I Made Millions Selling K2 — Then Landed in Federal Prison | Roger Upchurch
Roger Upchurch was a successful homebuilder in Indiana—until the 2008 market crash pushed him into the synthetic marijuana trade. He built a multi-million dollar K2 empire, making over $50,000 a week, until an undercover DEA agent brought it all down. At 69 years old, Roger was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering. In this jaw-dropping episode, he reveals how he went from building homes to building a drug empire—and what it cost him.
#TrueCrimeStory #FederalPrison #DEAInvestigation #SyntheticMarijuana #K2DrugBust #RealCrimeRealPeople #PrisonTransformation #FromMillionsToPrison
Connect with Roger Upchurch:
Order his book: https://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Til-Proven-Innocent-Brilliant/dp/1649691327
Visit his website: https://rogerwupchurch.com/
Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/
Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy:
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https://woooooenergy.com/
Buy Merch:
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 From Home Builder to Prisoner: The Roger Upchurch Story
00:04:40 Journey to Home Building Career
00:08:21 Transition from Real Estate to K2 Business
00:12:59 DEA Raid and Financial Seizure
00:18:00 The Business of Selling K2
00:22:21 Managing a Business with Limited Capital
00:26:31 Setting Up a Makeshift Production Line
00:31:16 Concerts and Charity Events for Veterans
00:35:34 Entering a Business Partnership and Profit Sharing
00:39:48 Expectations vs. Reality: First Impressions of Prison
00:44:35 Unseen Side of Incarceration: Professional Underpinnings
00:48:55 Life as a Camp Driver in Prison
00:53:16 Life during Lockdown in a Prison Camp
00:57:09 Navigating Life with the "OG" Title in Prison
01:01:12 Life After Prison: Overcoming Obstacles with a Criminal Record
01:05:16 Charity Event Featuring Car Giveaway
01:09:52 Episode Conclusion
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1:20:30
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1:20:30
I Was Set Up by an Undercover ATF Agent — Then Sent to Federal Prison | Kyle Farace
Kyle Farace grew up with a normal life—until he found out his dad was secretly growing and selling weed. What started as a curiosity turned into a full-blown operation, with Kyle eventually joining forces with his father. But everything changed when he got set up by a confidential informant and an undercover ATF agent, leading to drug and gun charges and a 3-year federal prison sentence. Kyle believes his own father may have had a hand in the setup. In this raw interview, he shares how prison changed him, the hustles that kept him going inside, and the struggle to rebuild life after getting out.
#FederalPrisonStory #ATFStingOperation #PrisonHustles #WeedOperationGoneWrong #FatherSonBetrayal #CISetup #DrugAndGunCharges #LockedInPodcast
Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/
Connect with Kyle Farace:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyle_farace/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyle.farace.7
Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy:
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https://woooooenergy.com/
Buy Merch:
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 Kyle's Unexpected Arrest
00:04:30 Teenage Years and Feeling Like an Outcast
00:09:36 Discovering the Family Secret Business
00:19:27 Legal vs. Illegal Gun Sales
00:24:07 Unexpected Arrest and Federal Involvement
00:28:36 Legal Advice on Facing Federal Trials
00:33:15 Life Before Self-Surrender
00:38:12 Creative Prison Hustles: From Pockets to Mattresses
00:42:44 Prison Life and Commissary Stories
00:47:11 Challenges of Dating Post-Incarceration
00:52:00 Friendship and Support During Prison
00:57:19 Unexpected Tattoo Expenses
01:02:08 Life Changes After Prison
01:07:48 Commissary Practices and Potential Scams
01:10:32 Creative Prison Cooking Ideas
01:14:23 Birthday Wishes and Sally's Pizza
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1:25:10
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1:25:10
Bloods Shot Caller Survived 15 Years in America’s Deadliest Prisons | Smiley B
Smiley B grew up in the Bronx without a father figure and was pulled into gang life at an early age. Recruited into the Bloods, he was in and out of juvie and Rikers Island before catching two federal cases that led to 15 years behind bars. From surviving 11 different federal prisons—6 of them being the most violent U.S. penitentiaries—to becoming a shot caller inside, Smiley B lived through it all. In this raw and unfiltered interview, he shares the brutal war stories, the codes of prison politics, and the moment he finally decided to walk away from the life that nearly destroyed him.
#BloodsGang #FederalPrisonStory #RikersIsland #GangLifeSurvivor #PrisonWarStories #ShotCaller #RedemptionStory #lockedinpodcast
Connect with Smiley B:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neighborhood.poppy29?igsh=MWx1eGZtd2Uwa2gxZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr.
Buy his book: https://a.co/d/aaaFR7R
Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/
Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy:
https://tyson20.com/
https://woooooenergy.com/
Buy Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Smiley B’s Rough Upbringing and Joining the Bloods
00:07:04 Early Misadventures and Street Influence
00:13:51 Early Life and Gang Influence
00:21:17 Life in Juvenile Detention Centers
00:27:51 The Art of Car Theft
00:34:52 Understanding Gang Culture in the Federal System
00:41:58 Life in High-Security Prisons: A First-Hand Account
00:48:30 Life in a US Penitentiary
00:55:00 Jealousy and Tensions within Prison Crews
01:02:11 Understanding the Street Mentality in Prison
01:08:18 Contraband and Corruption Inside Prisons
01:14:49 Unexpected Legal Troubles and Intertwined Cases
01:22:01 Reflections on Prison Life and Regret
01:27:49 2017 Raid
01:34:08 Prison Dynamics and Inmate Conflicts
01:43:43 Transitioning to Life Outside Prison
01:46:50 Shout Outs to Supporters and Family
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2:00:41
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2:00:41
I Lost Everything to Meth — Then Fought to Stay Alive | Ed Kressy
Ed Kressy had a successful career and a promising future—but behind the scenes, he was fighting a deadly secret. What started as teenage drinking spiraled into a brutal meth addiction that stole his life, his sanity, and nearly his soul. In this interview, Ed opens up about the depths of meth psychosis, the devastating impact on his career and relationships, and the moment he finally hit rock bottom. Now clean and rebuilding his life, Ed shares what it really takes to come back from the edge.
#MethAddiction #AddictionRecovery #MethPsychosis #RockBottomStory #FromAddictToRecovery #SubstanceAbuseRecovery #TrueAddictionStory #LockedInPodcast
Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/
Connect with Ed Kressy:http://www.instagram.com/edkressy
Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy:
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https://woooooenergy.com/
Buy Merch:
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Timestamps:00:00:00 Ed Cressy's Battle 00:05:19 The Need for Alternative Incarceration Options 00:10:18 Early Memories00:15:47 Meth-Induced Psychosis and Conspiracy Beliefs 00:21:05 Overcoming Personal Struggles 00:26:18 Spiritual Beliefs00:31:49 Struggles with Personal Identity and Self-Destruction 00:37:02 The Meaning of Life and Material Possessions 00:42:20 Personal Descent into Psychosis 00:47:46 Experiencing the FBI on Meth00:53:12 Transformation Through Adversity 00:58:40 Turning Point in Addiction Recovery01:04:02 Advocacy for Recovery and Incarceration01:09:17 Contrasting Life Circumstances at Volunteer Events 01:14:25 Overcoming Unfair Advantages 01:19:45 Lessons Learned from Recovery 01:24:49 Building Effective Partnerships with Correctional Services
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1:35:42
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1:35:42
I Was an Oxy Addict — Now I’m an EMT Saving Lives | Brendan Thomas
Brendan Thomas grew up in Connecticut with a loving family and a promising future—but one decision changed everything. After trying Oxy for the first time, he spiraled into an 8-year battle with drug addiction that led to heroin, drug dealing, and dropping out of college. In this interview, Brendan opens up about the darkest moments of his addiction, his many failed attempts to get clean, and the moment everything finally changed. Now sober and working as an EMT, he’s saving the same kinds of lives he once nearly lost.
#AddictionRecovery #OxyContinCrisis #HeroinAddictToEMT #FromAddictToHero #DrugAddictionStory #OvercomingAddiction #RecoveryJourney #lockedinpodcast
Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick:
https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en
https://ianbick.com/
Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy:
https://tyson20.com/
https://woooooenergy.com/
Buy Merch:
http://www.ianbick.com/shop
Timestamps:
00:00:00 Brendan Thomas's Journey
00:04:05 Nostalgia for Pre-Digital Childhood
00:08:26 Life-Changing Moment Witnessing Drug Use
00:13:11 High School Memories and Familial Obligations
00:17:47 The Desire to Fit In and Its Consequences
00:22:47 Facing the Consequences of Dr*g Use
00:27:25 Life in the Drug Economy: From Stash House to Street Deals
00:31:38 Struggles with Pills
00:36:29 Choosing Snorting Over Injecting
00:40:58 The Hidden Struggles in Families
00:45:08 Exploring a Day in the Life of Addiction
00:49:50 Consequences of Addiction and the Road to Recovery
00:54:41 Journey to Sobriety: A Personal Transformation
00:58:56 Dallas Years and Relapse
01:04:18 Vivitrol
01:09:14 Coping as a First Responder
01:13:38 Finding Hope and Inspiration in Adversity
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Raw, unfiltered stories from former inmates, recovering addicts, law enforcement, and more — hosted by Ian Bick, a former federal inmate turned podcaster. Each episode dives deep into real-life experiences of crime, redemption, addiction, mental health, and second chances. If you’re into true crime, prison stories, or inspiring comebacks, this is the podcast for you.