Locked In with Ian Bick

Eric Balliet spent more than 25 years as a federal law enforcement agent investigating some of the world's most dangerous drug cartels and criminal organizations. From patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border to helping capture notorious cartel leader El Chapo twice, Eric takes us inside the hidden world of drug trafficking, human smuggling, underground tunnels, and corruption. He also served as a top law enforcement advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security under both Obama and Trump, giving him a rare perspective on what really happens behind the scenes at ICE, the border, and the highest levels of government. Now retired, Eric reveals the realities of fighting organized crime and the stories behind his book, Kingpins & Coyotes.
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Thank you to AG1 & GLD for sponsoring this episode:
AG1: Go to https://drinkag1.com/lockedin and for a limited time, get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.
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GLD: New customers get 40% Off with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/
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Connect with Eric Balliet: Website: https://www.kingpinsandcoyotes.com/bio
Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9JSVJT2?lv=shuf&bestFormat=true&channelId=704&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_C1GTVD3KQ35B9YVK5WES&plpRedirect=mhFallback
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-balliet/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: 25 Years Chasing Cartels
00:00 Early Border Patrol Years
00:31 Growing Up in Syracuse
02:30 Finding Law Enforcement
05:40 College Years and Joining Border Patrol
28:00 Becoming an ICE Agent
31:30 Early ICE Career
34:20 The Main Drugs
39:20 Following a Vehicle
44:10 Playing Whack-a-Mole with Stash Houses
47:00 Life Inside a Cartel
50:00 Cartel Comms Evolution
51:20 Cartel Communication
55:00 Cartel's Desert Scouts
56:10 Cartel Counter-Intel and Comms
57:00 Why Interdiction Fails
59:00 How Cartels Absorb Losses
01:01:10 Inside Cartel Recruitment and Crews
01:02:40 Violence on the US Side
01:05:00 Cartel's Stance on Law Enforcement
01:06:00 Cartel Human Smuggling Networks
01:08:00 How Cartels Tax Human Smugglers
01:11:40 US Border Security Failures
01:13:40 The 'Carry Her' Intercept
01:16:20 Terrorists on the Border
01:19:40 ICE's Shift to Civil Enforcement
01:24:40 Kingpins vs. Kingdoms
01:26:40 Dismantling the Kingdom
01:28:30 Corruption and Convictions
01:30:50 Why Banks Turn a Blind Eye
01:32:50 Not a Winning Battle
01:35:50 Public Misconceptions
01:44:00 What Comes Now
01:46:50 The Book and the Next Chapter
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Corvain Cooper grew up surrounded by the drug game before finding his own way into the streets, starting with fraud before eventually becoming a major player in marijuana trafficking. What began small grew into a massive operation shipping marijuana from California across state lines, until federal authorities took it down and prosecutors tied the conspiracy to more than 35 tons of weed. Corvain was ultimately sentenced to mandatory life in federal prison, where he faced the reality that he might never come home. He shares how the operation grew, what led to his downfall, surviving a life sentence, and the fight for freedom that eventually led to President Donald Trump commuting his sentence in 2021.
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Thank you to GLD & AG1 for sponsoring this episode:
GLD: New customers get 40% Off with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/
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AG1: Go to https://drinkag1.com/lockedin and for a limited time, get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro.
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Connect with Corvain Cooper:
Website: https://linkin.bio/40tonsbrand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corvaincooper/?hl=en
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Want to support Locked In and help us keep bringing you these stories? Become a member and get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, exclusive content + a FREE welcome box. Join now:  https://lockedin.supportingcast.fm/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: 
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: Corvain Cooper's Life Sentence
00:42 Growing Up in South Central LA
03:32 Childhood Influence and Parents' Addiction
05:34 Young Corvain's Hustle and White-Collar Crime
08:23 Getting Into the Streets
11:00 Juvenile Detention and Learning Discipline
13:34 Fake Rim Company and Fraud Schemes
16:03 Transition to Marijuana Trafficking
23:15 Partnerships and Risk in Drug Game
27:00 Legalization and Incarceration for Marijuana
33:34 Expansion to Charlotte and Things Heat Up
37:00 Betrayal and Losses in Charlotte
40:00 Arrest and Trial Preparation
44:00 Charges and Conspiracy Law
48:00 Trial and Conviction
54:00 Sentencing and Life in Prison
01:01:00 Clemency and Release
01:06:00 Life in USP Atwater and Pollock
01:11:00 Prison Survival and Discipline
01:16:00 Post-Release Life and Advocacy
01:25:00 Reflections and Lessons Learned
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Brendan Thomas returns to Locked In with Ian Bick, but this time he's sharing a completely different side of his life. After six years working as an EMT in Connecticut, Brendan has responded to emergencies most people could never imagine. From heartbreaking calls and disturbing scenes to the moments that still haunt him, he opens up about the reality of being a first responder, the emotional toll of witnessing tragedy, and what it's like carrying those experiences long after the shift ends. This episode takes you behind the ambulance doors to reveal a side of emergency medicine the public rarely gets to hear about.
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Watch part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24JRbCS9_L8
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Connect with Brendan Thomas:
https://www.instagram.com/bthomas_860?mdxt=YXBuaDZubjZoZ2Nu
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Tired of ads interrupting the podcast? Become a Locked In member and listen completely ad-free — plus get bonus episodes, exclusive content & a FREE welcome box. Join now:  https://lockedin.supportingcast.fm/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:43 Brendan's Background
03:31 EMT vs Paramedic
04:55 Night Shifts
07:02 Choosing Hospitals
07:53 Types of Calls
09:41 Ambulance Speed
12:03 First Time Driving
14:00 Heart-Racing Calls
17:04 Early Career Trauma
19:02 Emotional Toll
21:49 PTSD and Coping
23:43 Motorcycle Accident
28:54 Following Up on Calls
31:28 Motorcycle Accidents
33:00 Lucky Motorcyclist
34:41 Unnecessary Calls
35:45 Silly Calls
38:30 Hoarder House
43:38 Decomposed Bodies
45:46 Rude Patients
47:28 Grateful Patient
50:57 Unsafe Scenes
53:16 Fights with Kids
57:24 Lying Patients
58:40 Fentanyl Overdoses
59:59 Choking Calls
01:02:13 School Incidents
01:03:36 Public Misconceptions
01:04:07 Job Toll
01:06:31 Burnout and Relapse
01:09:17 Recovery and Therapy
01:12:13 Closing
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Million Dolla $mile went from the streets of Queens and running with the G-Unit crew to being sentenced to 20 years in New York State prison for a conspiracy to kill a cop. After serving 16½ years, he opens up about surviving prison, practicing Islam behind the walls, and rebuilding his life through music after coming home.
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Connect with Million Dolla $mile:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milliondollasmile_ny/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MillionDollaSmile
Website: https://linktr.ee/milliondollasmile
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Want a FREE Locked In welcome box? Become a member and get the box + bonus episodes, ad-free listening & exclusive content. Join here:  https://lockedin.supportingcast.fm/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro: The Million-Dollar Smile
00:34 Growing Up in South Jamaica, Queens
04:19 Discovering Boxing and Learning to Fight
09:39 Teenage Robberies and Juvenile Detention
11:41 The Conspiracy Case and Attica
14:04 Childhood Dreams Before Prison
15:40 Early Cases and Returning to the Streets
16:56 Meeting 50 Cent and Joining G-Unit
20:55 Life on 134th and Learning from Lloyd Banks
25:00 Getting Played and Connecting with Domination
28:00 Best Friend Shot: The Aftermath
32:54 The Case That Led to 16 Years
35:00 High-Profile Inmate at CMC
38:00 Going to Trial and Getting the Max
40:18 Plea Deal and Consecutive Sentences
43:20 Prison Politics and Choosing a Side
47:39 Arriving at Attica
49:50 Violence in Attica
51:40 Transfer to Sing Sing and Prison Business
53:51 The Muslim Community in Prison
59:30 Muslim Policies on Sex Offenders and Snitches
01:00:28 Gang Members Converting to Islam
01:02:00 Muslims vs. Bloods in New York Prisons
01:03:40 Relationships with Female Guards
01:04:08 Transferring Prisons and Honor Block
01:05:30 Murder Over a Slap in Honor Block
01:09:56 Focusing on Education and Mentors
01:11:40 Music and Carnegie Hall in Prison
01:13:05 Marriage and Children in Prison
01:14:30 Release and Adjustment to Modern Life
01:17:20 Creating the Main Smile Character
01:19:30 Views on the Music Industry and G-Unit
01:21:00 Life After Prison: Work and Finances
01:23:50 Advice to Younger Self and Reflections
01:26:00 Dreams of Leaving New York
01:27:20 Closing Remarks
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka

Sasha Larkin spent more than 26 years with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, rising through the ranks to become the first woman in Nevada history to serve as an Assistant Sheriff. In this episode, she takes us inside her career in Las Vegas law enforcement — from her unlikely path from professional dancer and bartender to police officer, to working the streets, rising through leadership, and responding to some of the most difficult moments the city has ever faced. Sasha shares stories from decades on the job, the trauma officers carry home, and her experience serving as an incident commander during the October 1, 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival mass shooting.
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.
🔒 Want more Locked In? Get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, exclusive content + a FREE welcome box. Subscribe here: https://lockedin.supportingcast.fm/
Connect with Sasha Larkin:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-larkin-2012sjs108
Website: https://www.sashalarkin.com/
Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/\
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: The Shooting
00:40 Childhood and Early Life
03:31 Inspired to Become a Cop
04:48 From College to Vegas Showgirl
07:30 The Ride Along That Sparked a Calling
10:40 Family and the Switch to Policing
14:35 The Police Academy: Equal Pay, Equal Hair
19:30 Early Career and Mentors
23:00 A Humbling First Chase
25:15 Realizing Your Strengths
28:20 Policing a Distrustful Community
31:05 The Suicidal Man and the Car Hood Death
36:15 A Captain's Advice: The Gray Cloud
38:20 Becoming a Training Officer
39:10 The First Officer-Involved Shooting
50:55 The Second Shooting: Thanksgiving Chaos
59:20 Guns and Uniforms
01:01:45 The Sergeants Test and Kathy O'Connor
01:07:55 First Day as a Sergeant
01:12:00 The Mosque Outreach
01:17:15 Learning from a Notorious Drug Dealer
01:20:00 The Route 91 Harvest Festival Shooting
01:55:25 Re-Entry and Prison Reform
02:06:15 Retirement and a New Chapter at FIFA
02:14:30 Reflections and Wisdom
To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka