Locked In with Ian Bick

Mario Perez was sentenced to 25 years to life for a crime he says he never committed. After serving 27 years behind bars, including 15 years in solitary confinement, he reveals what prison did to him and how he survived.
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#rikersisland #prison #truecrimestories #newyork
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Thank you to STIO for sponsoring this episode:
Ski season's almost here. Gear up now, the way the locals do. Go to http://stio.com/ianbick for 20% off your order.
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Connect with Mario Perez:
https://www.instagram.com/mario_machete727?obrf=MWM5dGxndDk5MnF6Mg==
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Surviving Among Serial Killers
00:28 Mario's Background and Childhood
01:44 Family and Early Life
02:24 First Crime and Juvenile Detention
04:11 First Poor Choice: The Axe Incident
05:52 Growing Up in the Streets and Gang Involvement
07:50 Parental Discipline and Its Effects
11:07 Rikers Island at 16
13:25 Prison Survival and Making a Name
15:00 Release and More Trouble
17:48 Arrested for Murder: The Setup
19:38 The Alleged Setup and Trial
23:11 Where Were You the Day of the Murder?
26:01 The Corrupt Officer and Witnesses
28:38 Shock and Reaction to the Arrest
31:30 Sponsor Break
32:54 Moving to Adult Prison
34:21 Fighting the Case and Trial Preparation
37:00 The First Trial and Hung Jury
38:44 Rejecting Plea Deals
40:06 Second Trial and Conviction
42:40 Sentencing and the Impact
43:43 The Irony of Deaths
44:01 Entering the Prison System
45:10 Survival Strategies in Prison
50:58 Encounters with David Berkowitz (Son of Sam)
54:39 Meeting Mad Dog Sullivan and Others
57:20 Interactions with Other Notorious Inmates
01:00:05 Mob Figures and Lessons Learned
01:03:31 Correction Officers and Solitary Confinement
01:05:24 Mental State and Adjusting to Society
01:07:56 Prison Life and Relationships
01:10:23 Escape Fantasies and Worst Actions
01:13:59 Weapons and Contraband
01:17:41 Conjugal Visits and Prison Pen Pals
01:20:08 Technological Changes After Release
01:22:51 Personal Transformation and Peace
01:25:00 Parole Hearings and Release
01:28:19 Adjusting to Life Outside
01:30:15 Rebuilding Life After Prison
01:32:43 Current Life and Engagement
01:34:51 Advice to Younger Self
01:39:29 Bad Days and Coping Mechanisms
01:41:32 Finding Peace and Gratitude
01:42:12 Closing Remarks and Thanks
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Mike Mulroy spent 21 years with the NYPD, including 16 years as a detective investigating homicides, robberies, and violent crimes in some of the Bronx's most dangerous precincts. From deadly shootings and disturbing murder investigations to death threats and responding to the aftermath of 9/11, Mulroy shares his most unforgettable true crime stories and the realities of life as a Bronx detective.
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Thank you to TALKIATRY & CASH APP 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.
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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. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.
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Connect with Mike Mulroy:
Buy his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GSSPRW3C?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 A Detective's Chilling First Case
00:54 Growing Up in River Edge
03:13 Father, Firehouse, and a Dream
05:02 Joining the NYPD in 1989
07:44 Academy Days and First Assignments
09:02 The Happy Land Fire
11:28 Early Encounters with Death
12:32 The Off-Duty Robbery
15:07 The 44th Precinct: Busiest in the World
16:56 The Psychotic Woman with the Cigar
20:18 The Family Annihilation on Walton Avenue
22:20 The Cost of Unseen Trauma
24:45 The Wild Shootout on Jessup Avenue
30:00 Going Undercover in Uniform
34:00 The Threat with Ouzis
38:10 Taking Down the Dealer Brothers
41:00 Moving to the 47th Precinct
45:00 The Murder of Nelly Huck
48:00 Uncovering the Body in the Floor
50:00 Delivering the Worst News
53:00 The Art of Interrogation
58:00 Hunting a Savage Killer
01:04:00 The Bodega Robbery
01:12:00 The Prostitute and the Informant
01:18:00 The Brothers with Gangrene
01:21:00 Ground Zero: The Morgue and the Landfill
01:29:00 Facing Life After Cancer
01:31:00 The Nelly Investigation Goes Cold
01:40:00 A Medium and a Message
01:44:00 The Killers Confess
01:51:00 Trigger: The One That Got Away
01:55:00 The Body in the Furnace
02:01:00 The Children in the Closet
02:08:00 Funny Moments with Whiz
02:11:00 The Canada Trip
02:14:00 The Suicidal Cop in Atlantic City
02:18:00 The Last Case: Sadie Mitchell
02:22:00 Retirement and Reflection
02:26:00 Final Thoughts and the Book
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Taveuan Williams walked into a RadioShack in Denver intending to rob it, but what started as a robbery for a few hundred dollars turned into a six-hour hostage standoff where he fired shots at police. Sentenced to 30 years in prison, he spent over a decade behind bars before creating a 71-page portfolio that convinced his former prosecutor to support reducing his sentence. After serving 13 and a half years, he shares the full story of the standoff, prison, and his unexpected second chance.
