Nightmare Success In and Out

How did Kristy Laschober go from having a thriving business as a wardrobe stylist in Southern California to receiving a five year federal prison sentence? Kristy was born with a medical condition that led to her becoming addicted to opioids as a child. After 10 years of sobriety and ending a marriage to a police officer, Kristy relapsed. This led her to trying meth and eventually selling to a Conn...

Kevin Harris shares his remarkable story of overcoming his nightmare of growing up in a crime-ridden neighborhood and serving 14 years in prison. He credits his faith, his wife, family members and friends that believed him through the difficult transition from prison to reentry. Kevin's story highlights the challenges faced by young people in high-crime areas and the importance of finding hope...

Damon West "Be The Coffee Bean", a former starting college quarterback at the University of North Texas, shares his story of overcoming addiction and incarceration. USA Today says Damon West is the modern day Shawshank Redemption. He was sentenced to 65 years in prison for his involvement in organized criminal activity of breaking into homes to feed his meth addiction. However, he had an...

Can someone completely transform their life being in out of prison five times? Meet the vision board man, Kardell Sims. He is a passionate advocate dedicated to helping incarcerated & formerly incarcerated individuals rebuild their lives. Despite facing tremendous adversity in his youth, he has overcome his past to become a leader in the re-entry space. Growing up in poverty with strong influe...

In this episode of the Nightmare Success in and Out podcast, Brent Cassity interviews Myra Mabry, a doctor who has overcome numerous challenges in her life. Myra's story includes dealing with her parents' divorce, finding out that her father is not her biological father, battling cancer, and going through medical school. She shares her journey of resilience and determination, highlighting...

In this episode of the Nightmare Success in and Out podcast, host Brent Cassity interviews Sam Mangel, a high profile federal prison consultant who shares his jarring personal experience of going through the federal criminal justice system. Sam woke up in he early morning with a swarm of FBI agents at his door. He had no idea why they were there. They handcuffed him and put him in the back of the...

With the hopes of earning some extra money, Gina Pendergraph is recruited to smuggle drugs into the United States from Mexico. She looks like the suburban mom with her dogs and husband in the car, and gets hit at the border on month 3. Gina has an interesting journey that includes addiction, but also has business successes. She is a smart independent woman who is now navigating the criminal justic...

Jeff Deskovic shares his story of being wrongfully convicted of murder and rape as a 16-year-old teenager and spending 16 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. The miscarriage of justice is horrifying, along with the challenges and dangers he faced in prison. Jeff entered a men's maximum-security prison for a life sentence at the age of 17. He goes through the disappointment of sev...

In this episode of the Nightmare Success In and Out podcast, host Brent Cassity interviews Ginjer Wulff, who shares her story of overcoming addiction and being responsible for a hit and run accident. Ginger grew up in a toxic family environment and struggled with chronic medical issues. Ginjer's medical issues got her addicted to opioids. She made the fateful decision to drive under the influe...

How does a feared and respected New York Defense Attorney get a 14 year sentence to Federal Prison? Robert Simels, a former prosecutor turned defense attorney, shares his journey from fighting corruption in the legal system to representing high-profile clients. He discusses his early life, his transition to law, and his experiences as a prosecutor in New York bringing down police, lawyers, judges,...

In this episode of the Nightmare Success in and Out podcast, host Brent Cassity interviews Jacqueline Polverari, the founder of Evolution Reentry Services. Jacqueline shares her personal journey of making poor choices that led to her incarceration and how she used her experience to advocate for criminal justice reform. The conversation covers Jacqueline's upbringing, education, career choices,...

How does a decorated 24 year veteran of the FBI, who was the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for having a positive impact on the National Security of the United States, end up in federal prison for 8 years? In this episode, host Brent Cassity interviews Bob Lustyik. Bob's story is a fascinating journey from being a decorated FBI agent specializing in counterintelligence and counterterro...

In this episode of the Nightmare Success in and Out podcast, Brent Cassity interviews Jeff Martinovich, CEO of a Wealth Management Company, who shares his experience of going through a trial and being sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. He rejected 3 different plea deals standing up for what he believed to be the truth. He lost everything: his career, reputation, family, homes, assets, and li...

How did this normal Surburban mom survive this horrific nightmarish journey through the criminal justice system? In this episode, Brent Cassity interviews Lynn Espejo. Lynn grew up in a normal middle-class family and had a successful career in accounting. However, she ended up working for a group of doctors who engaged in unethical practices. Lynn was groomed by one of the doctors to participate i...

Is it possible to be a 20-year accomplished actor, Specialist for the FBI, and a leader of the reentry community? Yes, Charlie Grady does all those things and very well. Charlie Grady shares his experiences of living two lives as a law enforcement officer and an actor. Charlie discusses his childhood and family background, growing up with a parent in law enforcement, and his journey into acting. T...

How do you escape the odds from a bad neighborhood and a long prison sentence? Aaron Smith runs the organization Escape the Odds and he is teaching people a new hustle to escape. The news media has recognized his good work. In this episode of the Nightmare Success podcast, host Brent Cassity interviews Aaron Smith, a former drug dealer who spent 12 years in prison. Aaron grew up in a tough neighbo...

In this episode, Brent Cassity interviews Bill Baroni, a former politician who survived the nightmare National Media story of the Bridgegate scandal and served time in federal prison. His case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, and he won. Bill was appointed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The na...

I lost my mind but found myself. That is what Jay Jordan said about spending 2 years in solitary confinement. He asked the question "Who am I?" The Nightmare Success In and Out podcast explores the journey of Jay Jordan, who went from being in prison to becoming a successful entrepreneur and community advocate. Jay's story highlights the flaws in the criminal justice system and the c...

What would you do in 2 years of solitary confinement? Jay Jordan did a 180 and changed his life. Jay Jordan is the founder of Time done. He is responsible for passing 50 laws in the last 10 years in California that have benefited the justice impacted community. In this part 1 interview, he shares his journey from a troubled childhood to his arrest and sentencing, leading to his time in prison. He...

How does someone go from foster care to Forbes Magazine? Ryan Stream shares his incredible journey from foster care homes to Forbes Magazine. He overcame a difficult childhood, struggled with mental health, PTSD from two tours of duty in Afghanistan, addiction, incarceration, and eventually found success as a motivational speaker and entrepreneur. Ryan's story is a testament to resilience, det...

How many times can you get knocked down when you know you are good enough to make it. Meet master barber Lowell Newsome. Lowell grew up as an only child. He lived two different worlds. He was a responsible student with perfect attendance. His high school counselor continued to visit him in prison because he saw promise in Lowell. Lowell was drawn to the street life out of curiosity and acceptance...

Would you lose hope if you were sentenced to life in prison without parole at 16 years old? In this episode of the Nightmare Success In and Out podcast, host Brent Cassity interviews Jessica Hicklin, a transgender woman who spent 26 years in prison for taking a life. Jessica shares her childhood experiences of abuse, her struggles with drugs and alcohol, and the tragic incident that led to her imp...

In this episode, host Brent Cassity interviews Drew Chapin, a tech entrepreneur who faced legal troubles and imprisonment. Drew shares his journey from childhood to becoming a tech CEO and the challenges he faced in the startup world. He discusses the pressure to succeed, fundraising struggles, and the ethical dilemmas he encountered. Drew also opens up about his arrest, the plea deal he took, and...

How does a teenager having epic house parties, and grows with a investors, owning a nightclub by 17...end up in prison? This episode features Ian Bick, who shares his journey from being an ambitious and entrepreneurial teenager to facing legal troubles and serving time in prison. Ian's story begins with his early childhood and his knack for organizing events and parties. He quickly scales his...

How does a guy with a promising pro baseball career with the Atlanta Braves end up in prison. Danny Collins survived his journey, and it is one heck of a story. He had a complicated childhood with not knowing his mom. He was the kid trying to fit in and sports was his escape for recognition, but he couldn't escape his demons even when he had thought he had finally made it by being signed with...