PODCAST · society
Locked In with Ian Bick
by Ian Bick
Real stories from the people everyone else judges first. Locked In with Ian Bick is a podcast hosted by Ian Bick, a former federal inmate turned podcaster. The show features raw conversations with former inmates, recovering addicts, bikers, law enforcement officers, attorneys, investigators, and people who have lived through crime, prison, addiction, trauma, and redemption. Each episode dives deep into real prison stories, life inside prison, the criminal justice system, street life, addiction recovery, mental health, and what it takes to rebuild after incarceration. Guests share what really happens behind bars, how people survive prison, and the difficult road to second chances after hitting rock bottom. If you’re interested in prison stories, criminal justice experiences, life after prison, and honest conversations with people who have lived through the darkest chapters of their lives, you’ll feel at home here.
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I Was a CIA Operative for 25 Years — Then I Got Set Up & Sent to Federal Prison | Michael Wayne
Michael Wayne grew up in Mississippi, attended the Naval Academy, left after his father died, built a career in business and investments while running a hedge fund for fifteen years, spent twenty-five years as a clandestine CIA contractor operating across some of the most sensitive and most dangerous missions available — and then went to Ukraine after the 2022 Russian invasion to organize humanitarian aid, evacuate women and children from combat zones, train Ukrainian soldiers, and deliver equipment to the front line before discovering widespread corruption tied to Ukraine aid that he says reached powerful US politicians. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what twenty-five years as a CIA contractor actually looked like from the inside, what changed after 9/11 in the intelligence world, what the Ukraine work actually involved, what the corruption he discovered actually implicated, and what the DOJ prosecution that followed his decision to push back against that corruption actually produced — including a wire fraud conviction, a federal prison sentence at FPC Montgomery, and what he believes was a deliberate government effort to make him a convicted felon before he could become a whistleblower. _____________________________________________ #TrueCrime #espionage #cia #prisonstory _____________________________________________ Thank you to CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/ksjh06pb #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Michael Wayne: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialmichaelwayne/ Website: https://officialmichaelwayne.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Guest Introduction 01:31 Family and Entrepreneurship 05:00 The Call to the Naval Academy 12:42 The Challenges of the Naval Academy 15:17 Leaving Annapolis After Two Years 17:51 The Tragic Loss of His Father 21:41 The Funeral and a Call from the Captain 24:23 Choosing Family Over Country 28:55 Rethinking Leaving Annapolis 31:14 The Plan to Return Falls Apart 36:24 The Decision to Stay Out of the Military 37:57 Mississippi State and Running the Family Business 41:17 Sponsor Break: Cash App Security 44:27 College Life and Degrees 55:36 Buying Properties and Developing a Strategy 01:00:20 Moving to Atlanta and Sports Betting 01:03:30 The Unexpected Call from an Agency 01:08:40 The First Interview for a CIA Contractor 01:14:40 The Path to Becoming a Contractor 01:19:03 Interviews and the Training Invitation 01:24:05 Paramilitary Training and Selection 01:29:07 Understanding Classification and Compartmentalization 01:34:55 The Intensity of the Initial Training 01:39:19 Field Exercises and Testing Survival Skills 01:47:26 The Importance of Knowing Your Limits 02:01:20 Working as a Paramilitary Contractor 02:04:20 A Career of Off-the-Books Missions 02:07:09 Getting Shot and the Impact of 9/11 02:12:30 The Post-9/11 World and the War on Terror 02:24:03 A Screenplay That Predicted 9/11 02:31:10 Transitioning to a New Role and Grad School 02:37:50 Living as a NOC (Non-Official Cover) 02:42:10 The Intensity of the NOC World 02:47:51 Running a Hedge Fund as Cover 02:57:21 Making Money and Helping a Nonprofit 03:02:41 Volunteering in Ukraine After the Invasion 03:05:00 The Corrupt Side of Humanitarian Aid 03:10:34 Protecting Aid and Empowering People 03:15:14 The Hidden World of Powerful Elites 03:21:18 Learning You're a Target 03:28:08 The Plan to Discredit Him 03:34:55 A New SEC Inquiry and the Missing Questions 03:39:01 The Target Letter and the DOJ 03:44:37 Attempting to Investigate the Management Company 03:50:59 The Reverse Proffer: The DOJ's Show of Force 03:57:20 Realizing the System Can't Be Beaten 04:01:44 The Threats That Forced His Hand 04:03:42 The Strategic Choice to Plead Guilty 04:08:35 The Courtroom Deal and Sentencing Guidelines 04:12:00 The Aftermath of the Guilty Plea 04:16:08 The Hit to His Reputation 04:18:24 The FBI Agent and the Press Release 04:22:47 Dealing with the PSR and Sentencing 04:27:44 The Leak and the Fallout 04:31:14 The PSR: A Document Full of Falsehoods 04:35:35 The Sentencing Hearing 04:40:20 The Judge's Unusual Statement 04:45:36 Getting a Year and a Day 04:50:00 A Trip to Federal Prison Camp 04:56:30 The Confusing Charges and the Real Crime 05:04:20 The Plea Deal and the Missing Documentation 05:09:30 The Sentencing Hearing and a Shoutout to the Judge 05:12:10 The Camp: A Place for the Forgotten 05:16:08 Life After Prison and the Supervised Release 05:21:01 The CIA and the Burning of Bridges 05:25:20 Finding a New Path Post-Prison
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I'm a Gambling Addiction Psychologist — Here's Why You Can't Stop Gambling | Dr. Michael Zhang
Dr. Michael Zhang is a PhD psychologist whose work focuses on gambling addiction and behavioral change in the modern digital environment — and in this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he tells the complete truth about what gambling addiction really is, why it starts, how online gambling and sports betting have created the most dangerous and most accessible addiction environment in history, what it actually takes for someone to finally get help and enter recovery, and what the psychological reality of rebuilding looks like for the people who make it through. _____________________________________________ #gambling #casino #psychology #addictionrecovery _____________________________________________ Connect with Dr. Michael Zhang: Website: https://incumental.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drmikezhang Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.mikezhang TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drmikezhang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmikezhang _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: Meet Dr. Michael Zhang 00:18 Dr. Zing's Background and Path to Gambling 01:15 Getting Into Gambling Treatment 03:47 Defining Gambling Addiction 06:13 Recreational Gambling vs. Addiction 06:55 Gambling in Prisons 12:22 The Gambling Industry's Reach 13:20 Prediction Markets: A New Gambling Front 14:17 Celebrities and Influencers Promoting Gambling 19:00 Understanding the Gambling Mode 20:55 Activating the Gambling Mode 23:10 Ian's Story: When Gambling Becomes Survival 24:29 The Birth of a Gambling Mode 26:00 Big Wins and the Illusion of Freedom 29:27 Naming the Gambling Mode 33:59 Naming the Recovery Mode 36:00 Gambling vs. Building a Life 38:28 The Elusiveness of Gambling Wins 41:40 Fake Wins and Real Worth 46:48 Rebuilding and Walking Away 53:20 The Message of Thanks and Goodbye 57:57 A Message to the Younger Self 01:04:09 Gambling and Suicidal Thoughts 01:07:14 Activating Recovery Mode 01:10:01 Supporting Loved Ones with Gambling Addiction 01:12:34 The Ripple Effect of Gambling _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Became a Shot Caller in Federal Prison — Here's What That Life Really Looks Like | Danny Walsh
Danny Walsh grew up in Texas with a mother consumed by addiction and a father who was never in the picture — and when he and his brother essentially raised each other as teenagers on their own the path toward trouble found them both before anyone was old enough to stop it. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares how an early sentence in the Texas Department of Corrections led him to become a peckerwood and join one of the most notorious prison gangs in the Texas system before a federal conviction in his early 20s handed him 25 years and sent him into the most brutal maximum security federal penitentiaries in the United States. He opens up about becoming a shot caller — the power, the rules, the violence and the politics that position actually involves — what spending years in solitary confinement did to him mentally and what the PTSD that prison produced has made reacclimating into society nearly impossible in ways that the system that put him there has done almost nothing to address. _____________________________________________ #shotcaller #federalprison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to HIMS & FACTOR for sponsoring this episode: Hims: Visit https://hims.com/lockedin to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. _____________________________________________ Factor: Head to https://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year, while supplies last until! _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Growing up in a rough Houston neighborhood 04:08 Early drinking and harmful experiences 06:06 Normalizing poverty and abuse 06:55 Time in isolation and breaking down demons 08:15 Fighting to stay un-institutionalized 09:59 The dangers of accepting prison as home 10:40 A bus station lesson in institutionalization 11:40 Refusing to accept a prisoner's life 12:52 Youthful dreams of the military and football 13:48 Arrested and learning the code 15:15 Brother's tough lessons on loyalty 16:32 Drug use and the cycle of incarceration 17:42 Facing federal charges and refusing to snitch 19:43 The deal is a lie: 25-year sentence 22:20 Betrayed by a lawyer and becoming hardened 24:39 Why the excessive sentence? 25:45 Rejecting the state's offer on principle 28:01 Adapting from state to federal politics 29:49 TDC initiation: riots and lockdown 34:05 Surviving lockdown and a cell fire 36:15 Joining a Texas prison gang 38:08 Your gang arrives in the feds 39:37 Taking control and building respect 41:07 The lie of gang philosophy 44:32 The failure of the prison system 46:40 Fighting for resentencing and 11 years over time 48:42 Release: 23 years later and a new world 52:35 Initial struggles with a changed society 54:55 Getting a job and building a new life 58:02 Fired by the state for tattoos 01:00:49 The struggle for identity and self-love 01:02:55 Jail habits that persist 01:04:24 Why not join another white gang? 01:05:43 Misconceptions about white inmates 01:08:12 A fight for respect over a TV 01:13:40 Relationships with other races and gangs 01:18:00 Prison economy and cross-racial business 01:20:18 How did you become a shot caller? 01:23:56 Dispensing justice and avoiding trouble 01:27:10 Sex cases and the white racial code 01:30:40 The meaning behind prison tattoos 01:34:38 Regretting gang involvement and ink 01:36:43 The origins of the Woods and Texas gangs 01:40:22 Are all white guys 'peckerwoods'? 01:41:06 Why did you stay in the gang in the feds? 01:42:08 Treachery within your own ranks 01:45:39 Can the BOP eliminate gangs? 01:49:10 Why the feds keep you divided 01:55:20 The burden of being a shot caller 01:59:40 Becoming an animal and losing yourself 02:02:50 The mental toll and nightmares of prison 02:05:28 Learning to keep your word and integrity 02:08:48 Feeling compelled to violence 02:11:10 Coping with the trauma of solitary 02:14:24 The need for prison reform and support 02:18:15 Released with no help or programs 02:23:52 Job struggles and endless punishment 02:29:36 The ongoing stigma of a felony 02:32:26 Corrupt guards and a lack of control 02:36:10 The chaos of maximum-security life 02:39:20 Debunking the 'sit to pee' myth 02:43:04 You were left alone and the system failed you 02:45:40 Learning to navigate prison safely 02:48:00 Proving yourself and survival instincts 02:50:07 Good guys in bad gangs 02:53:35 A close call with a conspiracy to kill you 03:00:52 Saved from a plot and changing your ways 03:03:39 Why are you here and how did you survive? 03:04:48 The struggle to find a job after power 03:06:48 Women and bad company send men back 03:08:23 Finding peace in a wine bar 03:10:12 Learning to love yourself and move on 03:12:42 Cherishing freedom and family 03:16:32 Advice to your younger self _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Killed Someone in Self Defense — Then Spent 10 Years in Prison Proving It | Erico Montalvo
Erico Montalvo grew up in Rhode Island without a father in the picture and a mother too consumed by the streets to be present — and by the time the system found him he had already cycled through juvenile detention multiple times and built an identity that the streets had shaped long before he was old enough to understand where that path was going. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what happened just days after he turned 18 — an accidental altercation with a veteran that turned into a self-defense situation that ended in the veteran's death — and what being charged with murder instead of recognized as a victim of circumstance actually produced over the ten years he spent fighting his case from inside a Rhode Island county jail before finally taking a manslaughter plea deal and accepting a 13 year sentence. _____________________________________________ #prison #selfdefense #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to FACTOR & HIMS for sponsoring this episode: Factor: Head to https://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year, while supplies last until! _____________________________________________ Hims: Visit https://hims.com/lockedin to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. _____________________________________________ Connect with Erico Montalvo: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RicoStillMadeit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricostillmadeit/ Website: https://linktr.ee/Ricostillmadeit _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Guest Introduction 00:22 Early Life in Providence 02:00 Mother's Mental Health & Upbringing 03:13 Father's Deportation 05:00 Feeling Like an Outsider as a Kid 07:36 First Wrong Turns & Finding Identity 10:31 Gang Culture in Providence 16:00 Homelessness & Juvenile Detention 19:27 Getting His GED in Juvenile 21:00 Sponsor Segment: Factor Meals 23:07 Turning 18 & a Spiritual Warning 28:00 Close Calls on the Streets 30:40 The Night of the Incident 37:22 Fight, Stabbing, and Escape 43:03 Learning the Victim Died 43:50 Realizing the Victim Was a Veteran 47:00 Hiding Out and Seeking Help 50:03 Getting Arrested 52:54 Interrogation & Initially Charged with Murder 01:00:00 First Lawyer & a Broken System 01:05:59 Meeting Dawn Huntley, a New Lawyer 01:09:32 Adapting to Prison Life 01:13:00 Finding Faith in Prison 01:21:00 Starting to Turn His Life Around 01:30:00 Facing a 60-Year Offer 01:37:00 COVID Stalls the Case 01:41:00 Considering Trial 01:49:00 A Shocking Plea Deal: 25 Years with 3 to Serve 01:55:50 Walking Through the Sentence 02:03:11 Release and Adjusting to Freedom 02:08:00 Finding Purpose and New Community 02:14:20 No Regrets and a Mission _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Doctor — Then Got Sent to Federal Prison for 14 Years | Rich Morgan
Rich Morgan graduated from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998, completed his residency at NYU Rusk Medical Center in 2002, and had everything a decade of medical school and training was supposed to produce — until a common dental procedure exposed him to opioids and changed the direction of everything he had spent his career building. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what the ten year opioid addiction that followed that dental procedure actually looked like, what writing fraudulent prescriptions to pharmacies to fuel his addiction and eventually selling prescriptions to drug dealers actually involved, what getting caught after a customer cooperated with the government actually felt like, and what being sentenced to 168 months in federal prison as a doctor — and navigating the federal system as a Jewish inmate — actually required of him before he was finally ready to rebuild what the addiction and the federal system had taken. _____________________________________________ #doctor #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to HIMS & FACTOR for sponsoring this episode: Hims: Visit https://hims.com/lockedin to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. _____________________________________________ Factor: Head to https://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year, while supplies last until! _____________________________________________ Connect with Rich Morgan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richmorgan8761/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-morgan-b45366143 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing Rich Morgan 00:16 Growing Up on Long Island 01:04 Parents and Early Life 01:51 Dreaming of Medicine 02:17 The Incident That Inspired Him 03:33 Fascination with Fixing 04:33 Medical Shows and College 05:31 College and Med School 06:18 What is a DO? 08:46 DO vs MD Schooling 09:57 The Growing Prevalence of DOs 11:05 Salary and Residency 12:15 The First Pill 14:09 The Spiral Begins 15:12 The First Pill Experience 17:19 Dentists and Overprescription 19:30 Writing Himself Prescriptions 21:39 Life at the Height of Addiction 23:12 9/11 and Its Impact 26:10 Sponsor Break: Weight Loss by HIMS 27:33 No Oversight in Hospitals 28:56 Pharmaceutical Wild West 31:16 Self-Image and Dope Sickness 33:16 Patients and Slipping Up 38:53 The Deal with a Dangerous Patient 40:49 Arrest and the Fallout 44:00 Sponsor Break: Factor Meals 46:01 Released on Bail 49:01 Sentenced to 14 Years 52:32 Why No Manslaughter Charge? 56:56 The Real Reason for Selling 58:05 Wife's Reaction and Family Drama 01:01:50 Comparing Sentences: Jared Fogle 01:02:39 Meeting Mobsters in Prison 01:04:33 Father's Support 01:06:06 First Stop: Transfer to Prison 01:07:40 Life at Morgantown 01:12:44 Pedophiles in Prison 01:16:51 Respect as the Doctor 01:20:05 Medical Care in Prison 01:23:24 Jewish Power in the Federal System 01:27:00 Power of the Jewish Community 01:28:25 Money and Influence Behind the Scenes 01:31:03 Taking Advantage of Religious Rights 01:33:52 Smuggling and Prison Life 01:37:08 What Happened to His Medical License 01:43:13 A New Career at His Med School 01:48:49 A Bad First Date 01:51:15 Inmate Dating and Visiting Lists 01:56:40 Final Thoughts and Thanks _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Tango Blast for 10 Years in Federal Prison — Here's What That World Really Looks Like | Eli44