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Thank you to CASH APP & TALKIATRY 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. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.
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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.
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Connect with Taveuan Williams:
https://www.instagram.com/taveuan/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Tavon's Story: From Robbery to Redemption
00:48 Growing Up on Denver's East Side
02:19 Losing His Father at Nine
04:56 Dreams and Football
07:27 First Robbery and Juvenile Detention
10:16 Life in a Military-Style Juvenile Facility
13:55 Release and Return to Crime
17:33 Daily Life of Robbing Houses
20:27 Reflecting on the Impact of His Crimes
25:15 The 2012 RadioShack Robbery and Standoff
30:56 Six Hours of Terror and Surrender
36:26 Deciding to Shoot and the Aftermath
40:00 The Turning Point: Surrendering
44:33 Arrest and Interrogation
49:40 Legal Battles and Plea Deal
52:42 Facing a 30-Year Sentence
01:00:00 Prison Arrival and Parole Date
01:04:00 Transfer to Sterling Prison
01:08:00 Mentors and Personal Growth in Prison
01:13:00 Pursuing Education and Self-Development
01:21:00 Fighting for Sentence Reduction
01:25:00 The Setback: Losing Earn Time
01:29:00 Resentencing and Community Corrections
01:33:00 Release and Transition Challenges
01:38:00 Adapting to Life Outside
01:42:00 Emotional Adjustment and Relationships
01:46:00 Making Peace with Victims
01:49:00 Future Plans and Words to Younger Self
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Kristen Ziman spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement, rising through the ranks to become the first female police chief in Aurora, Illinois, history. In 2019, she was leading the department when a gunman opened fire at the Henry Pratt Company, killing five employees and shooting five police officers. In this episode, Kristen takes us through her career in policing, the toughest calls she responded to, the challenges of leadership, and what it was like leading her department through a mass shooting.
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Thank you to CASH APP & TALKIATRY 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. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.
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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.
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Connect with Kristen Ziman:
Website: https://kristenziman.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Reimagining-Blue-Thoughts-Leadership-Policing-ebook/dp/B09YVPJS8K?ref_=ast_author_mpb
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 The Active Shooter Call
01:04 Growing Up Around Policing
03:47 High School and the Police Cadet Program
06:22 Moving Up the Ranks
08:19 The Women Who Came Before
13:05 Surprises of the Job
15:01 First Body Bags
16:15 Gang Violence and Senseless Killings
18:53 The Public's Perception of Police
23:02 Running Toward Gunfire
26:24 The Stress of Training
27:21 Growing Callous
30:07 Becoming a DV Detective
34:02 Why DV Cases Are So Hard
37:26 From Patrol to Sergeant
40:36 The Lieutenant Test
47:39 Life as a Lieutenant
48:43 The Helicopter Crash
53:08 Preparing to Be a Leader
55:31 Chosen as Commander
58:16 The Value of Education
01:01:32 What Commanders Really Do
01:04:48 Building Community Trust
01:14:32 The Loneliness of the Chief
01:20:46 Should a Chief Be Elected
01:23:04 Preparing for the Worst
01:26:06 February 15th, 2019
01:31:49 The Aftermath of a Mass Shooting
01:41:08 Retirement and Finding Peace
01:49:00 The Beatings Won't Stop
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Sandeep "Sonny" Bharadia spent more than 22 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. In 2003, he was convicted of a brutal home invasion and sexual assault in Georgia and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, despite maintaining his innocence and having an alibi placing him more than 250 miles away from the crime. Years later, DNA testing on a pair of gloves worn by the attacker excluded Sonny and matched the very man who had testified against him in court. But even with that evidence, Sonny remained behind bars, fighting a legal system that repeatedly denied him a new trial. After more than two decades of imprisonment, his conviction was finally overturned in 2024, and he was officially exonerated in May 2025.
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Thank you to TALKIATRY & CASH APP 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: 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. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.
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Connect with Sonny Bharadia:
https://www.instagram.com/sonb1944/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introducing Sunny Baradia
00:40 Sunny's Early Life and Career
02:44 The Crime and Arrest
07:36 Conviction and Sentencing
12:38 Bail and Legal Representation
14:49 Family Support
22:31 Sponsor Break: Talkiatry
24:38 Life in Prison
41:00 Sponsor Break: Cash App Green
42:58 Mental Struggles and Suicide Attempt
45:37 Appeals and Innocence Project
57:02 Relationships and Communication
01:01:04 Escape Thoughts
01:03:29 Final Appeal and Release
01:07:23 Fight for Exoneration
01:10:26 Reflecting on Prison Violence
01:12:11 Adjusting to Freedom
01:16:34 Advocacy and Purpose
01:21:39 Health and Trauma
01:24:20 Forgiveness and Moving Forward
01:30:44 Future Plans and Dreams
01:39:09 Closing and Gratitude
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka