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.
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Thank you to GLD, CASH APP & TALKIATRY for sponsoring this episode: 
GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com
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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.
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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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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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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
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com 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.
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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.
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GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com
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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.
_____________________________________________
Connect with Jerry Haymon IV:
https://www.instagram.com/bear.haymon/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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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
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com 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.
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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.
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GLD: New customers get 50% Off with code LOCKEDIN at GLD.com
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Connect with Kurtis "ROLX Carter" Phillip:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigstatusceo/
Website: https://rolxcartergoharder.com/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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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
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com 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.
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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
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://ianbick.com/
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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
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com 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.
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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/
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Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/
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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
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To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka