Locked In with Ian Bick

Melo grew up in poverty on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, raised in a single-parent household and surrounded by the harsh realities of the streets. By 16, his life took a dangerous turn — leading to 13 years behind bars in some of New York’s most notorious maximum-security prisons. In this conversation, Melo shares what it’s really like inside the system: the violence, the survival tactics, the...

Travis Hoban always wanted to be a cop—just like his dad, a tough New Jersey correctional officer. But growing up in a household filled with alcoholism and emotional turmoil, Travis carried more than just ambition into adulthood. After finally making it onto the force, his career came crashing down just one year in—arrested for DUI and forced to resign. Spiraling deeper into addiction, Travis hit...

Public defender Thomas Leaf gives his unfiltered take on America’s growing immigration crisis. From ICE overreach to broken policies and political hypocrisy, Leaf breaks down what’s really happening behind the headlines. This isn’t courtroom drama — it’s a firsthand look at how the system is failing from someone who sees the consequences every day. #ImmigrationCrisis #ICE #BorderControl #PublicDef...

Travis Richey was a successful hedge fund owner with a background in finance — until a paperwork mistake landed him in an Arizona state prison. Raised in Boston with family ties to organized crime, Travis built a career on Wall Street before a technicality changed his life forever. In this gripping episode, Travis opens up about his rise in the finance world, the moment it all came crashing down,...

DJ Whitmore spent 30 years inside the walls of federal prisons — not as an inmate, but as an associate warden. From serving in the Gulf War to working his way up through the ranks of the Bureau of Prisons, DJ has seen every side of the justice system. In this powerful interview, he shares what really goes on behind bars, from low-security camps to high-security penitentiaries. If you’ve ever wonde...

Roger Upchurch was a successful homebuilder in Indiana—until the 2008 market crash pushed him into the synthetic marijuana trade. He built a multi-million dollar K2 empire, making over $50,000 a week, until an undercover DEA agent brought it all down. At 69 years old, Roger was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering. In this jaw-dropping episode, he reveal...

Kyle Farace grew up with a normal life—until he found out his dad was secretly growing and selling weed. What started as a curiosity turned into a full-blown operation, with Kyle eventually joining forces with his father. But everything changed when he got set up by a confidential informant and an undercover ATF agent, leading to drug and gun charges and a 3-year federal prison sentence. Kyle beli...

Smiley B grew up in the Bronx without a father figure and was pulled into gang life at an early age. Recruited into the Bloods, he was in and out of juvie and Rikers Island before catching two federal cases that led to 15 years behind bars. From surviving 11 different federal prisons—6 of them being the most violent U.S. penitentiaries—to becoming a shot caller inside, Smiley B lived through it al...

Ed Kressy had a successful career and a promising future—but behind the scenes, he was fighting a deadly secret. What started as teenage drinking spiraled into a brutal meth addiction that stole his life, his sanity, and nearly his soul. In this interview, Ed opens up about the depths of meth psychosis, the devastating impact on his career and relationships, and the moment he finally hit rock bott...

Brendan Thomas grew up in Connecticut with a loving family and a promising future—but one decision changed everything. After trying Oxy for the first time, he spiraled into an 8-year battle with drug addiction that led to heroin, drug dealing, and dropping out of college. In this interview, Brendan opens up about the darkest moments of his addiction, his many failed attempts to get clean, and the...

Daniel Pedicini’s life spiraled from teenage trouble to attempted murder charges. Growing up in Massachusetts, he got hooked on painkillers in high school, was arrested for kidnapping and assault, and eventually landed a 3.5-year sentence on the murder block in state prison. In this raw interview, Daniel opens up about life in county jail, surviving time alongside killers, and what it took to beat...

Kyle Sandler scammed 79 people out of $2.3 million, went on the run from the FBI, and ended up serving time in federal prison—twice. But his story doesn’t end there. In this interview, Kyle shares how he built a fake startup empire, what life was really like as an openly gay man in prison, and how he's now trying to make things right by helping others navigate the prison system through his consult...

Steven Tedaldi left New York to become a correctional officer in Arizona—and quickly learned that training doesn't prepare you for the real thing. In this interview, Steven shares what it’s really like working inside Arizona’s prisons, how he gained respect from inmates, and the unspoken politics that run behind the scenes. From CO training to earning your place on the tier, this is a raw look ins...

