Locked In with Ian Bick

David Bell sits down with Ian Bick to break down his unconventional path through the criminal justice system — from going to law school for tax law and working at a major firm to walking away and joining the Missouri Public Defender. In this episode, David explains why he chose public defense, what it’s really like defending society’s “worst of the worst,” and how that experience reshaped his view...

Anthony Milbourne traveled all the way from Australia to sit down with Ian Bick and share his journey into becoming a correctional officer inside an Australian youth prison. In this episode, Anthony breaks down how his life experiences led him to the job, what daily life was really like inside the facility, and the key differences between the Australian and American prison systems — from food, rou...

Troy Ave sits down with Ian Bick for an honest conversation about his upbringing, the path that led him into the criminal justice system, and what it took to survive time at Rikers Island. In this episode, Troy Ave breaks down his early life, the court case that changed everything, the realities of being locked up inside Rikers, and how incarceration reshaped his mindset both personally and profes...

Sarah Wayne Callies sits down to talk about her childhood, her path into acting, and what led to her being cast as Dr. Sara Tancredi on Prison Break. She opens up about the sudden fame that came with the show, how she prepared for the role by visiting real prisons, and how filming Prison Break permanently changed her perspective on incarceration and the criminal justice system. Sarah also shares b...

Amanda Tarver opens up about one of the most shocking chapters of her life, discovering she was pregnant just weeks after self-surrendering to federal prison, navigating pregnancy and childbirth behind bars, and the emotional reality of giving birth while incarcerated. In this conversation with Ian Bick, Amanda breaks down how her decisions led to federal prison time, the trauma and resilience of...

Legend Tarver went from graduating with a degree to serving time in federal prison, learning the hard way how choices, survival, and consequence intersect in the criminal justice system. Two weeks into his sentence, he found out his then-girlfriend, Amanda, was pregnant, and the couple endured separation, hardship, and the challenges of incarceration while growing their family. Drawing strength fr...

Dillan Judkins grew up in Utah after being put up for adoption at birth by his mother, who was struggling with addiction, and raised by a loving Mormon family — but rebellion, alcohol, and trouble started early. In this episode, Dillan shares how a sexual assault charge stemming from a one-night stand at a party when he was 18 changed his life forever, leading to months in county jail awaiting tri...

Brian Watson spent over 20 years as a special agent in the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. In this episode, he explains how he got into the IRS, what the job is really like, and how criminal tax evasion cases are built from start to finish. Brian breaks down common myths about the IRS, how payroll tax cases work, what restitution actually means for defendants, and how investigations move from...

Steven Johnson grew up in Connecticut surrounded by instability and a rough childhood that pushed him toward the streets at a young age. As a teenager, he joined the Latin Kings and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a chapter president before landing in Connecticut state prison. While serving time in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Steven made a decision that could have cost him...

Michael Bishop grew up surrounded by emotional trauma, bullying, homelessness, and instability, moving in and out of the foster care system while dealing with serious issues at home. Fighting became a way to survive, and that anger eventually led to him being locked inside Massachusetts juvenile detention centers for nearly two years. In this episode, Michael shares a firsthand account of life ins...

Matt Frey spent seven years working as a therapist inside Rikers Island from 2011 to 2018, a job he never imagined taking growing up in the suburbs of New York. In this episode, Matt gives a rare inside look at day-to-day life at Rikers from the inmate perspective, breaking down what really happens in both General Population and Mental Observation housing. He shares firsthand experiences with extr...

Dylan Syer speaks publicly for the first time about the high-profile accusations that upended his life, including allegations of fraud, identity theft, and grand larceny stemming from his work as a celebrity personal shopper. Prosecutors claimed Dylan used access to clients’ finances to make unauthorized luxury purchases, accusations he firmly denies. In this episode, Dylan explains what he says r...

Andrew Gautreau grew up in a good family in Louisiana, but addiction took hold in his teenage years and quickly sent his life off the rails. After finishing trade school, he began getting arrested for drug offenses — yet somehow still landed a job as a prison guard, training for a month at Angola, one of the most notorious prisons in America. His time on the job lasted just six months before he qu...