Eli44 grew up in Texas, took to the streets at a young age, did his first bid in the Texas Department of Corrections where he joined the Tango Blasts, and then caught a nearly 15 year federal sentence that sent him into federal medium security facilities and federal penitentiaries where he spent nearly a decade navigating the gang politics, the violence, and the disciplinary transfers that define life as a Tango Blast inside the federal system. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what being a Tango Blast inside the federal system actually looks like — the rules, the politics, the violence, and the specific survival mindset that nearly 10 years inside some of the most brutal federal facilities in the country required of him — and what finally getting out and turning his life completely around actually took after everything those years produced. _____________________________________________ #crimestory #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to FACTOR & HIMS for sponsoring this episode: Factor: Head to https://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year, while supplies last until! _____________________________________________ Hims: Visit https://hims.com/lockedin to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. _____________________________________________ Connect with Eli44: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereal_eli44/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd1XjhE0mMb34j-FwQsez3A/feed TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereal_eli44 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Growing Up in Austin 01:47 Finding the Streets and Music 04:21 Early Hustle and First Arrests 05:59 The Katrina Clash and Carrying a Weapon 08:00 The Music Scene and Getting Deeper 10:10 Jack Boys and Robberies 13:29 Caught with Drugs and a Gun 15:31 Going to TDC and Getting Initiated 18:00 Life in the State Prison 20:00 The Music Blows Up 22:00 Returning to the Drug Game 24:04 The Setup and Getting Caught 34:00 The Arrest and Aftermath 36:48 The Feds Get Involved 40:35 Cartel Pressure and Family Threats 44:00 Federal Sentence and Time in County 47:59 Life in the Federal Pen 54:00 The Politics of the Yard 01:04:00 A Standoff and Stealing an Amp 01:09:00 The Theft and Its Consequences 01:13:00 A Show of Force and Diplomacy 01:20:00 A Fight and a Stabbing 01:29:00 Spiritual Awakening at Atwater 01:36:00 The SMU Program 01:44:00 Meeting Kodak Black 01:50:00 The Horrors of the SMU 01:55:00 Texas Syndicate Rivalry 02:00:00 Life After the SMU 02:00:04 The SMU Experience 02:02:30 Coming Home and New Beginnings 02:04:55 Current Life and Outreach _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBick
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The FBI Set Me Up While I Was Running for Mayor — Then I Got Sent To Prison | PG Sittenfeld
PG Sittenfeld grew up in Ohio in a good family, went to Princeton, worked in nonprofits, and eventually built a three term career on Cincinnati City Council before an unexpected FBI indictment for bribery and extortion — built around an undercover operation he argues never should have produced charges — derailed everything he had spent his career building at the exact moment he was running for mayor. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what the FBI indictment actually looked like, what going to trial and losing some counts actually felt like, what the 16 month sentence and the four months he served inside federal prison actually required of him, and what eventually getting out for appeal, losing that appeal, receiving a pardon from Donald Trump, and then having the Supreme Court rule in his favor actually produced in terms of what he now understands about the federal justice system and the people who run it. _____________________________________________ #fbi #truecrimestories #ohio #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with PG Sittenfeld: https://pgsittenfeld.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing PG Sittenfeld 00:18 Upbringing and family life 04:20 Going to Princeton 07:20 Moving to England 09:07 Returning to Cincinnati 10:40 Running for city council 14:34 Life as an elected official 18:26 The FBI investigation begins 24:50 The cooperating witness 25:44 The prosecutorial Truman Show 31:36 The day of the arrest 44:32 A year and a half to trial 47:45 The trial and the verdict 52:00 The inconsistent verdict 56:20 Jury selection and deliberation 57:31 Sentencing to prison 01:01:42 Reporting to prison camp 01:05:25 Life inside the camp 01:13:43 The Sixth Circuit ruling 01:15:31 Shocking early release 01:19:41 The Supreme Court petition 01:21:52 Receiving a presidential pardon 01:26:18 Lessons learned and moving forward _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was The NYPD Cop Who Sent Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff To Prison & Saved 50 Cent | Bill Courtney
Bill Courtney grew up the son of an NYPD cop, followed his father's footsteps onto the force in the mid-1980s, and spent his career working DEA task forces taking down cartel traffickers in New York City before the rise of rap and the specific world where organized crime and the music industry collided became the defining chapter of everything he did behind the badge. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what working DEA cartel cases in New York City really looked like, what the rise of rap in the 1980s and 1990s produced in terms of street violence and organized crime, what investigating the 50 Cent shooting actually involved, and what the investigation that eventually took down Kenneth Supreme McGriff — one of the most feared and most connected figures in New York street and hip hop history — actually required of the detectives who built it. He also opens up about flipping informants, making deals, the Murder Inc investigation, and the complete truth about corruption inside the music industry that most people who followed those stories from the outside never heard described honestly from the detective who worked them. _____________________________________________ #50cent #nypd #truecrimestories #cops _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Bill Courtney, NYPD Detective 00:20 Growing Up in New York and Joining NYPD 01:45 The Violent Era of New York in the 80s and 90s 03:13 Comparing Crime in Different Generations 05:09 Robbery Culture, Fashion, and Juvenile Crime 06:09 The Crack Era Changes Everything 06:25 Rap Music's Influence on Crime and Culture 09:25 The Anti-Police Sentiment in Rap 10:39 Rap Violence: From Streets to Studios 11:39 Becoming the 'Rap Violence Guy' for NYPD 12:39 From Robbery Squads to DEA Task Force 15:15 Inside Major Drug Interdiction Operations 16:50 The Stash House Busts: Mistakes and Breaks 18:35 Money, Seizures, and Law Enforcement Tactics 23:18 Cooperation and the Federal System's Double-Edged Sword 29:08 Informants, Witness Protection, and Prison Realities 33:33 Managing Informants and Their Pitfalls 36:56 The Supreme Team: Origins and Street Power 42:41 50 Cent, Murder Inc., and the Violent Feud 49:20 Investigation Breakthroughs and Major Arrests 55:00 Building the Supreme Team Case and Trial Pressure 01:02:26 Hip-Hop, Fame, and Street Gang Connections 01:06:26 Music Industry Corruption & Tupac's Shooting 01:11:11 Celebrity Crime and Near Misses—James Woods' Story 01:17:12 Why Do Wealthy Stars Risk It All? 01:20:44 Changing Tides: New Rap, Old Crime, and Industry Shift 01:31:31 Life After NYPD and Podcasting 01:37:08 Family Fallout from Long Sentences 01:42:42 Reflection on Sentencing and Changing Perspectives 01:44:08 Legacy, Training, and Changing Police Culture 01:47:46 Closing Thoughts and Farewell _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a DEA Agent Inside Mexico — Here's the Truth About Cartels Nobody Tells You | Leo Silva
Leo Silva grew up in Texas, was recruited into the DEA at just 22 years old, and spent the next 28 years on the front lines of America's war on drugs — starting with undercover operations in Texas before being stationed in Monterrey Mexico as Resident Agent in Charge where he built cases against the Gulf Cartel and the infamous Los Zetas and eventually rose to Special Agent in Charge. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what hunting cartels from the inside of Mexico really looked like — the undercover buys the high stakes operations the cartel violence and the bureaucracy that most people on the outside never hear about. He also breaks down how cartels have evolved over nearly three decades how Los Zetas changed everything about cartel violence and what the real truth about the war on drugs looks like from the person who lived it on the front lines for 28 years. _____________________________________________ #cops #cartels #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Leo Silva: https://leosilvaauthor.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Leo Silva: DEA Agent's Story 01:18 Growing Up on the Border 02:18 Early Encounters With Cartel Culture 03:32 Choosing DEA Over Teaching 05:03 Training, Family Reactions, and Joining DEA 07:07 First Assignment in Texas 08:18 Undercover Work & Street Smarts 09:55 DEA Training vs. Real-World Experience 12:22 Being a Young Undercover Agent 14:04 Cartel Connections and Local Targets 17:44 Violence and Danger Along the Border 18:56 Cases, Informants, and Prosecution 21:14 Experiencing the Drug Trade Firsthand 24:47 Wiretaps and Changing Technology 27:14 Big Undercover Operations 29:20 Handling Risk and Mental Toll 32:08 Life as a DEA Agent in Texas 36:42 Transferring to Mexico: Bigger Targets 41:09 Adapting to Work in Mexico 44:00 Operations Against Zetas and Cartel Wars 48:19 Cartels, Corruption, and Survival 52:51 Cartel Violence and Evolution 57:08 Prioritizing Cases & Supervisory Challenges 01:01:17 Mexico Operations, Leadership, and Cartel Dynamics 01:07:59 Cartel Power, Money, and Tactics 01:12:00 Personal Toll, Stress & Burnout 01:17:21 Darkest Moments: Loss and Violence 01:19:44 Justice, Reforms & Mexico's Future 01:21:26 Retirement, Recovery, and Life After DEA 01:24:42 Reflections, Writing, and Final Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Vice Lord From Compton — Then Spent 22 Years in Mississippi's Worst Prison | Diaz Aguilar
Diaz Aguilar grew up in Compton California raised by a single mother who struggled with addiction — and when the streets filled the gap the Vice Lords became his family. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares how a trip to Chicago pulled him into the Vice Lords, how a trip to Mississippi ended with a manslaughter charge for something he says he did not do, and what losing at trial and being sentenced to 20 years in Mississippi's most brutal maximum security prison actually felt like for a Vice Lord from Compton who knew he was innocent. He opens up about the prison politics inside Mississippi's worst facility, what life as a Vice Lord inside those walls actually required of him, and what 22 years of wrongful incarceration really does to a person before they find a way to keep going. _____________________________________________ #wrongfulconviction #TrueCrime #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with Diaz Aguilar: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diaz_santiago_55?igsh=MTZvMWkxM2U4MDB6dA== _____________________________________________ Buy his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZYDGM5J?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_Y0MGDT0AZRAAQKJ14QC9&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_Y0MGDT0AZRAAQKJ14QC9&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_apan_dp_Y0MGDT0AZRAAQKJ14QC9&bestFormat=true&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaccY68BMUhqLOhGfqVyG5b0jFGHckUvPBwgIetA_Sm_iCFscImzCEQEJWavmA_aem_mhRhsWedJChoBH70P-GvTA&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig ____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Diaz Aguilar's Story 00:18 Growing Up in Compton 01:41 Mother's Addiction & Early Hardships 03:59 Friendships & Finding Family 05:04 Reflections on Mother-Son Relationship 07:36 Childhood Trouble & Gang Influence 09:01 Neighborhood Gangs and Associations 10:03 Joining the Vice Lords 13:13 Gang Symbolism & Identity 14:55 Dreams, Aspirations, and Early Outlook 16:18 School Life and Influential Teacher 17:52 Writing Inspiration & Starting a Book 21:02 Adoption, Family Changes & Moving to Mississippi 25:31 Troubled Adoption and Feeling Isolated 28:44 Mississippi: New Beginnings and Trouble 31:31 The Incident: Manslaughter Charge 38:12 Court, Trial, and Sentencing 43:03 Life in Mississippi State Penitentiary 50:12 Gang Dynamics and Prison Politics 01:00:19 Economics of Prison: Protection and Extortion 01:08:45 Adapting and Surviving in Prison 01:13:15 Solitary Confinement and Mental Health 01:17:51 Struggles for Justice & Maintaining Innocence 01:23:00 Life After Release: Reentry Challenges 01:24:47 Relationships, Intimacy & PTSD 01:26:34 Making Peace and Coping with Trauma 01:33:32 Thoughts on Gang Life Now 01:34:12 Wisdom Gained: Reflections on Life 01:35:50 Life Today: Work, Books & New Beginnings 01:38:40 Closing Thoughts & Farewell _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Texas Gang Member, Dope Dealer & Pimp — Then I Got Sent to Prison | Tamara Cook
Tamara Cook grew up poor in a small Texas town with eight siblings, a mother struggling to hold everything together, and a biological father who was never in the picture — and when her babysitter started abusing her at just seven years old the life she deserved was already being taken from her before she was old enough to understand what was happening. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, she shares how her mother fell into addiction and began pimping her out, how her parents splitting sent everything into further chaos, how she eventually started selling drugs herself and ultimately became a pimp — the exact monster she had always been afraid of and never wanted to become. She opens up about her own addiction the relationships the multiple children she was raising in the middle of everything, and what a seven year sentence in the Texas Department of Corrections finally did to give her back the life that started being taken from her when she was seven years old. _____________________________________________ #womeninprison #TrueCrime #redemptionstory #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with Tamara Cook: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@tamarasherrell87?si=0laBG70KXTx69hZI TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nobodybby87?_r=1&_t=ZP-98ZtlRlPlcc _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Tamara Cook Introduction 00:21 Growing Up in Amarillo 02:02 Early Family Life & Childhood Memories 06:46 Life Changes at Age Seven 09:05 Abuse and Family Struggles 13:17 Mother's Addiction Begins 20:28 Role Reversal: Becoming the Caregiver 23:12 Trauma, Betrayal & Survival 27:01 Deeper Into Abuse and Neglect 33:32 Adolescence in Chaos 39:00 Survival and First Crimes 43:43 Turning to the Streets & Dealing 49:57 Dealing Drugs and Gang Life 58:00 Solo Survival and Criminal Hustle 01:05:30 Becoming a Dealer and a Pimp 01:14:00 Running Operations and Family Fallout 01:26:02 Violence, Survival & Self-Defense 01:35:29 From Teen Mom to Emancipation 01:46:06 Trying to Be a 'Normal' Wife & Mother 01:56:02 Losing Children and Hitting Rock Bottom 02:05:40 Falling into Addiction 02:11:00 Deep Addiction, Homelessness & Jail Time 02:24:00 Year Under Investigation & Final Arrest 02:33:50 Prison: The Breaking Point 02:46:00 Life Changing Years Inside 03:02:00 Release, Recovery & Faith 03:14:00 Domestic Violence and New Beginnings 03:18:00 Career, Ministry, and Healing 03:26:00 Mother's Redemption and Passing 03:33:00 Forgiveness, Recovery and Purpose 03:35:51 Reflection & Message of Hope _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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My Reality TV Star Ex Accused Me of Attempted Murder at a Boat Party — Here's My Side of the Story | Cole Goldberg
