Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Stories you won't find anywhere else, told by the people who lived them. Hosted by former federal inmate turned entrepreneur Ian Bick, Locked In with Ian Bick features raw, long-form conversations with people from every side of the criminal justice system—and the extraordinary lives that intersect with it. From former inmates and law enforcement officers to attorneys, judges, correctional professionals, investigators, victims, medical professionals, bikers, and public figures, every guest shares a firsthand perspective rarely heard anywhere else. Every episode goes beyond the headlines, exploring crime, prison, addiction, investigations, mental health, redemption, and second chances through honest conversations with the people who experienced them. If you're interested in true crime, criminal justice, prison stories, or extraordinary real-life experiences, Locked In with Ian Bick delivers stories you won't find anywhere else.

  1. 43 min ago

    I'm a Gambling Addiction Psychologist — Here's Why You Can't Stop Gambling | Dr. Michal 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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

    I'm a Gambling Addiction Psychologist — Here's Why You Can't Stop Gambling | Dr. Michal Zhang
  2. 4 days ago

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

    I Killed Someone in Self Defense — Then Spent 10 Years in Prison Proving It | Erico Montalvo
  3. 3 Aug

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

    I Was a Texas Gang Member, Dope Dealer & Pimp — Then I Got Sent to Prison | Tamara Cook
  4. 2 Aug

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

    My Reality TV Star Ex Accused Me of Attempted Murder at a Boat Party — Here's My Side of the Story | Cole Goldberg
  5. 26 Jul

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

    I Was a White Guy Who Became a Blood in a Texas Max Security Prison — Here's How I Survived It | Timothy Greisheimer
  6. 23 Jul

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

    I Was a Prosecutor at the Suffolk County DA's Office — Here's the Truth About the Justice System | Chase Brown
  7. 13 Jul

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    I Rose From Guard to Warden at Rikers Island — Here's the Truth About America's Most Violent Jail | Howard Robertson
  8. 29 Jun

    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 sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    I Was a Gangster Disciple — Then I Went To Prison | Pastor Michael Miano

About

Stories you won't find anywhere else, told by the people who lived them. Hosted by former federal inmate turned entrepreneur Ian Bick, Locked In with Ian Bick features raw, long-form conversations with people from every side of the criminal justice system—and the extraordinary lives that intersect with it. From former inmates and law enforcement officers to attorneys, judges, correctional professionals, investigators, victims, medical professionals, bikers, and public figures, every guest shares a firsthand perspective rarely heard anywhere else. Every episode goes beyond the headlines, exploring crime, prison, addiction, investigations, mental health, redemption, and second chances through honest conversations with the people who experienced them. If you're interested in true crime, criminal justice, prison stories, or extraordinary real-life experiences, Locked In with Ian Bick delivers stories you won't find anywhere else.

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