Locked In with Ian Bick

Robert Ledogar spent over 30 years serving his country — first in the Navy then as a Supervisory Deputy US Marshal for the Eastern District of New York. He spent decades hunting down and capturing some of America's most wanted fugitives, transporting federal prisoners including El Chapo during his trial, and running some of the most dangerous operations the US Marshals Service has ever seen. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Bob pulls back the curtain on what it really looks like to hunt fugitives in New York City — the process the stories and the cases he'll never forget. He opens up about transporting El Chapo on Con Air and what that experience was really like. And then he tells the story nobody inside the agency wants told — how after 30 years of unblemished service he stood up for a female deputy marshal being harassed and assaulted by her own colleagues — and how the agency spent the next four and a half years trying to destroy him for it. Fired two months before retirement eligibility. He fought back. And in August 2021 — he finally won.

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#USMarshal #ElChapo #truecrimecommunity

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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.

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Connect with Robert Ledogar:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ledogar-276277146

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Timestamps:
00:00 US Marshal Who Hunted Fugitives and Worked the El Chapo Case — Robert's Full Story
01:00 Growing Up in Queens and the Early Life That Led to Federal Law Enforcement
03:00 The Early Influences That Set Him on the Path to the Navy and Eventually the Marshals
06:00 Navy Service and What Desert Storm Really Looked Like From the Inside
08:00 The Investigative Work Overseas That Prepared Him for Everything That Followed
11:00 Transitioning Out of the Navy and What That Career Change Really Required
13:00 Joining the US Marshals Service and What That Process Actually Looked Like
15:00 Marshal Academy Training and the Early Days That Defined His Career
18:00 Learning to Track Fugitives and What That Education Really Looked Like
21:00 Task Forces and How His Responsibilities Expanded Into Major Operations
23:00 Working Big Cases and the Surveillance Tactics That Most People Never Hear About
26:00 The Most Memorable Fugitive Capture Stories From His Entire Career
29:00 The Challenges of Probation Violations and What That World Really Looks Like
32:00 Supervising Warrants and the Team Dynamics That Define the Job
35:00 The Realities and Risks of Arresting Fugitives That Nobody Talks About Publicly
38:00 Transporting Detainees and What the Court Logistics Process Really Involves
41:00 Bounty Hunters Escape Attempts and the Stories That Still Surprise Him
44:00 High Profile Cases and His Connection to the El Chapo Investigation
47:00 The Investigative Successes and Lessons That Defined His Career
50:00 Probation Halfway Houses and the Escape Attempts That Kept Him on His Toes
53:00 What Working With Different Agencies Actually Looks Like From the Inside
56:00 Serving Warrants in New York City and What Makes That Environment Unique
59:00 The Big Arrests That Required the Most Due Diligence and Preparation
01:02:00 Balancing Duty Family and Legacy After a Career Hunting America's Most Wanted
01:05:00 His Honest Reflections on the System and the Personal Lessons That Changed Everything

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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka
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Frank Vallejo grew up in Texas dreaming of serving his country. After six years as a police officer across two cities he was recruited to join the Border Patrol — and spent the next 18 years on the front lines of one of America's most complex and controversial assignments. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Frank pulls back the curtain on what border patrol work really looks like — from the human smuggling operations he dismantled to the major drug busts that defined his career. He breaks down exactly how smugglers operated and how agents spotted them, shares the heartbreaking stories from the job that never leave you, explains why the border wall actually increased security, and reveals how the catch and release policies of the early 2000s allowed millions of people into the country unchecked. This is the conversation about the border that nobody in the media is having.

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#BorderPatrol #TrueCrime #bordersecurity

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Thank you to RAYCON for sponsoring this episode:
Upgrade your dad’s everyday routine. Go to https://buyraycon.com/IANBICKOPEN to get 15% off.

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Connect with Frank Vallejo:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franciscovallejo544?igsh=MWU0ZzFzbzR3MTVzMA==
Buy his book: https://www.amazon.com/Thin-Lines-Patrol-Betrayal-Enforcement-ebook/dp/B0GRPXBYP1

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction - Border Patrol Agent Interview
03:54 Frank's Early Life and Background
07:31 How to Become a Police Officer: First Jobs & Academy
14:49 Why Police Officers Switch Departments
21:27 Border Patrol Training: Academy & What to Expect
28:17 What Does Border Patrol Actually Do? Duties Explained
36:08 Day in the Life of a Border Patrol Agent
44:00 How Drug Smuggling Works at the Border
51:46 Border Patrol Chase & Pursuit Stories
58:28 Border Patrol Catch Rates & Community Impact
01:07:28 Drug Smuggling, Tip-Offs & Police Corruption
01:13:13 Border Patrol Policy Changes & Supervisor Roles
01:20:17 Does the Border Wall Work? Wall vs Technology
01:27:27 Emotional Toll & Public Misconceptions About Border Patrol
01:33:35 Career Reflections & Writing a Book
01:36:19 Closing & Where to Buy the Book

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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

Rhaja Rose grew up in Arizona — raised by his mom and stepfather without his father in the picture. Despite a passion for football that could have taken him somewhere, he dropped out of high school and joined the Crips. A home invasion led to a murder charge that sent him to Arizona's prison system for 12 years. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Rhaja opens up about surviving some of Arizona's most violent prisons — the gangs the politics and the daily violence that defines life behind bars. But halfway through his sentence something shifted. He dialed in, earned a college degree from inside his cell, turned his life completely around and came home with a new purpose — becoming a tattoo artist and building a life nobody saw coming.

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#gang #TrueCrime #prison

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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.

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Connect with Rahja Rose:
https://www.instagram.com/rahjarose/

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Timestamps:
00:00 Growing Up Broke: Raja Rose's Story Begins
03:00 The Family Struggles That Shaped Him
06:00 Big Dreams as a Kid
08:00 How Football Fell Apart
11:00 Too Much Pressure, Too Young
13:00 First Signs of Trouble
15:00 High School, Drugs, and Growing Up Fast
17:00 Pulled Deeper Into the Streets
20:00 Gang Life and a Family Falling Apart
24:00 The Home Invasion That Changed Everything
28:00 Arrested: The Interrogation Room
34:00 On the Run Before Prison
38:00 Inside Juvenile Detention and Prison Politics
46:00 The Plea Deal and Facing the Sentence
01:00:00 Surviving Prison: Fights, Politics, Transformation
01:08:00 The Books That Changed His Mind
01:16:00 Learning to Tattoo Behind Bars
01:26:00 Grief, Loss, and College in Prison
01:31:00 Finally Free: Life After Release
01:40:00 Relationships and Advice for Young People
01:46:00 Why He Left the Gang Life Behind
01:50:00 How to Break the Cycle for Good

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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

Keith O'Palick spent 24 years with the NYPD — rising from beat cop to plain clothes officer in Chinatown to detective handling murder investigations and high profile cases. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Keith pulls back the curtain on what it really looks like inside the NYPD — from stopping robberies undercover in Chinatown to working homicide investigations in Midtown before transitioning to the DA's office where he worked protective detail during the Trump trial. He breaks down the truth about New York City safety, why cops do perp walks and whether that will ever change, how detectives manage massive caseloads, and why Rikers Island will never close no matter what politicians say.

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#NYPD #TrueCrime #newyorkcity

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Connect with Keith O'Palick:
Website: https://www.kopinvestigations.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keith.opalick/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNM7RCG?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_2P37RZCM562NNWMBXTPZ&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_2P37RZCM562NNWMBXTPZ&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_2P37RZCM562NNWMBXTPZ&bestFormat=true&csmig=1&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn63jIRsGPGC4zobZdkhXB-SHKDcjFTYKdqG3saWzaiQ25l7-mRZ5W9bxxfAo_aem_eQi9Wpvz6EQIYg2i5R6Wrw&utm_content=link_in_bio&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ig

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Timestamps:
00:00 Meet Keith Opalik: 20+ Years NYPD
00:24 Growing Up in NYC & The Road to Policing
01:21 Why He Chose the NYPD
03:20 Family, Roots & Early Influences
04:44 What Pulled Him Into Law Enforcement
07:12 How His Parents Reacted to "I'm Becoming a Cop"
08:55 Should Future Cops Go to College?
10:26 Day One: His First Assignment on the Force
12:48 Going Plainclothes
15:00 Undercover: The Taxi Cab Sting Tactics
19:13 Policing a City That Never Stops Changing
22:01 The Admin Battles Nobody Warns You About
26:13 Promotions, Politics & Internal Affairs
29:36 First Detective Case (And the Media Circus)
32:01 Working the Media as a Detective
34:38 Leaks, Pressure & High-Profile Cases
38:08 Why Some Cases Go Viral
42:22 Midtown vs. Every Other Precinct
45:57 The Crimes That Made Headlines
51:39 Perp Walks: The Truth Behind the Cameras
01:00:04 Caseloads, Staffing & Cop Burnout
01:09:43 Can a Cop Actually Have a Family Life?
01:14:54 Leaving for the DA's Office & Executive Protection
01:21:50 Inside Trump Trial Security
01:25:12 America's Political Divide From the Inside
01:28:57 Is NYC Still Safe? The Post-COVID Reality
01:36:39 Rikers Island & What's Broken in US Prisons
01:44:46 Retirement & Life After the Badge
01:49:37 Hard Lessons, Mental Health & Moving Forward