Cole Goldberg was 22 years old when his girlfriend — a woman who appeared on the TLC reality TV show 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After — accused him of attempted murder at the 2022 Boca Bash, a massive annual boating event in Lake Boca Raton, claiming he held her head underwater during an argument on the boat. He was charged with attempted second-degree murder, domestic battery by strangulation, and simple battery — and spent nearly four years fighting those charges before finally going to trial. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares his complete account of what happened that day on the water, what facing an attempted murder charge for nearly four years actually required of him, why he turned down a plea deal that would have required six months in jail and three years of probation rather than accept a felony conviction, and what the judge's not guilty verdict on all counts actually produced in someone who spent four years living under the most serious accusation available. _____________________________________________ #florida #attemptedmurder #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Cole Goldberg: https://www.instagram.com/lmcolee/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:01 Moving to Florida and Sports Life 02:13 College, Law Aspirations, and Life Changes 03:14 Bokea Bash: Setting the Scene 05:20 Day of the Incident: Boating and Tensions 07:52 Boat Hopping, Parties, and Escalation 09:13 Drinking, Arguments, and Boat Incident 12:13 Accusations Begin and Sequence of Events 16:13 Events Escalate: The Swimming Incident 20:22 Alleged Drowning and Confrontation 24:22 Police Arrive: Investigation and Arrests 29:13 In Jail: The Fallout and Media Frenzy 33:39 Public Opinion, Press Coverage, and Personal Fallout 37:12 Legal Struggles and Ongoing Trials 41:52 Criminal Trials and Legal Delays 45:16 The Court of Public Opinion and Advocating Change 49:40 Defense Strategy and Trial Outcomes 52:32 Final Trial, Verdict, and Life After the Case 56:00 Lessons Learned, Moving Forward, and Advocacy _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Rode Solo as a Mexican in Texas Prison — Here's How I Survived | Hollyhood Texus
Hollyhood Texus (Luis Murillo) grew up in the gang infested neighborhoods of Chicago before his family moved to Dallas, Texas hoping to give him a better life — but with his parents splitting and his teenage years split between Mexico and Texas the path toward trouble found him anyway. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares how robberies led to multiple stints in Dallas County Jail before a felony robbery and gun charge landed him a seven year sentence in the Texas prison system — where he faced something most inmates never have to navigate alone. As a Mexican with no gang affiliation and no crew to back him up Luis rode solo through one of the most politically charged prison systems in the country, surviving the racial politics the daily danger and a race riot that got him transferred to maximum security — before finally getting released after four and a half years and turning his life completely around. _____________________________________________ #texas #TrueCrime #prison _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Connect with Hollyhood Texus: https://www.instagram.com/hollyhoodtexus?igsh=bDBreDFjZXdtdDVz _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Luis's Early Life 00:22 Growing Up in Chicago and Family Roots 03:00 Early Encounters with Crime & Trauma 05:30 Moving to Texas & Adapting to a New Life 07:30 Struggles with Family and School 10:45 Culture Clash & Visits to Mexico 14:00 Growing Up, Family Split & Impact 16:15 Life Changes After Parents' Divorce 18:57 First Steps Into the Streets 21:00 Rebelling & Losing Direction 23:00 High School Life & First Arrest 27:30 First Jail Experience & Aftermath 32:00 Street Family, Not a Gang 39:00 How Luis Ended Up in Prison 44:00 Aggravated Robbery & Choices 49:00 Prison Sentencing and Reflection 53:00 First Prison Unit – Life Inside 01:00:00 Prison Society, Rules & Racial Tensions 01:12:00 Race Riot Incident & Transfer to Max Security 01:24:00 Maximum Security: Survival & Adapting 01:34:00 Mentality Shift, Influence & Gaining Wisdom 01:43:00 Bonding in Prison, Real Friendship 01:48:00 Release, Rebuilding, and Survivors Guilt 01:54:00 Relationships & Lessons After Prison 02:00:00 Building a New Life & Business 02:02:00 Product Launch & Health Awareness 02:04:30 Final Reflections & Words to Younger Self 02:05:20 Outro & Closing Remarks _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Texas Meth Dealer — Then I Got 20 Years in Federal Prison | Tara Perry
Tara Perry grew up in Texas with her father out of the picture, raised by her mother and grandparents in a family where functioning addiction was just part of daily life — which is how she first got exposed to meth as a teenager and started using at just 13 years old. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, she shares how she dropped out of school in ninth grade, had her first child at 16, spent six months in state prison before a five year sentence in the Texas Department of Corrections before she was even 20 years old, and stayed hooked on meth from age 13 all the way to 26 — always managing to get sober inside jail or prison before the cycle started again on the outside. She opens up about eventually starting to sell meth, getting connected to a major organization, having multiple children while in and out of addiction, and what happened when someone close to her snitched and the DEA came knocking. She was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison — and spent seven of those years inside a Texas federal facility before Donald Trump pardoned her on the last day of his first term. _____________________________________________ #prison #addictionrecovery #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Connect with Tara Perry: https://www.instagram.com/princesstara.3313/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Early Life 03:50 Childhood, Family & Identity 09:50 First Exposure to Drugs 16:00 Teenage Drug Use & Relationships 23:00 First Criminal Charges & Jail Experience 31:30 Life After First Incarceration 39:00 Motherhood and Continued Addiction 47:00 Second Prison Sentence & Having a Baby in Jail 55:30 Release, Relapse, and Escalating Drug Trade 01:03:30 DEA Bust and Facing Federal Charges 01:10:00 Sentencing and Time in Federal Prison 01:18:00 Life, Change, and Purpose in Prison 01:29:00 Clemency and Life After Prison 01:36:00 Growth, Healing, and Closing Reflections _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I'm a Texas Syndicate Member Who Spent 20 Years in State & Federal Prison — Here's What That World Really Looks Like | Cris Bazan
Cris Bazan grew up in Texas, started gang banging as a young teenager, and eventually started his own street gang with his brother before a nine year sentence in the Texas state prison system at 17 years old pulled him into the Texas Syndicate — setting off 20 years of life inside some of the most violent correctional facilities in the country. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he describes what the Texas prison system looked like in the early 2000s, what starting wars with gangs like Tango Blast actually involved, what getting confirmed and validated as a Texas Syndicate member meant and what getting sent to the SHU after validation really looked like, and how violent the state system was during that era. He also opens up about catching a federal sentence after his release, spending five years in the toughest federal penitentiaries in the United States, and what the difference between state and federal prison as a Texas Syndicate member really revealed about which world was more dangerous. _____________________________________________ #texas #truecrimecommunity #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with Cris Bazan: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@crisbazan956?si=TdKdn0F5XQio-fLu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1MDHYTuCuD/?mibextid=wwXIfr TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crisbazan956?_r=1&_t=ZP-97vDdgMbs4N Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crisbazan956?igsh=MXByeG4xeHppa2l0eA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing Cris Bazan's Story 01:00 Upbringing, Family, and Early Gangs 05:00 Creating N2P and First Gang Experiences 10:00 Entering Prison and Joining Texas Syndicate 16:00 Prison Politics and Survival Tactics 21:00 Gang Wars, Rivalries, and Institutional Life 27:00 Solitary Confinement and Its Impact 36:00 Transition to Federal Prison Life 41:00 Life and Politics in Federal Prison 46:00 Transfers, Riots, and Prison Hierarchies 52:00 Life After Release & Reintegration Challenges 01:01:00 Family, Regret, and Hopes for the Future 01:09:00 Plans, Reflection, and Final Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I'm a Forensic Psychologist — Here's What I Saw Working Inside LA County Jail & Mental Hospitals | Dr. Leslie Dobson
Dr. Leslie Dobson is a clinical and forensic psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working inside LA County Jail, state psychiatric hospitals, and court-related psychological assessments across California. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, she shares the complete truth about what the criminal mind really looks like from the inside — and what most people fundamentally misunderstand about psychology, crime, and the justice system. She breaks down whether someone can fake not guilty by reason of insanity, what it really means to be a psychopath, why people are so fascinated with serial killers and true crime, what mental health hospitals are really like, and whether inmates deserve a second chance after prison. _____________________________________________ #psychologist #criminalminds #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Connect with Dr. Leslie Dobson: Website: https://drlesliedobson.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlesliedobson?igsh=MWs4M2JrZWRpd3hoOA== _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing Dr. Leslie Dobson 00:22 Family History and Early Influences 03:13 Finding Her Path: Education & Adversity 07:51 Surviving Major Health Challenges 14:10 Forensic Psychology Career Beginnings 19:21 Naivety, Manipulation & Lessons in Jail 23:19 State Hospitals and High-Risk Populations 27:00 Complexity of Mental Illness in Institutions 34:00 Violence, Psychopathy, and Untreatable Cases 39:02 Staff Dynamics & Institutional Corruption 43:41 True Crime, Fan Mail, and Media Fascination 51:20 Social Media, Justice, and Public Advocacy 58:46 Sexual Abuse Laws, Inconsistencies, and Second Chances 01:06:34 Civil Work, Emotional Damages, and Lie Detection 01:14:00 Psychopaths, Social Life, and Professional Challenges 01:18:43 Second Chances: Prison vs. Sex Offenses 01:25:12 Complexities of Sex Offense Cases 01:31:00 Endless Cycle of Evil & Protecting the Innocent 01:36:03 Broken System, Court Corruption, and Podcasting's Role 01:42:06 Solutions, Screening Staff, and The Path Forward 01:42:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a White Guy Who Became a Blood in a Texas Max Security Prison — Here's How I Survived It | Timothy Greisheimer
Timothy Greisheimer grew up in Ohio before his family moved to Texas — and with his father out of the picture and his mother doing what she could, the streets filled in the gaps before he was old enough to understand what that really meant. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares how teenage robberies and a love for stealing and selling guns led to an eight year sentence in the Texas prison system, what getting sent to a brutal maximum security facility really looked like, and how he made one of the most dangerous decisions available inside those walls — leaving the white gang he ran with and becoming a Blood as a white man inside a Texas max security prison. He navigates the politics the violence and the daily reality of what that decision really cost him before finally getting out, becoming a major meth dealer, spending nearly ten years on the run, getting caught again, and doing another fifteen years in Texas — this time converting to Islam before finishing his sentence as a peckerwood, learning to tattoo, and finally turning his life completely around. _____________________________________________ #texas #TrueCrime #ganglife #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with Timothy Greisheimer: https://www.instagram.com/tattoos_bykriminalkustoms?igsh=ZnQwYW03dWQ4bjN6 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Early Life 01:18 Family Background & Moving 04:18 Trouble in Childhood 06:26 Starting Crime & Identity Search 11:14 Influences & Role Models 13:24 Gang Life & Friend Groups 20:45 First Arrest & Prison Sentence 29:39 Entering Maximum Security Prison 41:52 Navigating Prison Politics 52:02 Switching Sides in Prison 01:04:05 Consequences & Proving Himself 01:23:00 Parole & Getting Out 01:42:59 Returning to the Streets 01:58:38 Climbing the Drug World 02:19:52 Avoiding Law Enforcement 02:35:27 Probation Violation & Back to Prison 03:14:41 Second Prison Bid & Leaving Gangs 03:34:03 Life After Prison 03:52:54 Lessons Learned & Reflections 04:04:39 Advice to the Next Generation _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Prosecutor at the Suffolk County DA's Office — Here's the Truth About the Justice System | Chase Brown
Chase Brown followed his father's footsteps into law went to law school and became a prosecutor at the Suffolk County District Attorney's office. For three years he prosecuted cases dealt with victims and defendants navigated bail issues and a backlogged court system picked juries and offered plea deals that shaped people's lives. Then he left to become a private criminal defense attorney at his father's firm — putting him on the opposite side of everything he had spent three years doing. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Chase shares the complete truth about what the justice system really looks like from the inside — the cases he will never forget the problems with bail the issues with the jury system the backlog destroying the courts and what working as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney actually revealed about the system he operates in every single day. _____________________________________________ #lawyer #justicesystem #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Thank you to CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Chase Brown: https://michaelbrownlaw.net/chase-brown/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Chase Brown's Legal Journey 03:00 Early Life, Family, and Career Choices 09:00 Law School Experiences and AI's Impact 17:00 Becoming a Prosecutor: Trials and Skills 26:00 Handling Overwhelming Caseloads 33:00 Courtroom Realities: Early Cases and Lessons 39:00 Body Cameras and Police Accountability 46:00 Plea Deals and Prosecutorial Ethics 52:00 Inside the Prosecutor's Role and Personal Impact 01:00:00 Public Defenders and the Legal Community 01:08:00 Trial Law, Juries, and System Challenges 01:18:00 Memorable Cases and Domestic Violence Realities 01:25:00 Switching Sides: Moving to Criminal Defense 01:31:00 Defending the Accused: Ethics and Morality 01:34:00 Reflecting on Lessons Learned _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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I Was a Texas Cop — Then I Spent 20 Years in Prison | Kent McGowen
Kent McGowen grew up in Texas in a good family with a father in the oil business and a brother who became a cop — served honorably in the United States Air Force became a Houston police officer and eventually became a sheriff's deputy in Harris County. In August 1992 while executing a felony warrant as part of a larger weapons operation the situation escalated when the woman he was there to arrest pulled a gun on him. He warned her repeatedly to drop the weapon before firing in what he says was an act of self defense. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares how the DA's office pursued him even after internal affairs cleared the shooting, what two separate trials and two separate convictions looked like from the inside, how the judge sentenced him to 20 years in the Texas prison system, what surviving as a former cop inside Texas's most brutal prisons actually required of him, and why he believes the corruption that sent him there runs far deeper than anyone in that system ever wanted to admit. _____________________________________________ #prisonlife #texas #truecrimestories #police _____________________________________________ Thank you to CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Kent McGowen: https://www.givesendgo.com/G31TC _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing Kent McGoen's Story 02:00 Early Life & Family Background 05:30 High School Days & Military Influence 09:00 Entering Law Enforcement 15:00 Houston PD: Training & Early Career 19:30 Police Culture & Relationships 27:00 Transition to Harris County Sheriff's Office 32:00 Challenges with Leadership & Policing in the 90s 38:00 Notorious Colleagues & On-the-Job Stories 47:30 Building Up to the Incident 54:00 The Fatal Warrant & Shooting 01:05:00 Crime Scene, Investigation, and Setup 01:15:00 Legal Proceedings & First Trial 01:28:00 Second Trial & Corrupt Defense 01:42:00 Prison Life Begins: Intake & Adjusting 01:51:00 Experiences, Survival & Prison Culture 02:08:00 Navigating Gangs, Politics & the Parole System 02:24:00 Years in Prison & Struggling for Release 02:37:00 Breaking Point, Allies, and a New Chance 02:54:00 Life After Release & Continuing the Fight 03:06:00 Clearing His Name & Seeking Justice 03:15:00 Final Thoughts and Message to the Audience _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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I Was a Gangbanger in New Jersey — Did 84 Months In Prison— Then a Bullet Finally Woke Me Up | Davione Warren
Davione Warren grew up in New Jersey without his father in the picture. His mother worked hard to give him and his siblings a better life — but the streets pulled him in young. Gang life juvenile detention and drug dealing became all he knew. He wanted to use street life to fund a future in music — but instead he did state time in his late teens and caught a federal case in his early 20s that resulted in 84 months in federal prison. When he finally got out a shooting almost took his life — and that moment became the most eye opening and most life changing experience of everything he had been through. _____________________________________________ #newjersey #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Davione Warren: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@moreless050?si=_40DSZLIR35CUovf TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@moreless0506?_r=1&_t=ZP-97UZA6yMyek Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moreless050?utm_source=qr _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & Early Life 01:26 Childhood in East Orange 03:31 Family Life & Influence of the Streets 06:32 Growing Up with Absent Father 08:41 Playing, Stealing, and Choosing Paths 10:26 Gang Culture and Block Identity 12:20 Building Brotherhood in Gangs 14:43 Unity, Loyalty, and Betrayal 15:47 First Arrests & Juvenile Charges 18:41 Getting Caught Up by the System 20:26 Life in Juvenile & Adult Jails 22:26 Gang Life in Jail – Separation & Rivalries 27:34 School Years, Hustles, and Dropping Out 33:25 Music Dreams & Hustling for Success 36:39 Detours: Arrests, Parole, and Gun Cases 41:07 Life Changing Sentencing & State Prison 45:05 Three Years Down State – Shaping Up 47:57 Rapping in Prison & Gang Dynamics 49:01 Coming Home Focused on the Streets 51:38 Catching a Federal Case 54:43 The ATF Arrest & Interrogation 57:57 Paperwork, Informants, and Sentencing 01:02:01 Federal Prison Life – Transfers & Routines 01:09:39 Respect & Prison Codes 01:19:31 Life at Fort Dicks – Stories & Incidents 01:26:41 Life After Prison & Legal Battles 01:30:00 Life-Changing Shooting & Recovery 01:33:03 Perspective, Reflection, and Survival _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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A Corrupt Cop & a Good Cop Sit Down Face to Face — Nothing Is Off Limits | Kyle Overmyer & Michael Smith
Kyle Overmyer was a cop who crossed the line — battled addiction and ended up in prison. Michael Smitty Smith was a Philadelphia prison guard and cop who spent his entire career on the right side of the badge. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick they sit down face to face for the first time — and nothing is off limits. They go deep on what creates a corrupt cop, how former officers are treated inside prison, what prison actually does to people who have worn a badge, whether someone who betrayed the badge can ever truly earn trust back and the moral dilemmas that reveal exactly who each of them really is. _____________________________________________ #corruption #cops #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Thank you to NOCD & CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: NOCD: visit https://www.treatmyocd.com/ to book a free 15-minute call _____________________________________________ CASH APP: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Kyle Overmyer: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyle.overmyer.16/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-overmyer-ba-cei-345b55203 Book: https://www.amazon.sg/Prison-Prodigy-Power-Purpose-Reborn/dp/B0GX2CT7GB _____________________________________________ Connect with Michael "Smith" Smitty: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EPRh9W5yE/?mibextid=wwXIfr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smittymike2999?igsh=NG1ycThxcTljZDc2 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions & Backgrounds 04:45 First Impressions: Cops Crossing the Line 07:00 The Meaning of the Badge After Crisis 09:45 Corruption: Could It Happen to You? 13:13 Mental Health in Law Enforcement 17:13 Accountability & Protecting Problem Officers 21:27 Understanding Corruption: Causes & Consequences 26:47 Department Responses & Second Chances 30:33 Cops, DUIs, and Public Perception 34:49 Losing Faith in Policing? 37:54 Treatment of Officer-Inmates in Prison 44:43 Can Prison Rehabilitate? Programs & Second Chances 50:16 Re-Entry and Life After Release 57:00 Earning Back Trust & Second Acts 01:00:55 Why Honest Dialogues Matter To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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608
I Went to an Ivy League School — Made $60K a Week Selling Weed — Then Got 5 Years in Federal Prison | Kai "Verse" Tyler
Kai "Verse" Tyler had every advantage — a great upbringing in New Jersey a successful mother who pushed him to do better an Ivy League education and a promising career in the music business. But despite all of that he was a hustler. What started as selling weed as a teenager scaled into the big leagues — flying pounds across the country working with major connects and generating $60,000 a week in profit at his prime. He made millions in the weed game while simultaneously building a strong reputation as a music executive. Then someone in his crew set him up and the feds caught up with everything — resulting in a 5 year federal sentence. _____________________________________________ #college #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Kai "Verse" Tyler: https://www.instagram.com/clothtalkverse/?hl=en _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Guest Background 03:33 Upbringing & Early Influences 09:07 Private School, College, and Family Lessons 15:28 Early Hustles & Legal Troubles 21:48 Music Industry Ambitions & Double Life 26:39 Scaling Up: From Small Time to Big Weight 34:52 Making Major Connections & Going Nationwide 43:22 The Downfall: Setups, Betrayal, and the Bust 54:34 Getting Caught, Legal Maneuvers & Sentencing 01:00:12 Federal Time: Prison Strategy & Survival 01:13:40 Lessons, Regrets, and Reentry 01:22:38 Life After Prison & Staying Out of Trouble 01:34:08 Detailed Prison Stories & Takeaways 01:52:33 Final Reflections & Closing Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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607
I Spent 45 Years as a Cop — Here's How Policing Changed & What Nobody Is Saying Out Loud | John Krupinsky
John Krupinsky grew up in Danbury Connecticut in a law enforcement family — his father and brother were both cops. He followed that path starting in Ridgefield before joining the Danbury Police Department where he spent 45 years working undercover becoming a sergeant and a detective running drug busts and working alongside federal agencies. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, John shares the complete truth about what 45 years in law enforcement really looked like — from policing in the 80s and 90s to undercover work to drug busts to the city's relationship with federal agencies to his take on local cops working with ICE to why it is harder to be a cop today to dealing with social media and first amendment auditors to massage parlor busts to encountering Ian personally when he owned a club in Danbury to going viral to the Black Lives Matter movement. _____________________________________________ #cops #police #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to GLD & FACTOR for sponsoring this episode: GLD: New customers get 40% Off with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/ _____________________________________________ Factor: Head to http://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). _____________________________________________ Connect with John Krupinsky: https://www.instagram.com/johnkrupinsky/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to John Karpinsky 00:54 Growing Up in a Policing Family 02:27 Starting a Career in Richfield and Danbury 05:48 Life and Work in Small Town Policing 07:41 Homelessness and Community Solutions 10:54 The Evolution of Policing Culture 14:04 Changing Crime Trends and the Drug Epidemic 18:48 Danbury's Unique Crime Profile and Law Enforcement Tactics 21:52 Gangs, Task Forces, and Major Cases 27:03 Undercover Work and Policing Methods Then vs. Now 34:44 Tech Advancements & Challenges in Modern Policing 39:35 Working with Federal Agencies & Major Takedowns 47:00 Cooperating with ICE and Local vs. Federal Law Enforcement 01:00:44 Navigating Police Department Administration and Patrol 01:04:38 Stories from the Danbury Nightclub Scene 01:11:28 Dive Team Dangers and Notable Local Cases 01:15:01 Drug Busts, Asset Forfeiture, and Ongoing Enforcement 01:20:27 Massage Parlors, Prostitution, and Community Issues 01:23:50 Most Impactful Cases and Coping with Trauma 01:32:00 Community Policing, Respect, and Building Relationships 01:37:07 Going Viral and Entering the Media Spotlight 01:44:42 Career Reflections and Lessons Learned 01:53:00 First Amendment Auditors and Modern Challenges 01:58:14 Closing Thoughts and Reflections _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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606
I Was a Blood in Brooklyn — Then Got 16 Years in Prison | Sabu Stanley
Sabu Stanley grew up in Brooklyn and lost his father to cancer as a child. His mother kept him grounded and out of trouble — until she passed from cancer too. Without her the streets of Brooklyn became his family. His first run in with the law sent him to Rikers Island where he became a Blood. Gang life eventually led to a 16 year sentence in New York State prison. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Sabu tells the complete story — from losing both parents to the streets taking him in to Rikers Island in the 90s and early 2000s to becoming a Blood to rising as a major drug player in Brooklyn to the 16 year sentence that defined the next chapter of everything. _____________________________________________ #brooklyn #rikersisland #crime _____________________________________________ Thank you to FACTOR & GLD for sponsoring this episode: Factor: Head to http://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). _____________________________________________ GLD: New customers get 40% Off with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/ _____________________________________________ Connect with Sabu Stanley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealflytye/?hl=en facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabu.stanley.2025 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & Early Life 03:39 Losing His Parents & Impact on Upbringing 07:03 Staying Out of Trouble & Influences 10:55 Financial Pressures and Turning Point 14:20 First Steps Into the Streets 18:31 Early Drug Dealing & Dropping Out 21:11 From Streets to Running With Marcy Projects Crew 24:47 Music, Hustling, and Getting Caught 27:26 First Arrests and Introduction to Bloods 30:28 Life in Rikers Island & Joining the Bloods 33:12 Return to the Streets After Jail 43:01 Running His Own Block & Conflicts 47:15 Brooklyn Hustler Lifestyle in His 20s 53:05 Getting Shot by Police & Arrest 01:03:52 Fighting His Legal Case & Jail Lessons 01:13:04 Serving 16 Years & Mental Transformation 01:21:01 Lessons From Prison & Pursuing a New Path 01:29:40 Final Reflections & Future Plans _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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605
I Was a Chicago Gang Member Running Drugs for the Cartel — Then Got Locked Up in a Mexican Prison | Julio Almanza
Julio Almanza grew up in Chicago after his father walked out — and that loss set everything in motion. The streets became his family the Satan Disciples became his identity and the Mexican cartel became his employer. At just 17 years old he was caught smuggling drugs on the Mexico side of the border and spent the next four years locked up in a Mexican prison before being transferred to federal custody in the United States. When he got out he went straight back. Ten more years in federal prison followed. He left the Satan Disciples and joined the Latin Kings — and his former gang immediately put hits out on him. He survived moved to Arizona to start over ended up back inside and finally turned his life around completely. _____________________________________________ #cartel #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to GLD & FACTOR for sponsoring this episode: GLD: New customers get 40% Off with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/ _____________________________________________ Factor: Head to http://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). _____________________________________________ Connect with Julio Almanza: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrongtostrong/?hl=en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/wrongtostrong Website: https://wrongtostrong.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Julio's Early Life and Family Pain 05:00 Surviving Abuse and Finding the Streets 10:00 Gang Life and Chicago's Dark Side 15:00 Early Cartel Ties & First Smuggling Runs 20:00 Inside the Drug Trade as a Teen 25:00 Getting Caught and Surviving Mexican Prison 35:00 Mental Health, Trauma & Hustling in Prison 42:00 Addiction, Rock Bottom and Hard Lessons 48:00 Transfer to US Prison & Early Federal Release 54:00 Life After Prison: Back in the Game 01:00:00 Cartel, Betrayal, and Escaping Chicago 01:07:00 Arizona: Trying to Go Straight & More Mistakes 01:12:00 Turning Point: Inside for the Last Time 01:18:00 Final Release and True Transformation 01:24:00 Reflections, Redemption & Helping Others _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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604
I Rose From Guard to Warden at Rikers Island — Here's the Truth About America's Most Violent Jail | Howard Robertson
Howard Robertson had every reason to go down the wrong path. His parents died. His siblings were in the streets. But instead of following them he chose corrections — and over a 22 year career from the late 1970s to the early 2000s he rose from correctional officer to captain to deputy warden to warden of Rikers Island — the largest and most violent jail in America. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Howard pulls back the curtain on everything — from his brutal upbringing to what made him choose corrections to what Rikers Island looked like from the inside during its most violent era to the notorious inmates he encountered to how programs reduced violence to how politicians destroyed what it could have been to the problems with closing it and what the future of Rikers Island really looks like. _____________________________________________ #rikersisland #jail #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Thank you to FACTOR & GLD for sponsoring this episode: Factor: Head to http://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). _____________________________________________ GLD: New customers get 40% Off with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/ _____________________________________________ Connect with Howard Robertson: https://www.amazon.com/Student-Game-Become-Unstoppable-Smarts/dp/1977283896 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Howard Robertson's Unlikely Journey 01:12 Overcoming Tragedy and Choices 02:29 Early Mindset: Learning from Role Models 03:53 Shooting for the Moon: Mentorship & Goals 05:02 Rising Above Average Through Hard Work 07:01 Is Drive Innate or Learned? 07:42 Family, Bad Paths, and Purpose 08:03 Helping Inmates and Preventing Recidivism 09:36 From Speaking to Writing: Reaching Youth 10:16 Authenticity in Storytelling: Why the Book Matters 11:01 Personal Stories: Bullying, Friendship, and Impact 13:02 How the Past Shapes Leadership Style 14:47 Navigating Street Ties Inside Rikers 18:00 Inmate Politics and Safe Resolutions 21:22 Respect, Boundaries & Saying No 23:40 Life Lessons and Staying Clean 24:43 Sponsor Segment: Factor Meals 27:40 Entering Corrections: Career Choice 29:34 Knowing the Community: Double-Edged Sword 30:14 Respect, Fairness, and Avoiding Violence 32:00 Overcrowding, Programs, and Jail Services 34:49 Correctional Culture: Then and Now 36:32 Political Changes & Rikers' Decline 41:13 Burough Jails, Funding, and Flawed Solutions 44:43 Sponsor Segment: GLD Chains 45:56 Corrections Leadership & Barriers to Progression 47:13 Mass Incarceration, Bad Policy, and Population Issues 51:01 Physical Conditions & Racial Makeup 54:35 Bail, Releases, and Systemic Injustice 56:39 Promotions, Process & Rules of the System 01:00:31 Programs: Entertainment and Violence Reduction 01:03:35 The Winner's Dorm: Transforming Inmates 01:04:41 Solitary Confinement: Problems & Alternatives 01:08:06 Expanding Special Housing and Culture Change 01:10:44 Medical, Mental Health, and Malingering 01:13:36 Mental Health, Career Impact and Life After 01:14:50 Defining Real Success for Youth 01:15:55 Numbers that Shock: Mass Incarceration 01:17:00 Notorious and Celebrity Inmates 01:18:36 Retirement, New Mission, and Legacy 01:18:56 Biggest Takeaways: Excuse-Free Success 01:19:56 Book Recommendation & Final Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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I Was Abused as a Child and Lost Friends on 9/11 — Then I Became an NYPD Cop | Pasquale Sementilli