Cory Simek grew up in Texas surrounded by crime and addiction, with both of his parents involved in drug dealing and his father eventually sentenced to prison. Following in his family’s footsteps, Cory found himself in and out of Texas jails before ultimately receiving a state prison sentence. In this episode, Cory shares what it was really like surviving Texas state jails and prisons, including r...

Jim Cole, a retired Supervisory Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and global expert on child exploitation and victim identification, sits down to reveal the untold truth about fighting child predators and digital crime. With nearly 35 years in law enforcement, Jim led major initiatives including founding the HSI Victim Identification Program, co-founding Project VIC to help...

Sonny Von Cleveland opens up about serving nearly two decades in prison and the harsh realities of being young, white, and unprepared for prison life. Pulled into violence and survival politics at an early age, Sonny breaks down what it really takes to make it through long prison sentences, the fear, the mistakes, and the lessons learned the hard way behind bars. He speaks candidly about navigatin...

Savannah Chrisley opens up to Ian Bick about her upbringing and what it was like navigating her parents’ legal battles while living in the public eye. She walks through the trial process, the emotional toll of visiting her parents in prison, and the pressure of fighting for justice under constant scrutiny. Savannah also breaks down the long, exhausting road to securing a pardon — from advocacy and...

Luis Gutierrez got pulled into California and Kansas gangs at a young age after a rough childhood that set him on a violent path. In this episode, Luis tells the full story of how a crime that resulted in the murder of his close friend led him to turn down an 11-year plea deal and receive life in prison, sending him into some of Kansas’ most brutal and dangerous maximum-security prisons. He shares...

Kevin Donaldson, a retired New Jersey police officer, opens up about his traumatic upbringing, what drew him to law enforcement, and the career-defining call that ultimately broke him after responding to a domestic shooting incident — a moment that changed his life and led to his retirement in 2014. Kevin shares raw stories from the job that taught him about danger, mental strain, and resilience w...

Shawn Johnson shares his story of growing up in poverty in New Jersey, getting pulled into street life, and eventually joining the Bloods. He breaks down how a murder charge led to a 60-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison, what it took to survive nearly two decades behind bars, and how prison life reshaped him mentally and emotionally. Shawn also opens up about the long road to freedom, the l...

Chase Chrisley opens up to Ian Bick about his upbringing, growing up on reality television, and how fame at a young age shaped his life and decisions. He talks about leaving college, the pressures of being in the public eye, and how his struggles with drinking escalated as his family faced intense legal battles. Chase shares what it was like watching his parents’ arrest, trial, and eventual prison...

Nicole Moorman, a top criminal defense attorney based in Atlanta, walks through what it’s really like working inside the justice system — from defending people in serious felony and federal cases to the pressure of high-stakes trials and courtroom strategy. Born in Chicago and trained in criminal justice and law at Southern Illinois University, Troy University, and Emory University School of Law,...

Todd Chrisley opens up to Ian Bick about his upbringing, building a successful business, and raising his children while living in the public eye. He breaks down how his legal troubles began, what it was like going to trial, and the moment he was sentenced to prison. Todd shares how he survived behind bars, the lessons prison forced him to learn, and stories from inside that changed his perspective...

Jennifer Eskew shares her journey from starting her career as a Virginia State Trooper to going deep undercover on major drug and gun cases before joining the ATF. She breaks down what undercover work was really like, including investigations involving outlaw bikers and murder-for-hire plots, and how those years on the street shaped her as an agent. Jennifer also opens up about transitioning into...

Ebo Sosa breaks down how he was pulled into gang life in Georgia at a young age, cycling through county jails and prison boot camps before eventually getting caught up in a RICO case that changed everything. He shares what it was really like being sent to some of Georgia’s most violent state prisons, the constant danger inside, and the mindset it took just to survive day to day. This is a raw, fir...