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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

Angel "Julito" Diaz grew up on Creston Avenue in the North Bronx — the youngest of six kids, watching his mother run the block before he ever touched a drug. By the time he was 12 he was selling crack after school. By the time he was a young man he was running his own operation — hundreds of pounds of their signature Mango Piña weed a week — eventually becoming the shot caller of the infamous Creston Avenue Crew whose takedown became one of the most notorious drug cases in Bronx history. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Julito tells the complete story — the story that Reggaeton star De La Ghetto portrayed on Netflix's El Ganador. Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee were part of his Bronx operation before they were famous. He opens up about the betrayal from his own childhood friend who put out a murder contract on his life, the robbery case that sent him to state prison, and the federal case that gave him 17 years total. When 22 people around him cooperated with the government — Angel kept his mouth shut. He served 11 years and never snitched on anyone.

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#prisonlife #BronxStory #TrueCrime

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Thank You To CASH APP & RAYCON For Sponsoring This Episode:
Cash App: 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.

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Raycon: Upgrade your dad’s everyday routine. Go to https://buyraycon.com/IANBICKOPEN to get 15% off. Thanks Raycon for sponsoring!

_____________________________________________

Connect with Angel "Julito" Diaz:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bx_julito/
Buy His Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D63JX8GX?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_mwn_dp_CQ6DFDAZ3FRHK8SBHY35&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_mwn_dp_CQ6DFDAZ3FRHK8SBHY35&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_mwn_dp_CQ6DFDAZ3FRHK8SBHY35&bestFormat=true

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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/

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Timestamps:
00:00 Bronx Shot Caller Who Never Snitched — Julito's Full Story
02:00 Growing Up in the Bronx and the Family Background That Started Everything
05:00 Watching His Family Run the Block — His First Exposure to Street Life
09:00 Growing Up Surrounded by Addiction and the Drug Trade From Day One
13:00 The Early Hustles and How He Built Trust on Creston Avenue
16:00 His First Real Steps Into the Drug Game and What That Felt Like
19:00 Balancing School and Street Life — The Choice That Defined Everything
22:00 His Mother's Influence and the Family Dynamics Nobody Talks About
25:00 The Block Loyalty and What Survival Really Looked Like on Creston Avenue
28:00 Moving Up — From Runner to Hustler and What That Transition Cost Him
31:00 Master Splinter and the Crew Dynamics That Would Later Destroy Everything
35:00 Learning the Unwritten Rules and Hierarchies of the Drug Game
38:00 How Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam Came Up on His Block Before They Were Famous
42:00 The Power Shifts on the Block That Changed Who Was Running Everything
46:00 Becoming the Shot Caller of the Creston Avenue Crew
50:00 Block Rivalries Internal Conflicts and the Tensions Nobody Could Control
54:00 The Friendship Breakdowns and Betrayals That Changed His Life Forever
58:00 When It Escalated — Violence and the Murder Contract Taken Out on His Own Life
01:03:00 Block Wars Arrests and the Beginning of the End
01:07:00 The Robbery That Set Everything in Motion and What Came After
01:11:00 The Day the Feds Came for Him and What That Felt Like
01:17:00 Life in Federal Custody and the Legal Battle He Fought From Inside
01:23:00 Snitches Street Codes and What It Really Means to Do Your Time
01:29:00 Master Splinter's Betrayal and the Fallout That Defined Everything
01:34:00 The Aftermath — Who Betrayed Who and the Consequences That Followed
01:40:00 Route 35 Cooperation and How People Around Him Got Life Sentences
01:46:00 Surviving and Hustling Inside Federal Prison — How He Did His Time
01:53:00 The Brothers He Lost the Loyalty That Held and the Losses That Broke Him
01:59:00 Coming Home to a Different World — How the Street Game Changed
02:07:00 Family Forgiveness and the Healing Nobody Warned Him About
02:13:00 Finishing His Time and What Walking Out Actually Felt Like
02:19:00 The Sins of the Father and How He's Breaking the Cycle for His Kids
02:24:00 What He Would Tell the Kid He Was on Creston Avenue
02:27:00 The Lessons From a Life Lived on the Edge — His Final Message

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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