Pasquale Sementilli was born to Italian immigrants who built their life in America — and he became an American citizen himself in his late teens after passing the test. What nobody knew was that as a child he had been sexually abused by a neighbor — something he carried completely alone for years while navigating construction work womanizing and alcohol abuse after high school. Then he lost two close friends on 9/11. And that loss pushed him toward something bigger — the NYPD. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Pasquale shares the complete story — from his Italian immigrant upbringing to the childhood abuse nobody knew about to his years in construction to losing friends on 9/11 to becoming an NYPD officer in 2003 to working some of the worst precincts in New York City to responding to child abuse cases as a victim himself to the calls that still haunt him to his medical retirement after a line of duty injury in 2011 and what he carries from all of it today. _____________________________________________ #nypd #survivor #truecrimecommunity #cops _____________________________________________ Connect with Pasquale Sementilli: https://www.instagram.com/pasqny757575?igsh=MW5iOThiYWZkcno1dw== _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Son of Italian Immigrants Who Became an NYPD Officer — Pasquale's Full Story 04:41 Growing Up in an Immigrant Family and the Values That Shaped Everything 07:20 The Childhood Experience He Carried Completely Alone and What That Did to Him 13:01 The Impact of That Trauma and the Self Destruction That Followed 22:00 Choosing Construction and Trucking and What That Career Path Really Looked Like 25:53 Becoming a US Citizen and What Joining the NYPD Really Required 33:34 His NYPD Application Journey and What That Process Really Involved 40:00 Starting as a Police Officer in New York City and What Those First Days Required 47:42 Responding to the Hardest Cases on the Job and What That Personally Triggered in Him 54:00 Coping With Difficult Calls and the Emotional Impact That Followed 01:01:12 Street Policing — the Lessons the Risks and the Stories That Defined His Career 01:10:06 Handling Pressure Pranks and What Working the Street Really Looked Like 01:16:40 The Policing Culture Shift and What Discretion Really Means in Practice 01:20:20 Discretion Humanity and the Challenges That Define Modern Policing 01:27:04 The Memorable Cases That Still Stay With Him Today 01:31:00 Child Neglect and the Reality of City Life That Most People Never See 01:34:39 Community Family Structures and the Cycles That Define Generational Struggle 01:36:12 His Retirement His Injury and What Moving On Really Required 01:40:07 Finding Closure Healing and What Life After the Job Really Looks Like 01:46:01 Finding Meaning Support and the New Purpose That Followed Everything He Survived _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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602
I Moved Kilos of Heroin for $30 Million+ a Year — Then the Feds Gave Me 10 Years in Federal Prison | Frankie Rosario
Frankie Rosario grew up in Florida after being born in Connecticut — raised by a good family with strong morals and an exceptional mind that made him stand out academically from an early age. He was headed toward a career in medicine. Then his cousin made him an offer that changed the entire direction of his life — $15000 a week to get involved in a drug operation shortly after graduating college in his early twenties. What followed was not street level dealing. Frankie operated in an administrative capacity — handling logistics organizing shipments and laundering money for an operation that moved kilos of heroin and generated thirty to forty million dollars a year. They used his father's flooring business as a front. And when federal investigators finally caught up with the operation Frankie was sentenced to ten years in federal prison — starting in the penitentiaries and working his way down. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Frankie tells the complete story — from his exceptional childhood and academic success to the cousin's offer that changed everything to building and running a logistics and money laundering operation inside a massive heroin empire to federal charges and sentencing to what ten years inside the federal prison system really looked like and what it finally took to walk away and rebuild his life. _____________________________________________ #drugs #prison #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Honor Student Who Moved Kilos of Heroin for $30 Million a Year — Then Got 10 Years Federal — Frankie's Full Story 03:00 His Childhood and Upbringing in Florida and the Good Family That Raised Him 07:00 Excelling in School Gifted Programs and the Early Influences That Shaped Everything 13:00 His Academic Success His Family Values and the Medical Career He Was Heading Toward 17:00 His Teenage Years — the Fun the Trouble and His Early Attitude Toward Money 23:00 The Moment Everything Changed — His Transition From College to Criminal Activity 29:00 Running the Heroin Operation and Laundering Money — What That World Really Looked Like 36:00 Everyday Life Inside a Drug Organization and What Operating at That Level Required 45:00 The Federal Bust — How Investigators Caught Up and What That Moment Really Felt Like 54:00 Navigating the Legal System and What Facing a Federal Prison Sentence Really Looked Like 01:00:00 Life Inside Federal Prison — the Politics the Violence and What Survival Really Required 01:10:00 Prison Rules Culture Shocks and What Adapting to the Federal System Really Involved 01:18:00 The Family Impact the Reentry Struggles and What Building a New Life Really Required 01:26:00 Rehabilitation Recidivism and What Reintegrating Into Society After Federal Prison Looks Like 01:36:00 His Reflections His Regrets and the Lessons He Wants Everyone to Take Away _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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601
I Was a Florida Cop Haunted by the Worst Calls — Here's Why I Finally Quit | Kasey Hagan
Kasey Hagan grew up in England — and moving to America as a teenager with his father introduced him to a culture that was completely different from everything he had ever known. He got big into sports found his footing and decided he wanted to help people. He started as an animal control officer in his late teens responding to calls that most people never imagine exist. Then he discovered his first dead body on the job. Eventually Kasey became a Florida cop. For three years he responded to the worst calls dealt with the mental health weight that the job never properly prepares you for and witnessed the fundamental problems with policing that nobody in training ever talks about. The calls that haunted him. The culture that wore him down. The truth about law enforcement that only someone who lived it can tell. Then he quit. To build a content creation platform with his wife Christie — who was also a cop he met on the job — that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars. _____________________________________________ #florida #police #cops _____________________________________________ Connect with Kasey Hagan: https://www.instagram.com/kc_in_motion_/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 British Cop Who Left Law Enforcement for Content Creation — Full Story 03:50 Adjusting to Life in America and What That Culture Shock Really Looked Like 06:46 High School Differences Between England and America and the Sports World He Discovered 11:10 His First Steps Toward Law Enforcement and What Drew Him to the Job 15:15 Animal Control Stories That Will Shock You — Where Everything Really Started 19:00 Animal Cruelty Cases and the Dog Adoptions That Defined That Chapter 22:00 The Most Common Cruelty Cases and the Hoarding Situations Nobody Prepares You For 25:56 The Psychology Behind Animal Abusers and What the Research Really Shows 28:59 England Versus America on Animal Issues — the Differences That Shocked Him Most 31:02 Florida Wildlife and the Crazy Exotic Pets That Defined That World 34:30 His Transition From Animal Control to Police Work and What That Required 37:32 Applying to Become a Cop — the Process Most People Never Hear About 42:00 Police Academy Versus Real Life Policing — What Nobody Tells You Before You Start 45:16 His First Calls and What Training on the Job Really Looked Like 49:45 The Culture Shock of American Law Enforcement From a British Officer's Perspective 54:22 The Mental Health Toll of Policing and the Coping Mechanisms That Got Him Through 59:00 Changing Agencies and What the Team Dynamics Really Looked Like 01:04:03 The Rough Calls That Still Stay With Him and the Emotional Impact They Left 01:09:00 The Challenges Inside the Policing System That Nobody Talks About Publicly 01:13:10 Meeting Christy and What Relationship Life Really Looks Like Inside Law Enforcement 01:17:00 His Transition to Content Creation and What That Decision Really Required 01:21:30 Morality Purpose and the Life Changes That Followed Leaving Law Enforcement 01:25:00 His Injury His Back Surgery and What the Recovery Process Really Required 01:29:06 Life After Policing and What Finding Purpose Again Actually Looked Like 01:31:26 His Advice for Anyone Considering a Career in Law Enforcement 01:32:54 His Closing Thoughts and the Fun Revelations He Wants Everyone to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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600
I Was a Florida Cop for 5 Years — Here's the Real Reason I Quit
Christie Hagan grew up on a military base in a strict family — and the rebellion that followed eventually led her down the wrong path before she turned everything around in her late teens and decided she wanted to help people. She became a hospital tech. Then a cop in Florida. For five years Christie worked as a female police officer in Florida — one of the most challenging environments for a young woman in law enforcement. She shares what it was really like as a rookie female cop in her early twenties the way colleagues and superiors treated her the hardest calls she ever responded to her own experience with domestic violence and what dating inside the department really looks like. And then she made a decision that nobody expected. She quit after five years to pursue content creation full time — with her husband who was also a cop she met on the job. They built a platform together that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars and she never looked back. _____________________________________________ #florida #cops #model #police _____________________________________________ Connect with Christie Hagan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christieleighhq/ Website: https://www.christieleighofficial.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/christieleighofficial?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=d565d0ec-92c0-4d6b-bbbd-08f0030f5057 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Female Police Officer Who Left the Badge for Content Creation — Christie's Full Story 00:43 Growing Up Between City and Country and the Environment That Shaped Everything 01:59 Her Strict Upbringing and the Family Dynamics That Defined Her Early Years 03:13 Teen Rebellion and the Family Struggles That Followed 05:07 Finding Direction After Her Toughest Teen Years 06:16 Working as a Hospital Tech and What That World Really Looked Like 08:11 How Her Medical Experience Prepared Her for Law Enforcement 09:28 Leaving a Troubled Crowd and What That Decision Really Required 10:42 The Perspective Shift That Led Her Toward Police Work 11:32 Improving Her Family Relationships and What That Process Looked Like 12:56 Her Transition Into Police Work and What Those First Days Required 14:03 Her Experience With Domestic Violence and What That Work Really Involved 16:35 Helping Others Through Similar Situations and What That Mission Meant 18:35 Becoming a Young Police Officer and What That World Really Looked Like 21:23 Training Hiring and the Prejudice She Experienced in Policing 25:49 Handling Low Pay and What Law Enforcement Benefits Really Look Like 29:30 Navigating the Toxic Work Environments That Define Too Many Departments 33:44 The Specific Challenges of Being a Female Officer Nobody Talks About 37:33 Her Early Job Challenges and the Harassment That Followed 44:17 Dating Relationships and the Department Drama That Came With Them 52:17 Responding to Dangerous Calls Without Backup and What That Really Felt Like 54:41 The Hardest and Most Emotional Calls That Still Stay With Her Today 57:31 Hard Arrests and What Officer Discretion Really Looks Like From the Inside 01:02:28 Meeting Her Husband and What Workplace Relationships in Law Enforcement Look Like 01:07:07 Leaving Policing for Content Creation and What That Decision Really Required 01:12:40 Reflecting on OnlyFans Her Regrets and the Advice She Wants Everyone to Hear 01:18:16 Her Transition Into Music and Social Media and What That Journey Required 01:22:01 Her Advice to Her Younger Self and Her Final Thoughts on Everything She Survived _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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599
I Was a Florida Cop for 5 Years — Here's the Real Reason I Quit | Christie Leigh
Christie Leigh grew up on a military base in a strict family — and the rebellion that followed eventually led her down the wrong path before she turned everything around in her late teens and decided she wanted to help people. She became a hospital tech. Then a cop in Florida. For five years Christie worked as a female police officer in Florida — one of the most challenging environments for a young woman in law enforcement. She shares what it was really like as a rookie female cop in her early twenties the way colleagues and superiors treated her the hardest calls she ever responded to her own experience with domestic violence and what dating inside the department really looks like. And then she made a decision that nobody expected. She quit after five years to pursue content creation full time — with her husband who was also a cop she met on the job. They built a platform together that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars and she never looked back. _____________________________________________ #florida #cops #model #police _____________________________________________ Connect with Christie Leigh: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christieleighhq/ Website: https://www.christieleighofficial.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/christieleighofficial?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=d565d0ec-92c0-4d6b-bbbd-08f0030f5057 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Female Police Officer Who Left the Badge for Content Creation — Christie's Full Story 00:43 Growing Up Between City and Country and the Environment That Shaped Everything 01:59 Her Strict Upbringing and the Family Dynamics That Defined Her Early Years 03:13 Teen Rebellion and the Family Struggles That Followed 05:07 Finding Direction After Her Toughest Teen Years 06:16 Working as a Hospital Tech and What That World Really Looked Like 08:11 How Her Medical Experience Prepared Her for Law Enforcement 09:28 Leaving a Troubled Crowd and What That Decision Really Required 10:42 The Perspective Shift That Led Her Toward Police Work 11:32 Improving Her Family Relationships and What That Process Looked Like 12:56 Her Transition Into Police Work and What Those First Days Required 14:03 Her Experience With Domestic Violence and What That Work Really Involved 16:35 Helping Others Through Similar Situations and What That Mission Meant 18:35 Becoming a Young Police Officer and What That World Really Looked Like 21:23 Training Hiring and the Prejudice She Experienced in Policing 25:49 Handling Low Pay and What Law Enforcement Benefits Really Look Like 29:30 Navigating the Toxic Work Environments That Define Too Many Departments 33:44 The Specific Challenges of Being a Female Officer Nobody Talks About 37:33 Her Early Job Challenges and the Harassment That Followed 44:17 Dating Relationships and the Department Drama That Came With Them 52:17 Responding to Dangerous Calls Without Backup and What That Really Felt Like 54:41 The Hardest and Most Emotional Calls That Still Stay With Her Today 57:31 Hard Arrests and What Officer Discretion Really Looks Like From the Inside 01:02:28 Meeting Her Husband and What Workplace Relationships in Law Enforcement Look Like 01:07:07 Leaving Policing for Content Creation and What That Decision Really Required 01:12:40 Reflecting on OnlyFans Her Regrets and the Advice She Wants Everyone to Hear 01:18:16 Her Transition Into Music and Social Media and What That Journey Required 01:22:01 Her Advice to Her Younger Self and Her Final Thoughts on Everything She Survived _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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598
I Was Arrested for Bank Fraud — Then Spent $500K on Lawyers & Beat the Feds
Ryan Bloom grew up in a good family in Oklahoma with dreams of becoming a dentist. Life took a different turn and he built an electrical contracting business instead. When the business lost a major contract he turned to a small bank for help — and got pulled into a high interest invoice lending situation that ultimately left him owing over $2 million and forced to declare bankruptcy. Ryan thought everything he was doing was completely legitimate. Then the feds came for him. He was indicted for bank fraud — and discovered the prosecutor had a conflict of interest with the bank. He fought back. He spent almost $500,000 in attorney fees. And he beat the federal government. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Ryan breaks down the complete story — from the business collapse to the bankruptcy to the federal indictment to the courtroom victory that cost him everything financially but gave him his freedom. _____________________________________________ #fraud #TrueCrime #arrest _____________________________________________ Connect with Ryan Bloom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdbloom _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Businessman Hit With an FBI Raid and Bank Fraud Indictment — Then Fought Back and Won — Full Story 01:57 His Early Life and the Family Business Roots That Shaped Everything 03:14 His Career Aspirations and the Dental Detour That Changed His Direction 04:36 Joining and Growing the Family Business and What That Really Required 05:47 The Family Feud and the Collapse of the Business That Followed 06:32 Pivoting to Oil Gas and Entrepreneurship and What That World Really Looked Like 07:52 Launching Pathfinder HDD and What the Industry Landscape Really Looked Like 08:44 Building a Thriving Construction Business From the Ground Up 10:14 The Challenges — Interest Rates Failed Deals and the Layoffs That Followed 11:14 His Pivot to Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and What That Decision Required 12:26 Getting Hustled and the Cash Flow Crisis That Changed Everything 14:03 His Dependence on Bad Clients and the Lessons That Came With It 15:23 Banking Relationships and the Financial Squeeze That Defined That Chapter 17:40 The Breaking Point — Reserve Accounts and the Road to Insolvency 19:52 Winding Down — What Filing for Business and Personal Bankruptcy Really Required 22:38 The Aftermath — Creditors Liquidation and What Came Next 25:44 Family Rebuilding and the Grit That Got Him Through the Hardest Times 29:44 The Personal Bankruptcy Process and the Impact It Had on Everything 33:22 The Legal Fallout — Depositions and the False Accusations That Followed 35:50 The Sudden FBI Raid and the Bank Fraud Indictment That Changed His Life Overnight 38:54 Family Community and What Coping With Sudden Infamy Really Looked Like 41:40 Navigating Discovery the Prosecution and What Building a Defense Really Required 43:33 Uncovering Family Drama and the Questionable Testimony That Defined His Case 47:42 Battling Prosecutors and What Preparing for Trial Actually Required 51:16 Suing for Prosecutorial Conflict of Interest and What That Fight Really Involved 58:56 Winning the Disqualification and Watching the Case Finally Unravel 01:03:21 The Dismissal the Pre-Trial Diversion and What Finally Walking Free Really Felt Like 01:07:25 The True Cost — Legal Fees and What Starting Over From Nothing Really Required 01:09:56 The Lessons He Carries and What Resilience Actually Looks Like After Everything 01:13:18 His Reflections on Purpose Faith and Family After Everything He Survived 01:15:43 His Final Thoughts His Advice and What the Next Chapter Really Looks Like _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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597
I Was Arrested for Bank Fraud — Then Spent $500K on Lawyers & Beat the Feds | Ryan Bloom
Ryan Bloom grew up in a good family in Oklahoma with dreams of becoming a dentist. Life took a different turn and he built an electrical contracting business instead. When the business lost a major contract he turned to a small bank for help — and got pulled into a high interest invoice lending situation that ultimately left him owing over $2 million and forced to declare bankruptcy. Ryan thought everything he was doing was completely legitimate. Then the feds came for him. He was indicted for bank fraud — and discovered the prosecutor had a conflict of interest with the bank. He fought back. He spent almost $500,000 in attorney fees. And he beat the federal government. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Ryan breaks down the complete story — from the business collapse to the bankruptcy to the federal indictment to the courtroom victory that cost him everything financially but gave him his freedom. _____________________________________________ #fraud #TrueCrime #arrest _____________________________________________ Connect with Ryan Bloom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdbloom _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Early Life 01:52 Family Background and Childhood 03:23 College Dreams and Choosing a Career 04:44 Joining and Growing the Family Business 05:46 Family Infighting and Company's Downfall 06:34 New Start in Oil & Gas, Launching Own Business 07:46 Launching Pathfinder HDD and Business Pivot 08:22 Business Growth and Early Successes 09:14 Winning Big Contracts and Facing Setbacks 10:19 Losing Major Contracts and Transitioning to EV 11:16 Cash Flow Issues and Getting Hustled 13:06 Switching to Riskier Clients & Financial Mistakes 14:55 Survival Strategies and Bank Loans 16:46 Entering the Bank's Business Manager Program 19:09 Struggling with Loan Terms and Shrinking Cash Flow 23:32 Business Hits a Wall and Approaching Insolvency 26:00 Personal Consequences & Potential Bankruptcy 28:29 Winding Down Operations and Filing Bankruptcy 31:06 Bankruptcy Process and Asset Liquidation 35:51 Personal Impact and Family Resilience 39:03 Navigating Bankruptcy Exemptions 41:02 Life After Bankruptcy: Rebuilding 44:41 Facing Litigation and Bank's Aggressive Tactics 46:58 Legal Uncertainty and Approaching Discharge 50:02 Arrest by FBI and Shock of Indictment 54:41 Processing the Arrest and Immediate Aftermath 59:30 Public Reaction and Family Support 01:02:44 Beginning the Legal Battle 01:05:12 Prosecution's Case Building and Strange Accusations 01:10:01 Defending Against Fraud Allegations 01:17:01 Legal Strategy and Conflict of Interest 01:21:59 Superseding Indictment and Witness Tampering 01:27:53 Bank's Insurance Claim and Motivations for Prosecution 01:32:00 Preparing for Trial and Hiring Top Defense 01:39:13 Conflict of Interest, Disqualifying the Prosecutor 01:46:07 Case Dismissal and Pre-Trial Diversion 01:50:01 Financial Ruin and Emotional Toll 01:53:02 Life Lessons, Resilience, and Moving On 02:03:40 Advice on Integrity and Closing Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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596
I Was Moving Pounds of Weed in New York — Then I Ended Up In Prison | Jared Callahan
Jared Callahan grew up in New York with a father who was an illegal marijuana grower — and when your dad runs the operation getting brought into the business isn't a choice it's a family tradition. By his teens Jared was already selling pot and by the time he was fully in he was moving pounds and running a serious flipping operation that brought in real money. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Jared tells the complete story — from growing up with a marijuana growing father to getting into the business as a teenager to his first arrest and New York state prison sentence to getting out and trying to stay straight until a probation violation pulled him back in. Then the feds picked up the case and federal prison followed. _____________________________________________ #arrest #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Jared Callahan: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BeDSQfkAZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Teen Who Discovered His Dad's Drug Operation — Then Built His Own Empire — Full Story 01:28 How He First Discovered What His Father Was Really Running 03:54 Getting Drawn Into the Drug World as a Teenager and What That Really Looked Like 05:50 His First Deals and the Friendships That Changed Everything 08:40 The Escalation From Small Time to Major Player and What That Required 13:03 How His Brother Got Pulled In and the Family Impact That Followed 18:24 Street Life and the Near Death Encounters That Should Have Changed Everything 25:03 His Reflections on the Consequences He Watched Pile Up Around Him 32:27 Losing His Savings the Family Fallout and What Kept Him Going Anyway 38:54 Stepping Up Operations and What Moving to That Level Really Involved 46:42 His First Arrest and What Entering New York State Prison Really Felt Like 01:01:11 Life Inside New York State Prison and What Surviving It Really Required 01:17:01 Getting Out and the Parole Struggles That Defined Life After His First Sentence 01:37:57 Going Back to the Streets and How the Federal System Started Closing In 01:47:57 Moving Serious Weight and What Operating at That Level Really Looked Like 02:03:31 The Feds Closing In and the Deal Gone Wrong That Changed Everything 02:10:32 The Federal Raid and What Facing Major Charges Really Felt Like 02:18:09 The Toughest Decision of His Life — Snitching Loyalty and Survival in Prison 02:35:41 Living With That Decision and What That Weight Really Does to a Person 02:42:03 His Release His Redemption and What Giving Back Actually Looks Like 02:48:02 The Lessons He Carries and What He Wants Everyone to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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595
I Was Moving Pounds of Weed in New York — Then I Ended Up In Prison | Jared Callahan
Jared Callahan grew up in New York with a father who was an illegal marijuana grower — and when your dad runs the operation getting brought into the business isn't a choice it's a family tradition. By his teens Jared was already selling pot and by the time he was fully in he was moving pounds and running a serious flipping operation that brought in real money. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Jared tells the complete story — from growing up with a marijuana growing father to getting into the business as a teenager to his first arrest and New York state prison sentence to getting out and trying to stay straight until a probation violation pulled him back in. Then the feds picked up the case and federal prison followed. _____________________________________________ #arrest #prison #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Jared Callahan: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BeDSQfkAZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Teen Who Discovered His Dad's Drug Operation — Then Built His Own Empire — Full Story 01:28 How He First Discovered What His Father Was Really Running 03:54 Getting Drawn Into the Drug World as a Teenager and What That Really Looked Like 05:50 His First Deals and the Friendships That Changed Everything 08:40 The Escalation From Small Time to Major Player and What That Required 13:03 How His Brother Got Pulled In and the Family Impact That Followed 18:24 Street Life and the Near Death Encounters That Should Have Changed Everything 25:03 His Reflections on the Consequences He Watched Pile Up Around Him 32:27 Losing His Savings the Family Fallout and What Kept Him Going Anyway 38:54 Stepping Up Operations and What Moving to That Level Really Involved 46:42 His First Arrest and What Entering New York State Prison Really Felt Like 01:01:11 Life Inside New York State Prison and What Surviving It Really Required 01:17:01 Getting Out and the Parole Struggles That Defined Life After His First Sentence 01:37:57 Going Back to the Streets and How the Federal System Started Closing In 01:47:57 Moving Serious Weight and What Operating at That Level Really Looked Like 02:03:31 The Feds Closing In and the Deal Gone Wrong That Changed Everything 02:10:32 The Federal Raid and What Facing Major Charges Really Felt Like 02:18:09 The Toughest Decision of His Life — Snitching Loyalty and Survival in Prison 02:35:41 Living With That Decision and What That Weight Really Does to a Person 02:42:03 His Release His Redemption and What Giving Back Actually Looks Like 02:48:02 The Lessons He Carries and What He Wants Everyone to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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594
I Survived Combat in Iraq — Then the Feds Sent Me to Prison | Jeremy Harrell
Jeremy Harrell is a United States Army combat veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom suffered mental health and brain injuries from combat received a 70% plus Individual Unemployability disability rating from the VA and spent years battling PTSD depression and sleeplessness. In 2018 he started a private Facebook page to help fellow veterans. In 2019 he incorporated Veterans Club a faith based nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans overcome PTSD traumatic brain injuries substance abuse and homelessness. He was an unpaid volunteer. He received no salary. In 2024 the Biden DOJ convicted him of theft of government funds for receiving VA disability benefits while serving as an unpaid volunteer CEO. In December 2024 he was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison and 6 months of home confinement. He surrendered to federal prison in Ashland Kentucky on January 28 2025. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Jeremy tells the complete story — from serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom to the combat injuries that ended his military career to building Veterans Club from a Facebook page into a nationally recognized nonprofit to the Biden DOJ investigation that he believes was politically motivated to what federal prison was really like for a combat veteran chaplain who was there for volunteering. _____________________________________________ #prison #veteran #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Jeremy Harrell: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_w_harrell_official/ X: https://x.com/JeremyWHarrell Website: https://veteransclubinc.org/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Combat Veteran Who Built a Nonprofit — Then Got Sent to Federal Prison — Jeremy's Full Story 00:36 His Difficult Childhood and the Family Dynamics That Shaped Everything 03:40 His Relationship With His Father and the Family Cycles That Defined His Early Years 07:12 His Mother's Struggles and the Family Hardship That Followed 08:19 His Early Passions and What Drove Him Toward a Life of Service 10:54 Choosing a Positive Path Despite Everything Working Against Him 13:54 Joining the Military in 1999 and What That Decision Really Meant 15:54 Boot Camp — the Expectations and the Reality That Followed 18:16 Graduating Boot Camp and the Transition to Advanced Training 23:21 The Sense of Purpose He Found After Boot Camp 25:01 His Deployment After 9/11 and What Heading to Iraq Really Looked Like 27:37 Life and Work Inside Iraq Detention Centers and What That World Required 29:56 The Prisoners the Conditions and the Lessons He Learned From Iraq 33:41 The Key Lessons From Combat and the Life Long Bonds That Followed 37:23 Returning Home — the Reentry Struggles and the PTSD Nobody Prepared Him For 43:31 Coping Relationships and What Seeking Help After Combat Really Looked Like 49:01 Post Military Life — UPS Banking and the Career Struggles That Followed 53:35 Medical Retirement and the Birth of His Veteran Nonprofit 55:02 Building a Successful Veteran Nonprofit and What That Mission Really Required 56:57 The Federal Indictment — the Accusations and the Confusion That Followed 01:00:01 The Legal Fight and the Federal Trial Challenges That Defined His Case 01:07:13 The Trial the Sentencing and the Aftermath That Changed Everything 01:17:34 Entering Federal Prison and What Those First Days Really Required 01:23:41 Life in Prison — His Adjustment and How He Continued Serving Others Inside 01:36:12 The Halfway House and the Complex Prison Release Process 01:44:51 His Post Prison Life and the Pursuit of Clemency That Continues 01:52:16 Continuing the Fight — His Legal Battles and Advocacy Work 02:10:15 The Lessons He Learned the Silver Linings He Found and His Hope for the Future 02:14:49 His Impact on Veterans and the Final Reflections He Wants Everyone to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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593
I Survived Combat in Iraq — Then the Feds Sent Me to Prison | Jeremy Harrell
Jeremy Harrell is a United States Army combat veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom suffered mental health and brain injuries from combat received a 70% plus Individual Unemployability disability rating from the VA and spent years battling PTSD depression and sleeplessness. In 2018 he started a private Facebook page to help fellow veterans. In 2019 he incorporated Veterans Club a faith based nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans overcome PTSD traumatic brain injuries substance abuse and homelessness. He was an unpaid volunteer. He received no salary. In 2024 the Biden DOJ convicted him of theft of government funds for receiving VA disability benefits while serving as an unpaid volunteer CEO. In December 2024 he was sentenced to 6 months in federal prison and 6 months of home confinement. He surrendered to federal prison in Ashland Kentucky on January 28 2025. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Jeremy tells the complete story — from serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom to the combat injuries that ended his military career to building Veterans Club from a Facebook page into a nationally recognized nonprofit to the Biden DOJ investigation that he believes was politically motivated to what federal prison was really like for a combat veteran chaplain who was there for volunteering. _____________________________________________ #prison #veteran #truecrimestories _____________________________________________ Connect with Jeremy Harrell: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_w_harrell_official/ X: https://x.com/JeremyWHarrell Website: https://veteransclubinc.org/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Combat Veteran Who Built a Nonprofit — Then Got Sent to Federal Prison — Jeremy's Full Story 00:36 His Difficult Childhood and the Family Dynamics That Shaped Everything 03:40 His Relationship With His Father and the Family Cycles That Defined His Early Years 07:12 His Mother's Struggles and the Family Hardship That Followed 08:19 His Early Passions and What Drove Him Toward a Life of Service 10:54 Choosing a Positive Path Despite Everything Working Against Him 13:54 Joining the Military in 1999 and What That Decision Really Meant 15:54 Boot Camp — the Expectations and the Reality That Followed 18:16 Graduating Boot Camp and the Transition to Advanced Training 23:21 The Sense of Purpose He Found After Boot Camp 25:01 His Deployment After 9/11 and What Heading to Iraq Really Looked Like 27:37 Life and Work Inside Iraq Detention Centers and What That World Required 29:56 The Prisoners the Conditions and the Lessons He Learned From Iraq 33:41 The Key Lessons From Combat and the Life Long Bonds That Followed 37:23 Returning Home — the Reentry Struggles and the PTSD Nobody Prepared Him For 43:31 Coping Relationships and What Seeking Help After Combat Really Looked Like 49:01 Post Military Life — UPS Banking and the Career Struggles That Followed 53:35 Medical Retirement and the Birth of His Veteran Nonprofit 55:02 Building a Successful Veteran Nonprofit and What That Mission Really Required 56:57 The Federal Indictment — the Accusations and the Confusion That Followed 01:00:01 The Legal Fight and the Federal Trial Challenges That Defined His Case 01:07:13 The Trial the Sentencing and the Aftermath That Changed Everything 01:17:34 Entering Federal Prison and What Those First Days Really Required 01:23:41 Life in Prison — His Adjustment and How He Continued Serving Others Inside 01:36:12 The Halfway House and the Complex Prison Release Process 01:44:51 His Post Prison Life and the Pursuit of Clemency That Continues 01:52:16 Continuing the Fight — His Legal Battles and Advocacy Work 02:10:15 The Lessons He Learned the Silver Linings He Found and His Hope for the Future 02:14:49 His Impact on Veterans and the Final Reflections He Wants Everyone to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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592
I Was Addicted to Robbing Banks — Then Got 18 Years in New York State Prison | Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders
Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders grew up in Niagara Falls New York — and by the time he was 6 years old his mother had been killed. His father was in prison. What followed was a childhood spent in group homes juvie and living with prostitutes — and an education in the streets that taught him how to rob stores and banks before most kids had their driver's license. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Tommy tells the complete story — the childhood that shaped everything the addiction to robbing that took over his early 20s the bank and store spree that sent him on the run and the 18.5 year New York State Prison sentence that finally stopped him. He opens up about what surviving New York State Prison really looked like and what it finally took to turn his life completely around. _____________________________________________ #bankrobbery #prison #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Connect with Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders: Book: https://www.amazon.com/My-Pen-Pushes-T-Sanders-ebook/dp/B07J181DBW _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Niagara Falls Bank Robber Who Refused to Snitch — Full Story 01:32 Growing Up in Niagara Falls and the Environment That Shaped Everything 03:44 Losing His Mother and the Early Trauma That Changed the Direction of His Life 05:51 His Father's Prison Story and the Family Dynamics That Defined His Childhood 07:39 His First Steps Into Crime and What That World Really Looked Like 09:39 Life on the Streets and the Early Robberies That Started the Escalation 12:12 School Years and His Attempts to Join the Army That Could Have Changed Everything 14:29 The Cycle of the Streets and the Family Influence That Kept Pulling Him Back 17:36 Living in Group Homes and the Environment That Surrounded Him 20:07 The Transition to Robberies and What Really Motivated Those Decisions 23:13 The Robbery Spree and the Failed Attempts at a Normal Life That Followed 27:04 The Bank Robbery Details and What Life on the Run Really Looked Like 31:11 Life as a Fugitive and the Criminal Addiction That Kept Him Going 34:20 His Capture the Charges and Why He Refused to Snitch 37:37 His Prison Sentence and the Transfers Between Facilities 42:58 Adapting to Prison Life and What Surviving the Violence Really Required 48:18 Navigating Gangs and Prison Relationships From the Inside 53:32 Maintaining Family Bonds From Inside Prison and What That Required 56:41 His Personal Growth in Prison and What Writing a Book Really Meant 01:00:18 His Release From Prison and the Reentry Challenges That Followed 01:03:08 Rebuilding Family Connections After Prison and What That Process Required 01:05:49 The Addiction of Robbery and the Mental Challenges That Come With It 01:09:02 Facing Temptation and What Choosing a New Life Actually Required 01:13:02 His Reflections His Regrets and the Message He Wants Every Young Person to Hear 01:14:13 His Current Life — Music Writing and Community Work 01:16:00 The SNUG Program and What Giving Back to the Community Really Looks Like 01:18:09 His Final Thoughts and Closing Message _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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591
I Was Addicted to Robbing Banks — Then Got 18 Years in New York State Prison | Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders
Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders grew up in Niagara Falls New York — and by the time he was 6 years old his mother had been killed. His father was in prison. What followed was a childhood spent in group homes juvie and living with prostitutes — and an education in the streets that taught him how to rob stores and banks before most kids had their driver's license. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Tommy tells the complete story — the childhood that shaped everything the addiction to robbing that took over his early 20s the bank and store spree that sent him on the run and the 18.5 year New York State Prison sentence that finally stopped him. He opens up about what surviving New York State Prison really looked like and what it finally took to turn his life completely around. _____________________________________________ #bankrobbery #prison #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Connect with Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders: Book: https://www.amazon.com/My-Pen-Pushes-T-Sanders-ebook/dp/B07J181DBW _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Niagara Falls Bank Robber Who Refused to Snitch — Full Story 01:32 Growing Up in Niagara Falls and the Environment That Shaped Everything 03:44 Losing His Mother and the Early Trauma That Changed the Direction of His Life 05:51 His Father's Prison Story and the Family Dynamics That Defined His Childhood 07:39 His First Steps Into Crime and What That World Really Looked Like 09:39 Life on the Streets and the Early Robberies That Started the Escalation 12:12 School Years and His Attempts to Join the Army That Could Have Changed Everything 14:29 The Cycle of the Streets and the Family Influence That Kept Pulling Him Back 17:36 Living in Group Homes and the Environment That Surrounded Him 20:07 The Transition to Robberies and What Really Motivated Those Decisions 23:13 The Robbery Spree and the Failed Attempts at a Normal Life That Followed 27:04 The Bank Robbery Details and What Life on the Run Really Looked Like 31:11 Life as a Fugitive and the Criminal Addiction That Kept Him Going 34:20 His Capture the Charges and Why He Refused to Snitch 37:37 His Prison Sentence and the Transfers Between Facilities 42:58 Adapting to Prison Life and What Surviving the Violence Really Required 48:18 Navigating Gangs and Prison Relationships From the Inside 53:32 Maintaining Family Bonds From Inside Prison and What That Required 56:41 His Personal Growth in Prison and What Writing a Book Really Meant 01:00:18 His Release From Prison and the Reentry Challenges That Followed 01:03:08 Rebuilding Family Connections After Prison and What That Process Required 01:05:49 The Addiction of Robbery and the Mental Challenges That Come With It 01:09:02 Facing Temptation and What Choosing a New Life Actually Required 01:13:02 His Reflections His Regrets and the Message He Wants Every Young Person to Hear 01:14:13 His Current Life — Music Writing and Community Work 01:16:00 The SNUG Program and What Giving Back to the Community Really Looks Like 01:18:09 His Final Thoughts and Closing Message _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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590
I Was a New York Bloods Leader — Then Did 12 Years in Prison | James Pitt
James Pitt grew up in Rockland County New York without his mother in the picture — raised by his single father alongside two siblings while watching his dad's health deteriorate throughout his childhood. The streets filled the void. He first joined the Crips before switching to the Bloods and eventually rising to become a Blood gang leader in New York. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, James tells the complete story — from growing up in Rockland County to juvenile detention at 15 to an attempted murder charge against a rival gang leader that resulted in two years county time to surviving two separate assassination attempts during his set's civil war to to a 2012 gun possession arrest where one of his own turned on him to a 10 year sentence to being pulled back on kidnapping and robbery charges five years in after a DNA match to facing persistent violent felony charges of 18 to life to being sentenced to 14 years concurrent and finally walking out on May 20 2024 after 12 years inside. _____________________________________________ #gangleader #blood #truecrimecommunity #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with James Pitt: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/american_felon_tv_/ Website: https://www.americanfelontv.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Prison-Zoology-archetypes-survival-systems/dp/B0GZT34MJX _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 New York Bloods Leader Survived Assassination Attempts — Full Story 02:40 Growing Up Without His Mother and the Void That Created 05:19 His Father's Impact and the Morals That Shaped His Early Years 07:47 School Life and the First Signs of Trouble 13:36 Joining the Crips Then Switching to the Bloods 18:32 The Escalating Street Violence That Defined His Teenage Years 23:24 The Gang Wars and School Conflicts That Followed Him Everywhere 31:52 His Early Arrests and What Juvenile Detention Really Looked Like 39:10 The Streets Robberies and What Cycling Through Juvie Really Required 45:51 The Attempted Murder Case That Changed Everything 53:01 Jail Time and the Prison Mindset He Had to Develop 59:10 Prison Life and the Blood Politics That Governed Everything Inside 01:06:21 The Lessons Education and the Turning Point That Changed Direction 01:14:00 His Release and What Rebuilding Life Actually Required 01:17:10 American Felon and What Building Entrepreneurship After Prison Looked Like 01:18:48 His Book His Advice and His Reflections on Everything He Survived 01:20:36 His Final Thoughts and Closing Message _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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589
I Was a New York Bloods Leader — Then Did 12 Years in Prison | James Pitt
James Pitt grew up in Rockland County New York without his mother in the picture — raised by his single father alongside two siblings while watching his dad's health deteriorate throughout his childhood. The streets filled the void. He first joined the Crips before switching to the Bloods and eventually rising to become a Blood gang leader in New York. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, James tells the complete story — from growing up in Rockland County to juvenile detention at 15 to an attempted murder charge against a rival gang leader that resulted in two years county time to surviving two separate assassination attempts during his set's civil war to to a 2012 gun possession arrest where one of his own turned on him to a 10 year sentence to being pulled back on kidnapping and robbery charges five years in after a DNA match to facing persistent violent felony charges of 18 to life to being sentenced to 14 years concurrent and finally walking out on May 20 2024 after 12 years inside. _____________________________________________ #gangleader #blood #truecrimecommunity #prison _____________________________________________ Connect with James Pitt: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/american_felon_tv_/ Website: https://www.americanfelontv.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Prison-Zoology-archetypes-survival-systems/dp/B0GZT34MJX _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 New York Bloods Leader Survived Assassination Attempts — Full Story 02:40 Growing Up Without His Mother and the Void That Created 05:19 His Father's Impact and the Morals That Shaped His Early Years 07:47 School Life and the First Signs of Trouble 13:36 Joining the Crips Then Switching to the Bloods 18:32 The Escalating Street Violence That Defined His Teenage Years 23:24 The Gang Wars and School Conflicts That Followed Him Everywhere 31:52 His Early Arrests and What Juvenile Detention Really Looked Like 39:10 The Streets Robberies and What Cycling Through Juvie Really Required 45:51 The Attempted Murder Case That Changed Everything 53:01 Jail Time and the Prison Mindset He Had to Develop 59:10 Prison Life and the Blood Politics That Governed Everything Inside 01:06:21 The Lessons Education and the Turning Point That Changed Direction 01:14:00 His Release and What Rebuilding Life Actually Required 01:17:10 American Felon and What Building Entrepreneurship After Prison Looked Like 01:18:48 His Book His Advice and His Reflections on Everything He Survived 01:20:36 His Final Thoughts and Closing Message _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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588
I Was a Gangster Disciple — Then I Went To Prison | Pastor Michael Miano
Michael Miano grew up with nothing — a mother addicted to drugs a father who wasn't in the picture and a childhood spent bouncing between family homes. He found the family he was looking for in the Gangster Disciples and quickly rose to becoming a recruiter for one of America's most notorious street gangs. In and out of jail from a young age — an attempted firebombing in New York finally put him away for 3 years. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Pastor Michael Miano tells the complete story of how prison became the turning point that changed everything — how he found his life's purpose behind bars and what it took to build a completely new life on the other side. From gang recruiter to pastor — this is one of the most dramatic redemption stories we've ever told on this show. _____________________________________________ #gangster #truecrimecommunity #prisonlife _____________________________________________ Connect with Pastor Michael Miano: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pastor.mike.miano/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmiano Book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B007XI7Y1A _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 From Gang Life to Pastor — The Complete Story 03:00 Growing Up on Long Island — the Home Life and Aspirations That Shaped Everything 07:00 Family Dynamics and Sibling Relationships That Defined His Early Years 10:00 The Pivotal Childhood Moments That Pushed Him Toward Gang Life 14:00 His First Encounters With Gang Life and What That World Really Looked Like 17:00 Inside Gang Recruitment and the Early Activities Nobody Talks About 23:00 Arrests School Struggles and the Double Life He Was Living 29:00 The Escalating Violence and Legal Troubles That Defined That Chapter 35:00 His Prison Sentence — Facing Reality and What Loyalty Really Meant Inside 39:00 Life Inside Prison — the Survival Tactics and Reflection That Changed Everything 45:00 Searching for Identity — Tattoos Politics and What Prison Life Really Looks Like 53:00 The Turning Point — How He Went From Gang Life to Complete Transformation 01:00:00 Reintegrating — His Plans for Life After Prison and What That Required 01:06:00 Returning Home — Finding Work and the New Beginnings That Followed 01:10:00 Building a New Life — Jobs Faith and the Ministry That Gave Him Purpose 01:17:00 Becoming a Pastor and What Giving Back to His Community Really Looks Like 01:20:00 His Mindset His Reflections and the Advice He Wants the Next Generation to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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587
I Was a Gangster Disciple — Then I Went To Prison | Pastor Michael Miano
Michael Miano grew up with nothing — a mother addicted to drugs a father who wasn't in the picture and a childhood spent bouncing between family homes. He found the family he was looking for in the Gangster Disciples and quickly rose to becoming a recruiter for one of America's most notorious street gangs. In and out of jail from a young age — an attempted firebombing in New York finally put him away for 3 years. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Pastor Michael Miano tells the complete story of how prison became the turning point that changed everything — how he found his life's purpose behind bars and what it took to build a completely new life on the other side. From gang recruiter to pastor — this is one of the most dramatic redemption stories we've ever told on this show. _____________________________________________ #gangster #truecrimecommunity #prisonlife _____________________________________________ Connect with Pastor Michael Miano: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pastor.mike.miano/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmiano Book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B007XI7Y1A _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 From Gang Life to Pastor — The Complete Story 03:00 Growing Up on Long Island — the Home Life and Aspirations That Shaped Everything 07:00 Family Dynamics and Sibling Relationships That Defined His Early Years 10:00 The Pivotal Childhood Moments That Pushed Him Toward Gang Life 14:00 His First Encounters With Gang Life and What That World Really Looked Like 17:00 Inside Gang Recruitment and the Early Activities Nobody Talks About 23:00 Arrests School Struggles and the Double Life He Was Living 29:00 The Escalating Violence and Legal Troubles That Defined That Chapter 35:00 His Prison Sentence — Facing Reality and What Loyalty Really Meant Inside 39:00 Life Inside Prison — the Survival Tactics and Reflection That Changed Everything 45:00 Searching for Identity — Tattoos Politics and What Prison Life Really Looks Like 53:00 The Turning Point — How He Went From Gang Life to Complete Transformation 01:00:00 Reintegrating — His Plans for Life After Prison and What That Required 01:06:00 Returning Home — Finding Work and the New Beginnings That Followed 01:10:00 Building a New Life — Jobs Faith and the Ministry That Gave Him Purpose 01:17:00 Becoming a Pastor and What Giving Back to His Community Really Looks Like 01:20:00 His Mindset His Reflections and the Advice He Wants the Next Generation to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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586
