. Steven has also talked to [Chrisley’s daughter] Savannah multiple times.”

Chrisley and his family are also giving McBee advice on asking for a presidential pardon.

“I’ve been meeting with pardon attorneys, and I had a long meeting Friday, and then Monday I spent four hours with them,” McBee says. “We’re putting everything together to fill out the application and turn everything in.”

In the meantime, McBee is focusing on staying “optimistic.”

“I’ve never been a victim, nor will I be a victim, and I’m not going to let anybody make me a victim,” he says. “I’ve always believed the glass is half full. Life isn’t fair sometimes for no reason at all. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. I’m going to be okay, and I’m going to continue to work hard. I’m just going to make the best of a bad situation.”

McBee is also ready to put the past behind him.

“Obviously, we hope for the best and pray for the best, but the storm is finally clearing,” he says. “A captain doesn’t become a skilled captain on calm water, they learn how to navigate through storms. this was certainly a level five hurricane, but when the storm breaks, you smell the fresh, clean air. We’re starting to come out of that, so I’m feeling a lot better.”