Locked In with Ian Bick

Pat Acquista spent 18 years working at Rikers Island during the violent 1980s and 90s, rising from correction officer to captain. Joining the NYC Department of Correction in 1983, he worked at multiple facilities, including AMKC, RMSC, GRVC, and OBCC. From intake and mental health units to surviving three inmate riots, Pat witnessed the chaos of Rikers Island during New York City's crack epidemic. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares firsthand stories of dangerous inmates, jail violence, and the realities of working behind bars during one of NYC's most turbulent eras. _____________________________________________ Thank you to GLD, CASH APP & TALKIATRY for sponsoring this episode:  GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com _____________________________________________ Cash App: Download Cash App today and make your money work for you. Click here to get started: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPartner 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 (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Talkiatry: Head to https://www.talkiatry.com/lockedin to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Life Inside Rikers Island 01:05 Pat's Childhood and Family 02:16 Influential Teacher and Schooling 04:20 Becoming a Correction Officer 08:00 First Days on the Job 11:58 Pay, Overtime, and Making Money 13:47 Working Court and Intake 16:03 Famous Inmates 17:00 Violence and Intake Stories 19:44 Christmas Behind Bars 21:29 Refusing Court and Escapes 24:43 The Bing and Inmate Discipline 25:02 Women's Facility and Relationships 30:06 Officer Corruption and Rogue Staff 33:53 Promotions and Timelines 39:50 Fake FBI Scams 41:33 Moving Up the Ranks 43:50 Notorious Detainees and Escapes 45:43 Searching Inmates and Transgender Cases 47:40 Uniforms, Phones, and Inmate Economy 50:00 Driving the Bus and Court Transfers 54:30 Celebrity Encounters and Harry Winston 56:00 Bus Breakdowns and Escapes 01:00:00 Teaching Cooking in Prison 01:01:25 Sex Offenders in Prison 01:02:20 Body Cameras and Use of Force 01:03:40 Mental Health and Segregation 01:06:00 Officer Corruption and Betrayal 01:08:00 The Changing System and Softer Approach 01:09:10 Riots and Escapes at Rikers 01:12:00 Visits and Smuggling 01:14:30 Opposing Views on Reform 01:16:00 Riots, Fires, and Arson 01:17:00 Mental Health Unit Stories 01:19:00 Final Years as Captain 01:22:00 Diddy, Gotti, and Celebrities 01:24:00 Visitors Smuggling Drugs 01:26:00 Arrests on Visits and Rikers Escape Attempts 01:28:00 Retirement and Life After 01:30:30 Comparing Corrections in NC and NY 01:42:30 Closing Rikers Island 01:43:40 Reflections and Advice _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Jerry Haymon IV was a Division I college football player with dreams of going pro until a devastating injury changed the course of his life. With his football career derailed, Jerry turned to selling marijuana, eventually becoming involved in a large-scale operation shipping cannabis across the country. His involvement led to a federal drug conspiracy conviction and a mandatory 10-year prison sentence. After spending years behind bars, his case gained national attention, with lawmakers, criminal justice advocates, and Mike Tyson fighting for his freedom. In September 2026, President Donald Trump commuted his sentence. _____________________________________________ Thank you to CASH APP, GLD & TALKIATRY for sponsoring this episode: Cash App: Download Cash App today and make your money work for you. Click here to get started: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPartner 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 (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com _____________________________________________ Talkiatry: Head to https://www.talkiatry.com/lockedin to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. _____________________________________________ Connect with Jerry Haymon IV: https://www.instagram.com/bear.haymon/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 From Football Star to Drug Trafficker 03:24 Athletic Dreams End With Injury 09:04 Discovering the Cannabis Game 13:56 First Deals and Virginia Connections 17:21 $52K Seized by USPS 21:07 The Reality of Hustling 25:35 Products, Prices, and Cops 31:00 Running the Operation Solo 36:19 State vs Federal Cannabis Laws 44:21 Handling Cash Without Banks 51:04 Staying Under the Radar 54:20 Boxes Keep Getting Seized 57:50 Postal Employees Teach Packaging 01:00:00 Partner's Baby Mom Makes Contact 01:04:52 The Arrest in Fresno 01:08:24 Facing Trial and No Snitching 01:12:53 Mandatory Minimum Sentence Handed Down 01:15:44 Life Inside the BOP 01:18:14 Oklahoma: 'The Wheel' Scare 01:21:00 Prison Conditions and Advocacy 01:27:12 Life on Ankle Monitor 01:33:10 Job Struggles After Release 01:36:00 How Clemency Was Won 01:40:54 Reflections and Final Words _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Kurtis "ROLX Carter" Phillip grew up on Roosevelt Island, New York, surrounded by gang life from an early age. With family members involved in gangs, he followed the same path, eventually landing in Nassau County Jail twice on robbery and crack-related charges. After beating another robbery case, Kurtis faced an even bigger battle when liver failure left him needing a transplant. But while fighting for his life, federal authorities arrested him in a RICO case that ultimately resulted in a 10-year federal prison sentence. _____________________________________________ Thank you to TALKIATRY, CASH APP & GLD for sponsoring this episode: Talkiatry: Head to https://www.talkiatry.com/lockedin to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. Cash App: Download Cash App today and make your money work for you. Click here to get started: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPartner 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 (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com _____________________________________________ Connect with Kurtis "ROLX Carter" Phillip: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigstatusceo/ Website: https://rolxcartergoharder.