Ryan Kamada was a respected judge in Colorado—until one decision destroyed everything. In this exclusive interview, Kamada opens up about growing up with a solid upbringing, becoming a lawyer and judge, and the crime he committed while sitting on the bench that led to a federal prison sentence. Sentenced to a year and a day behind bars, he shares what it was like going from authority figure to inm...

Gorilla Nems grew up in the heart of Coney Island’s projects, surrounded by violence, addiction, and survival. In this raw interview, he opens up about battling drug addiction, selling E across Coney Island, and getting locked up after going on the run. He shares what life was really like inside Rikers Island, how the streets almost killed his dreams, and the moment everything changed. From gettin...

Troy Maloney grew up in Massachusetts surrounded by crime — his grandfather was a known mobster. From juvenile detention to multiple stints in county jail, Troy’s life was headed down a dark path. It all came to a head when he was arrested for arson after trying to burn down his girlfriend’s ex’s house. In this interview, Troy shares what led him to prison, what life was like behind bars, and how...

Pastor Mark Rice spent his career as a fraud investigator, uncovering scams and exposing the truth. But when his son had a near-death experience, his entire life changed. In this episode, Pastor Mark shares how that experience shaped his faith, how he found forgiveness for his past, and why he believes in breaking generational patterns. He also reflects on memorable moments from his career in frau...

Jackie Farris ran away from home at just 15 years old and spiraled into a world of addiction, chaos, and prison. But behind bars, her nightmare got worse — she was assaulted by a prison guard. Most people would stay silent… Jackie didn’t. She fought the system and won $3 million. This is the story they never wanted you to hear. #PrisonSurvivor #ExposingAbuse #PrisonLawsuit #JusticeForWomen #GuardE...

Kevin Gilford’s story is one of addiction, crime, survival, and redemption. In this interview, Kevin shares how he became addicted to meth, taught himself to cook it, and fell deep into the drug world — leading to time in California state prison and eventually federal prison, the same one Ian was locked up in. We dive into the realities of prison life, the underground meth scene, and how Kevin is...

Ex Inmate Shaun Duguay shares his powerful story of growing up with childhood trauma, battling severe mental health issues, and falling into a cycle of addiction and crime that led to multiple felonies and time in Pennsylvania state prison. In this interview, Shaun talks about the emotional struggles that came before prison, the shocking violence he witnessed behind bars, and the wild stories from...

Yosvani Gacita Negrin was born in Cuba but came to the U.S. as a baby, never realizing that his lack of citizenship would one day turn his life upside down. After getting involved with drugs and being arrested by the feds, he spent three years in a private prison before being transferred to ICE custody for deportation. But when Cuba refused to take him back, Yosvani was released—left in legal limb...

Ray Trapani shares his journey from small-time scams, including exploiting a glitch in Venmo, to co-founding Centra Tech—a fraudulent cryptocurrency company that raised over $25 million. Despite facing multiple charges, including securities and wire fraud, Ray managed to avoid a lengthy prison sentence. In this candid discussion, he reveals the tactics used to deceive investors, the rapid rise and...

Zac Lyons talks about how violating a restraining order resulted in an 18-month prison sentence and how he dealt with the consequences. #RestrainingOrder #PrisonTime #LegalConsequences #TrueCrime #JusticeSystem #CourtCase #CrimeAndPunishment #secondchances Connect with Zac Lyons: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zrated_413?igsh=MXN1OWtsM3NwdHZncw== Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bi...

Maxwell White-Cohen explains how his pill addiction spiraled, the impact it had on his life, and the long road to recovery. #PillAddiction #OpioidCrisis #TrueCrime #AddictionRecovery #PharmaCrisis #MentalHealth #OvercomingStruggles #hardtruths Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy: http...

Devin Donovan talks about the brutal reality of heroin addiction in Massachusetts and the daily struggles that came with it. #HeroinAddiction #Massachusetts #DrugEpidemic #TrueCrime #LifeStruggles #RecoveryJourney #OvercomingAddiction #healthcrisis Connect With Devin Donovan: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devindon22?igsh=cDQwbXQ2czJsNzZ2 Youtube: https://youtube.com/@laceup617?si=vaPrXFnzVZ...