I Spent 10 Years as a Massachusetts State Trooper — Here's the Cases That Still Haunt Me | Tony Bova
Tony Bova always felt different growing up — and the path to becoming a Massachusetts State Trooper was anything but straight. After getting rejected from law enforcement multiple times he became a Boston paramedic first before finally breaking through to the Massachusetts State Police. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Tony opens up about everything — the early days on the job the first calls that hit different why traffic stops and construction sites are genuinely some of the most dangerous situations a trooper faces and what moving into homicide and death investigations really looks like. He shares the cases and calls that will never leave him and opens up about something most law enforcement stories never address honestly — that the hardest parts of his career weren't the job itself but his personal life. After 10 years he medically retired following an injury and has been processing everything that came with it ever since. _____________________________________________ #cops #truecrimecommunity #lawenforcement _____________________________________________ Connect with Tony Bova: https://www.instagram.com/tonyjbova/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Tony Bova: Journey to Law Enforcement 02:00 Growing Up: Family, Culture, & Early Struggles 08:00 Education Challenges & Early Career Choices 11:00 Pursuing Law Enforcement: Barriers & Rejections 17:00 Paramedic Detour & Boston EMS 21:00 Finally Breaking Through: State Police Academy 25:00 Changing Culture in Law Enforcement 33:00 First Patrol Experiences & Stress 37:00 Responding to Major Calls & Homicide Scenes 42:00 Staying Calm Under Pressure 49:00 Getting Older in the Job & Life Experience 01:01:00 Traffic Stops, Crashes, & Public Safety 01:13:00 Transition Into Investigations Work 01:17:00 Inside Homicide Investigations 01:24:00 Personal Impact of the Job & Home Life Balance 01:32:00 Mental Health, Growth & Overcoming Challenges 01:39:00 Leaving the Force & New Direction 01:41:00 Coaching, Relationships, & Lessons Learned _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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585
I Spent 10 Years as a Massachusetts State Trooper — Here's the Cases That Still Haunt Me | Tony Bova
Tony Bova always felt different growing up — and the path to becoming a Massachusetts State Trooper was anything but straight. After getting rejected from law enforcement multiple times he became a Boston paramedic first before finally breaking through to the Massachusetts State Police. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Tony opens up about everything — the early days on the job the first calls that hit different why traffic stops and construction sites are genuinely some of the most dangerous situations a trooper faces and what moving into homicide and death investigations really looks like. He shares the cases and calls that will never leave him and opens up about something most law enforcement stories never address honestly — that the hardest parts of his career weren't the job itself but his personal life. After 10 years he medically retired following an injury and has been processing everything that came with it ever since. _____________________________________________ #cops #truecrimecommunity #lawenforcement _____________________________________________ Connect with Tony Bova: https://www.instagram.com/tonyjbova/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Tony Bova: Journey to Law Enforcement 02:00 Growing Up: Family, Culture, & Early Struggles 08:00 Education Challenges & Early Career Choices 11:00 Pursuing Law Enforcement: Barriers & Rejections 17:00 Paramedic Detour & Boston EMS 21:00 Finally Breaking Through: State Police Academy 25:00 Changing Culture in Law Enforcement 33:00 First Patrol Experiences & Stress 37:00 Responding to Major Calls & Homicide Scenes 42:00 Staying Calm Under Pressure 49:00 Getting Older in the Job & Life Experience 01:01:00 Traffic Stops, Crashes, & Public Safety 01:13:00 Transition Into Investigations Work 01:17:00 Inside Homicide Investigations 01:24:00 Personal Impact of the Job & Home Life Balance 01:32:00 Mental Health, Growth & Overcoming Challenges 01:39:00 Leaving the Force & New Direction 01:41:00 Coaching, Relationships, & Lessons Learned _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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584
I Was a Paramedic Who Cooked Meth — Then Got 35 Years in Federal Prison | Kevin Christian
Kevin Christian spent 12 years saving lives as a paramedic and firefighter in Missouri — responding to crime scenes accidents and emergencies that most people never have to witness. When the money stopped being enough he made a decision that changed everything. He learned to cook meth. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Kevin tells the complete story — from his paramedic days and the devastating crime scenes that shaped him to building a meth cooking and trafficking operation that made him thousands a week. When the cops came the feds picked up the case and Kevin refused to rat on anyone. That loyalty cost him 35 years in federal prison. He shares what the federal prison system looked like from the inside through the 1990s all the way to his early release in 2020 — the prison hustle the food the commissary how the system changed over three decades the politics and what rising to shot caller of the Missouri car actually required. This is one of the most complete and honest federal prison stories we have ever told on this show. _____________________________________________ #walterwhite #prisonlife #truecrimecommunity #shotcaller _____________________________________________ Thank you to BLUEPRINT & MARS MEN for sponsoring this episode: Blueprint: For a limited time only, our listeners get 20% off + free shipping at https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ by using code LOCKEDIN at checkout. #Blueprint #ad _____________________________________________ Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Paramedic Who Cooked Meth and Got 35 Years in Federal Prison — Full Story 03:00 His Early Life and the Paramedic Career That Nobody Expected to End This Way 09:00 The Appeal and Reality of Making Meth and What Drew Him Into That World 14:30 Building a Full Meth Operation and the Lifestyle That Came With It 19:00 How Law Enforcement and the Feds Closed In and What That Process Really Looked Like 25:30 The Arrest the Sentencing and What Entering the Federal Prison System Really Felt Like 32:00 The Life and Politics Inside Federal Prison That Govern Absolutely Everything 38:30 The Hustles Contraband and Survival Tactics That Defined His Time Inside 46:00 Prison Food Commissary and How Prison Changed Dramatically Over the Years 54:30 The Violence Contraband and Shifting Norms That Defined Different Eras Inside 01:02:00 Reflecting on the Years Lost and What Reentry to Society Really Looked Like 01:10:00 Getting Out and Adjusting to a Modern World That Moved On Without Him 01:17:00 Rebuilding His Life Family and Identity After Decades Behind Bars 01:24:00 The Biggest Lessons He Carries and What He Wants Everyone to Take Away _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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583
I Was a Paramedic Who Cooked Meth — Then Got 35 Years in Federal Prison | Kevin Christian
Kevin Christian spent 12 years saving lives as a paramedic and firefighter in Missouri — responding to crime scenes accidents and emergencies that most people never have to witness. When the money stopped being enough he made a decision that changed everything. He learned to cook meth. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Kevin tells the complete story — from his paramedic days and the devastating crime scenes that shaped him to building a meth cooking and trafficking operation that made him thousands a week. When the cops came the feds picked up the case and Kevin refused to rat on anyone. That loyalty cost him 35 years in federal prison. He shares what the federal prison system looked like from the inside through the 1990s all the way to his early release in 2020 — the prison hustle the food the commissary how the system changed over three decades the politics and what rising to shot caller of the Missouri car actually required. This is one of the most complete and honest federal prison stories we have ever told on this show. _____________________________________________ #walterwhite #prisonlife #truecrimecommunity #shotcaller _____________________________________________ Thank you to BLUEPRINT & MARS MEN for sponsoring this episode: Blueprint: For a limited time only, our listeners get 20% off + free shipping at https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ by using code LOCKEDIN at checkout. #Blueprint #ad _____________________________________________ Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Paramedic Who Cooked Meth and Got 35 Years in Federal Prison — Full Story 03:00 His Early Life and the Paramedic Career That Nobody Expected to End This Way 09:00 The Appeal and Reality of Making Meth and What Drew Him Into That World 14:30 Building a Full Meth Operation and the Lifestyle That Came With It 19:00 How Law Enforcement and the Feds Closed In and What That Process Really Looked Like 25:30 The Arrest the Sentencing and What Entering the Federal Prison System Really Felt Like 32:00 The Life and Politics Inside Federal Prison That Govern Absolutely Everything 38:30 The Hustles Contraband and Survival Tactics That Defined His Time Inside 46:00 Prison Food Commissary and How Prison Changed Dramatically Over the Years 54:30 The Violence Contraband and Shifting Norms That Defined Different Eras Inside 01:02:00 Reflecting on the Years Lost and What Reentry to Society Really Looked Like 01:10:00 Getting Out and Adjusting to a Modern World That Moved On Without Him 01:17:00 Rebuilding His Life Family and Identity After Decades Behind Bars 01:24:00 The Biggest Lessons He Carries and What He Wants Everyone to Take Away _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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582
I Smuggled $100,000 in Cash on Planes — Then Got Sent to Prison for Drug Trafficking | Jordan Myers
Jordan Myers grew up in upstate New York with a good family — but she was always the troublemaker. When she left for Florida in her 20s and started working in the nightlife industry she met people who changed the direction of her life completely. She was recruited to smuggle drug money on planes from Florida to California — starting at $30,000 cash and eventually carrying $100,000 at a time. California became her home and her operation grew. She went from carrying cash to trafficking drugs herself — starting with weed before working her way up to harder substances. When the feds came for her in a conspiracy ring she was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison. She spent 15 months in an Arizona federal women's prison camp rode Con Air and navigated a legal process most people never see from the inside. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Jordan tells the complete story — and shares what happened when she got out in 2026 and her prison photos went viral on social media. _____________________________________________ #drugs #truecrimecommunity #prisonlife #viral _____________________________________________ Connect with Jordan Myers: https://www.instagram.com/jrdyhighroller?igsh=MTNzaG91cnNuZXdlNQ== _____________________________________________ Thank you to MARS MEN & BLUEPRINT for sponsoring this episode: Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com/ _____________________________________________ Blueprint: For a limited time only, our listeners get 20% off + free shipping at https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ by using code LOCKEDIN at checkout. #Blueprint #ad _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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581
I Smuggled $100,000 in Cash on Planes — Then Got Sent to Prison for Drug Trafficking | Jordan Myers
Jordan Myers grew up in upstate New York with a good family — but she was always the troublemaker. When she left for Florida in her 20s and started working in the nightlife industry she met people who changed the direction of her life completely. She was recruited to smuggle drug money on planes from Florida to California — starting at $30,000 cash and eventually carrying $100,000 at a time. California became her home and her operation grew. She went from carrying cash to trafficking drugs herself — starting with weed before working her way up to harder substances. When the feds came for her in a conspiracy ring she was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison. She spent 15 months in an Arizona federal women's prison camp rode Con Air and navigated a legal process most people never see from the inside. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Jordan tells the complete story — and shares what happened when she got out in 2026 and her prison photos went viral on social media. _____________________________________________ #drugs #truecrimecommunity #prisonlife #viral _____________________________________________ Connect with Jordan Myers: https://www.instagram.com/jrdyhighroller?igsh=MTNzaG91cnNuZXdlNQ== _____________________________________________ Thank you to MARS MEN & BLUEPRINT for sponsoring this episode: Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com/ _____________________________________________ Blueprint: For a limited time only, our listeners get 20% off + free shipping at https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ by using code LOCKEDIN at checkout. #Blueprint #ad _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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580
I Shot My Parole Officer — Then Spent 30 Years in Prison | Al Savage
Al Savage grew up in Toledo, Ohio watching his alcoholic father beat his mother. That childhood trauma sent him toward drugs in his teens and a string of robberies and home invasions that put him in and out of juvenile detention and prison. After his first bid — instead of staying clean — he shot his parole officer. That decision cost him 17 years. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Al opens up about what nearly 30 years inside actually looked like — battling drug addiction for most of that time surviving some of America's most dangerous prisons and what it finally took to get sober and turn everything around. This is one of the most raw and honest conversations we've ever had on this show. _____________________________________________ #truecrimecommunity #prisonlife #redemption _____________________________________________ Thank you to BLUEPRINT & MARS MEN for sponsoring this episode: Blueprint: For a limited time only, our listeners get 20% off + free shipping at https://blueprint.bryanjohnson.com/ by using code LOCKEDIN at checkout. #Blueprint #ad _____________________________________________ Mars Men: For a limited time, our listeners get 50% off FOR LIFE, Free Shipping, AND 3 Free Gifts at Mars Men at https://mengotomars.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Shot His Parole Officer — Spent Decades in Prison — Al's Complete Story 03:40 The Resentment That Built Up From Childhood and How It Shaped Everything That Followed 07:00 The Early Warning Signs and the Downward Spiral That Nobody Could Stop 12:40 Family Struggles and the Survival Mindset That Defined His Early Years 20:40 His First Prison Stint and the Escalation That Followed Getting Out 27:10 The Day He Shot His Parole Officer and What Led to That Moment 32:30 Life on the Run After Shooting His Parole Officer and the Additional Time That Followed 41:30 The Cycles of Addiction and Incarceration That Kept Pulling Him Back 47:40 The Turning Point That Finally Started Him Toward Recovery 53:00 The Life Changes the Work and the Growth That Defined His Transformation 01:01:30 Spirituality and What Redemption Actually Required After Everything He Did 01:08:50 The Lessons From Prison Life That He Carries With Him Every Single Day 01:15:40 His Honest Reflections on Regret and the Growth That Came From Facing Everything 01:23:00 Giving Back and What Hope for Others Really Looks Like in Practice 01:33:00 What Living a Meaningful Life Today Actually Requires After Everything He Survived 01:42:00 His Final Thoughts on Hope Recovery and the Message He Wants Everyone to Hear _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Real stories from the people everyone else judges first. Locked In with Ian Bick is a podcast hosted by Ian Bick, a former federal inmate turned podcaster. The show features raw conversations with former inmates, recovering addicts, bikers, law enforcement officers, attorneys, investigators, and people who have lived through crime, prison, addiction, trauma, and redemption. Each episode dives deep into real prison stories, life inside prison, the criminal justice system, street life, addiction recovery, mental health, and what it takes to rebuild after incarceration. Guests share what really happens behind bars, how people survive prison, and the difficult road to second chances after hitting rock bottom. If you’re interested in prison stories, criminal justice experiences, life after prison, and honest conversations with people who have lived through the darkest chapters of their lives, you’ll feel at home here.
HOSTED BY
Ian Bick
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