Locked In with Ian Bick

Jesse Smithers was just a teenager when a street fight turned fatal, forcing him to accept a 10-year plea deal in the Minnesota prison system. In this interview, Jesse breaks down how he survived a decade behind bars only to face a new battle upon release: a system that wouldn't hire him. Pushed back into selling drugs to survive, Jesse reveals how a miraculous case dismissal became the final wake-up call he needed to leave the life of crime behind forever.

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#ianbick #prisonstories #minnesota #prisonsurvival #lockedin #truecrime #inmate #survival #prisonlife #minneapolis

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Thank you to FACTOR & AVA for sponsoring this episode:
FACTOR: Head to https://factormeals.com/lockedin50off and use code lockedin50off to get 50% off your first Factor box PLUS free breakfast for 1 year. Offer only valid for new Factor customers with code and qualifying auto-renewing subscription purchase. Make healthier eating easy with Factor.

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AVA: Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice.

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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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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 The Fight That Got Me Locked Up
02:00 Jesse’s Story Starts Here
04:40 Meeting My Dad & Family Truths
07:00 Growing Up Without a Father
10:00 Teen Sports, Trouble & Getting Put on Probation
13:20 When the Justice System Got Its Hooks in Me
16:20 First Time Locked Up: Juvenile Detention
20:20 Inside Elmore Academy: What Really Happens
27:40 Life Right Before Everything Went Wrong
32:00 The Night Everything Changed
36:00 After the Incident: Shock, Panic & Arrest
41:00 Tried as an Adult & Facing Serious Time
49:40 Courtroom Strategy: Lawyers, Bail & Playing the Game
01:00:00 The Case, Community Rumors & Hidden Plea Deal Pressure
01:10:00 Sentencing Day: Victim Statements & Walking Into Prison
01:18:00 First Time in State Prison
01:25:00 Prison Politics 101: How to Survive Inside
01:36:00 Fights, Gangs & the Real Rules of Prison
01:43:00 Stillwater Prison: Violence, Wars & Survival Stories
01:56:00 Getting Out of Prison & Starting Over from Nothing
02:05:00 Life After Release: Temptation of Fast Money
02:19:00 Back in the Game: Drug Dealing, Addiction & Another Arrest
02:30:00 New Case, New Charges & Choosing Sobriety
02:41:00 Turning Point: Recovery, Family & Real Success
02:50:00 What I’d Tell Any Kid Before They Ruin Their Life
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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 of justice. He dives deep into sentencing guidelines, the use of “ghost dope” to inflate sentences, systemic changes in criminal law, and the real differences between public defenders and paid attorneys. Now in private criminal defense practice in Kansas City, David offers an honest, inside look at how cases are charged, sentenced, and defended — and what most people don’t understand about how the system actually works.

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#ianbick #criminaldefense #federalprison #publicdefender #justicesystem #pleadeal #prisonreform #truecrime

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Thank you to 300 LETTERS for sponsoring this episode:
Visit https://300letters.org/ to learn more or get support. Your donation to 300 Letters is an investment in safer neighborhoods & healthier families.

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Connect with David Bell:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidbellattorney
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LensofaLawyer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lensofalawyer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lens-of-a-lawyer-podcast/

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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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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 The Truth About Sentencing (Intro)
01:03 Why I Quit Tax Law for Criminal Defense
03:03 The Moment I Realized the System Was Broken
06:44 How Law School Lies About the Justice System
10:48 Leaving the "Safe" Path Behind
13:42 Inside the Mind of a Public Defender
19:13 The Most Shocking Thing About Criminal Court
24:35 Public Defender Myths vs. Reality
31:44 Paid Lawyer vs. Public Defender: Who Wins?
36:34 How Prosecutors Force Plea Deals
42:03 Defending "Guilty" People: How I Sleep at Night
50:25 The Dark Side of Private Practice
01:00:57 White Collar Crimes & The "Rich Man's Justice"
01:08:35 "Ghost Dope": How You Get Sentenced for Drugs You Didn't Have
01:13:33 Is the System Rigged? (Mediation & New Approaches)
01:22:48 How Police Use Search Warrants to Trap You
01:27:37 Why Prison Doesn't Fix Anything
01:32:46 The Fatal Flaw in American Justice
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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, routine, and commissary to discipline and inmate culture. He also opens up about the violent attack he suffered at the hands of inmates, an incident that ultimately pushed him to walk away from the career.

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#YouthPrison #PrisonOfficer #AustralianPrison #PrisonLife #BehindBars #TrueCrimePodcast #InmateStories #lockedinwithianbick

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Connect with Anthony Milbourne:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-milbourne-806b66333
Buy his book: https://www.amazon.com/Psych-Warden-Officers-psychological-account/dp/B0B2TTDCKL

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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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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Violent Prison Attack That Changed Everything
00:25 Meet Anthony Milbourne & What This Episode Covers
00:53 Childhood, Family Life & Early Trauma
03:54 Growing Up in Australia: School & Early Struggles
11:10 Dreams, Ambitions & Early Career Goals
17:40 Art School, Adulthood & Finding Direction
24:42 Career Shift: Entering Law Enforcement
29:04 The Incident That Changed My Life Forever
33:31 Trauma, Recovery & Moving Into Juvenile Corrections
39:42 First Days Working Inside a Youth Prison
45:01 Inside an Australian Youth Detention Center
54:43 Daily Life in Youth Prison: Routine & Structure
01:01:36 Commissary, Prison Food & Inmate Ingenuity
01:07:12 Rehabilitation Programs & Mental Health Inside
01:10:01 Violence, Staff Safety & Gang Attacks
01:21:37 After the Assault: Media, Court & Fallout
01:32:46 Recovery, Career Changes & Personal Loss
01:36:13 Life as a Youth Prison Officer: Daily Realities
01:41:00 Officer Culture, Burnout & Brotherhood
01:44:01 System Failures, Reflections & Writing a Book
01:45:20 Final Thoughts & Lessons Learned
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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 professionally. He speaks honestly about accountability, survival, and navigating life after the system while continuing his journey in music.

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#TroyAve #HipHopInterview #PrisonStory #StreetLife #TrueCrimePodcast #MusicIndustry #LifeAfterPrison #rikersislandstories

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Thank you to AVA & LUCY for sponsoring this episode:
AVA: Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice.

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LUCY: Go to HTTP://LUCY.CO/IANBICK and use promo code IANBICK to get 20% off your first order.

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Connect with Troy Ave:
https://www.instagram.com/troyave/?hl=en

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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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Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Troy Ave on Rikers Island & Interview Introduction
00:32 Growing Up in Brooklyn: Background & Perspective
01:44 Privilege, Exposure & Early Worldview
03:40 Family Life, Brooklyn Upbringing & Environment
06:11 Lessons From Parents & Early Business Mindset
07:27 Teen Years: Discipline, Mistakes & Street Fights
10:39 Gang Life: Attraction, Reality & Short-Lived Appeal
13:05 Life Choices After Gangs: Credit, Jobs & Direction
14:24 First Hustles: Work, Streets & School Balance
17:46 From the Streets to Music: Motivation & Drive
21:40 The Mixtape Era & Early Music Grind
24:45 Drug Money vs Music Money
27:30 Leaving the Streets & Refocusing on Music
33:00 Jail Time, Loyalty & Leveling Up Mentally
36:52 Touring Independently & Music Industry Lessons
41:01 The Real Consequences of Street Life
44:42 The Shooting, Arrest & Legal Battle
52:00 Inside Rikers Island: Firsthand Experience
01:00:32 Life in Jail: Mindset, Privileges & Survival
01:13:12 Locked Up Again: Routines & Mental Toughness
01:19:12 Money, Status & Jail Politics
01:32:00 Rikers Island: Violence, Dominance & Reality
01:46:40 Lessons Learned, Hustle & Life After Jail
02:01:47 Achievements, Missed Goals & New Perspective
02:06:06 Final Reflections & Closing Thoughts
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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 behind-the-scenes stories from set, the emotional weight of playing a character inside prison walls, and how that experience later influenced her work, including being cast on The Walking Dead.

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#SarahWayneCallies #PrisonBreak #SaraTancredi #TVInterviews #BehindTheScenes #HollywoodStories #ActingCareer #youtubepodcast

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Connect with Sarah Wayne Callies:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahwaynecallies/?hl=en
Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6Syro1Uk5qZ-mf_q4v6lQ

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

Shop Locked In Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop

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Timestamps:
00:00 Filming Prison Break Inside a Real Prison
01:00 Career Growth, Podcasting & Season 3 Absence
03:50 Fan Reactions and Returning to Prison Break
05:30 On-Screen Chemistry and Cast Behind-the-Scenes Stories
07:20 Growing Up in Hawaii and Cultural Identity
10:30 Storytelling, Inspiration, and Gender Perspectives
14:00 College Dreams and Discovering the Power of Story
17:00 Theater, Family Influence, and Why Stories Matter
21:30 Dartmouth College, Culture Shock, and Life Lessons
25:00 Marriage, Early Career, and Connecting With Fans
28:00 Watching TV in Prison and Prison Break Reactions
33:00 Expectations vs Reality of Prison Life
36:00 Rehabilitation, Humanity, and the Impact of Incarceration
40:00 Private Prisons, For-Profit Systems, and Policy Shifts
44:00 Prison Camps, Fire Programs, and Second Chances
47:00 Reentry, Halfway Houses, and Breaking the Cycle
52:00 Finding Work After Prison and Systemic Barriers
55:00 Public Perception, Compassion, and Moral Complexity
01:01:00 Visiting a Real Prison and Humanizing Incarceration
01:10:00 Casting Stories and Sara Tancredi’s Evolution
01:18:00 Fandom, Privacy, and Life in the Spotlight
01:23:00 Fame, Pressure, and Public Scrutiny
01:30:00 Acting Challenges and Favorite Prison Break Moments
01:36:00 Transitioning to The Walking Dead and Set Culture
01:44:00 COVID, Resetting Priorities, and Family Focus
01:48:00 Reflection, Accountability, and Making Amends
01:55:00 Giving Back, Extreme Empathy, and Advocacy
01:58:00 Hospice Work, Prison Reform, and Ongoing Mission
02:00:00 Final Reflections and Gratitude
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