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: Curtis 'Rolex' Carter 00:36 Growing Up in Poverty on Long Island 02:31 First Exposure to Gangs 04:40 Joining a Gang at Age Seven 06:50 School, Sports, and the Streets 08:49 First Arrest at 16 10:46 Life in Juvenile Detention 15:16 The Code: No Robbing, Only Hustling 16:57 Out of Juvie, Back to the Streets 19:23 Sponsor: Talkiatry 21:57 Second Arrest: Crack Charge 27:24 Comparing County Jail to Rikers 30:37 Money, Family, and a Law Suit 34:55 The Necessity of Violence 36:11 Third Arrest: A Robbery Frame-Up 41:51 Facing Liver Failure in Jail 47:59 A Life-Saving Liver Transplant 50:45 Beating the State Robbery Case 53:47 A Brief Taste of Freedom 56:57 The Feds Come Knocking 58:59 Turning Himself In 01:01:19 Facing a Federal RICO Case 01:03:19 Inside MDC Brooklyn 01:06:45 The Dilemma: A Snitch or a Plea? 01:09:19 Sponsor: GLD Jewelry 01:12:04 Why Taking a Charge Beats Snitching 01:14:40 Pleading Out and Sentencing 01:17:59 Arriving in Federal Prison 01:20:38 Life Inside: Hazelton and Butner 01:24:00 Crip Politics in the Feds 01:28:19 Prison Fights and 924C 01:34:34 Cell Phone Bust in the Shower 01:38:00 Adjusting to Life on the Outside 01:39:47 Staying True to His Vision 01:43:16 Final Thoughts and Advice _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Aaron Peila joins Locked In with Ian Bick to share how his upbringing led him into the streets, where he began hustling, moving serious weight, and getting involved in the music business. His lifestyle eventually caught up with him when a gun charge landed him in Nevada state prison, followed by a $3.8 million federal RICO and money laundering case that resulted in a 16-year sentence. Aaron opens up about his criminal past and the reality of spending over 15 years behind bars in state and federal prison. _____________________________________________ Thank you to GLD, TALKIATRY & CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com _____________________________________________ Talkiatry: Head to https://www.talkiatry.com/lockedin to complete the short assessment and get matched with an in‑network psychiatrist in just a few minutes. _____________________________________________ Cash App: Download Cash App today and make your money work for you. Click here to get started: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPartner 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 (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________ Connect with Aaron Peila: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@peilaroni is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronPeila Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronpeila?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&vrfl=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.peila.2025 Website: Www.cceapparel.com _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Aaron Pila 00:47 Early Life and Moving Around 02:32 Introduction to Drugs and Selling 06:32 Juvenile Trouble and Leaving Home 11:04 Moving to Utah and Drug Dealing 13:36 First Felonies and Probation 17:30 Prison Time and Work Release 19:40 Transition to Music Business 21:00 Rehab in Mexico 25:00 Music Career and Partnership 28:00 Gun Case and Legal Troubles 39:30 State and Federal Sentences 44:00 RICO Indictment and Cooperation 51:00 Life in Federal Prison 01:00:00 Prison Politics and Violence 01:14:00 Putting in Work and Consequences 01:30:00 Daily Life and Prison Dynamics 01:40:00 Release and Reentry Challenges 01:47:00 Reflections and Future Plans _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Wayne Smith Jr. grew up in Philadelphia after losing his father at a young age, eventually finding himself caught up in the streets. At just 20 years old, a shooting changed his life forever and landed him a 25-to-50-year prison sentence. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Wayne opens up about his childhood, the decisions that led him to prison, and what it was like facing decades behind bars. He also shares the incredible story of how his brother made it to the NFL and helped fight for his freedom, giving Wayne a second chance at life. _____________________________________________ Connect with Wayne Smith Jr: Hard Copy of book: https://cavzvv-qb.myshopify.com/ E Book: https://www.amazon.com/clp/B0HJ1HH9LT?lv=shuf&channelId=500 Website: https://awaythatseemsright.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waynet_jr/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Wayne's Crime and Brother's NFL Success 00:32 Childhood in Philadelphia 01:51 Father's Tragic Death 05:53 Impact on Teenage Years 07:51 Toxic Masculinity and Peer Pressure 11:01 First Arrest and Probation 15:52 Struggles with Drugs and Education 20:38 Finishing High School and College Attempts 25:49 Full-Time Street Life 31:18 The Night of the Shooting 35:49 Understanding the Value of Life 39:20 Aftermath and Surrender to God 47:52 Arrest and Surrender 52:49 Months of Freedom and Faith 56:05 Turning Himself In 01:00:00 Prison Experience and Faith 01:06:55 New Evidence and New Trial 01:10:58 Brother's NFL Career and Support 01:14:30 Life in Maximum Security Prison 01:19:48 Release and Adjusting to Freedom 01:24:00 New Evidence Leads to Release 01:32:00 Reflections and Redemption 01:36:44 Closing Thoughts and Future Endeavors _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka