All My Friends Are Felons

By Mark Hugentobler

Welcome to the All My Friends Are Felons Podcast. Join host Mark for a compelling journey into the transformative power of those trying to rehabilitate and change their lives following their experienc... more

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FAQs about All My Friends Are Felons:

How many episodes does All My Friends Are Felons have?

The podcast currently has 111 episodes available.

All My Friends Are Felons episodes:

December 21, 2023From Little League to Prison Gates | Paul Mathews' Battle with Addiction
Paul Mathews grew up with all the advantages of a typical Utah kid: he had a stay-at-home mom, was coached by his dad in various little league sports, and went on to play high school baseball. In spite of his picture-perfect upbringing, he struggled to find himself and when his parents' marriage fell apart, his life started to spiral. His addictive behaviors started young with alcohol being his escape of choice. Eventually turning to hard drugs and dealing, that semblance of a normal life was gone and he dove head first into addiction, dealing, and crime. Hear how his experience in prison did little to curb his direction and how finally, thanks to a parole officer who saw the good in him and gave him a break, he mustered the strength to escape the cycle of hurt and was determined to choose his own destiny.
Paul’s early life 2:15
No one knew he was falling 14:50
Finishing high school 27:00
Getting pain pills, opioids, alcohol 35:50
Becoming a meth dealer 40:00
Prison locations 48:00
Getting out 52:00
Realizing the power of God 63:00

“I was a complete liar because I wanted to fit in. I wanted for some reason, I wanted everybody to like me. I wanted to fit in with this group and this group, so I would lie ‘Hey I’m this and I’m this.’ and it was complete BS the whole time. Up until I went to prison and I realized you don’t lie in prison. If you lie, you’re gonna have a rough go. You’re gonna get beat up, be in protective custody, and you're gonna have a long, long, long, long journey in prison and I got to the point where I’d rather have people hate me for who I am than love me for who I’m not, whether I have friends or not.” 42:41
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1h 12min
December 19, 2023From Gangs to Grace | Damion Trujillo's Path to Transformation
Damion Trujillo lived a life of crime, drugs, and gang involvement starting from a young age. This downward spiral seemed impossible to escape until one day, he decided to tell and accept the truth about the path he was on. Sitting in front of this parole officer for a violation and sure he was headed back to jail, instead of lying and running as he had always done, Damion simply told his PO he needed help to turn his life around. That one decision started a chain of events that helped him transform his life into one of accountability, service, and compassion. Damion's sobering story is sure to help many understand their path in life and to make a difference for the better.
About Damion’s young life 2:30
Getting in trouble and gang initiation 10:10
When things went really South 21:00
Doing 6 times and dealing with emotional pain 31:20
Just getting by 36:50
Getting out on bail 44:00
The Haven 51:00
“I thought ‘You’re gonna do with me what anybody with any kind of authority has done with me. You’re gonna lock me up, you’re gonna punish me, I don’t know when I’m gonna see the light of day again’ and instead what came out of my mouth, I looked at this cop, and I hated cops almost my entire life. I looked across the table and looked at this guy and said ‘Man, I need some help.’ And that’s the first time I ever remember saying that to another person.” 48:52
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1h 2min
December 14, 2023My Mom Helped Me Become an Addict | My Children Help Me Overcome It
Evelyn Matue was born to a two parent home where her father worked very hard to provide a very good life for his family; however, her mother was addicted to opioids and introduced them to Evelyn at a very young age. By the age of 13 she was using every single day and by 16, she ventured into other drugs like heroin and meth. Though a 3 month stint in jail technically got her sober, it only increased her desire to use and upon release, she jumped right back into the destructive lifestyle. Finally after a trip to jail for distribution and the birth of her son, she came to her senses and realized that her life needed to change. With the exception of a brief relapse, she has come out the other side successful. Overcoming the fact that her husband is currently incarcerated with a 5-life sentence, Evelyn is taking amazing care of her 3 children with the support of her dad and her father-in-law and has since opened her own mobile mechanics business to support her family.
Where Evelyn’s journey began 2:10
16 and experiencing withdrawals 9:50
Her dad and dealing with her addictions 21:00
The point where she said she was done with this 34:00
Where Evelyn is now 40:00
Giving her younger self advice 52:40

“You’re a slave to it. You’re a slave to your addiction. Even though in my mind I was like, I always had this image of myself like, ‘I’m a functioning addict. I’m not like all these other people.’ Even though here I am-""I’m special""Yeah! And obviously that is not the case at all.” 20:15
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56min
December 12, 2023The Internal Struggle Between Good and Bad | Antonio Sadler's Story
Antonio Sadler grew up in a tight knit family where his dad was a marine corps vet with a bit of a reputation as a tough guy. Through elementary school, Antonio showed great promise, even participating in several extra curricular academic programs. He was bullied as he entered junior high, which motivated him to “borrow” a weapon from his dad’s closet, resulting in an arrest and expulsion from school, leading him down a path of trouble. For many years he constantly battled internally between the good and bad decisions he was making, until a wrongful arrest and subsequent convition landed him in the state penitentiary. Listen as he describes how his transformation, empowered by a forward-thinking warden and some true corrective opportunities provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections, set him on a path of change and service that he continues to follow today.
Antonio’s early life 2:15
Facing the law 9:30
The allure of bad decisions 24:00
Stopping himself through withdrawals 37:00
Getting out of that world 43:00
Help from a higher power 56:00

“I saw my daughters and I realized how much I failed them. I saw my wife and I saw my family, and I finally understood and was able to process the agony that my choices were causing, and it finally mattered enough for me to do something about it.” 41:37
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1h 9min
December 07, 2023Protect, Serve, Understand | The Lessons of a Police Officer
You might be surprised to learn that our guest today, Matt Brown, is not a felon; he’s a retired cop. He shares his story of becoming a police officer who worked on the streets and learned to truly understand what it means to protect and to serve. Discover how he applied his motto of “unconditional positive regard” to his responsibilities and how because of his good will, he was often thanked by those he had to arrest. He believes there is good and bad in everyone and that most people can be good, including those who land on the other side of the law. Join Mark for this insightful discussion with a former police officer that will surely open your eyes.

His past and why he decided to become a police officer 1:55
Handcuffing and scuffling 9:20
Taking away a constitutional right 18:00
Always portray unconditional positive regard 24:00
Opportunity opening doors 33:45
Changing his approach to being a police officer 48:00

“You look at the American eagle and in the eagle’s talons it’s holding 2 things, and the first is an olive branch, the olive branch of peace, and the second is the arrows of war. The philosophy was to always extend to somebody the olive branch of peace, but always be prepared with the arrows of war. I really took that to heart where it was, don't make that judgment, until you know. Extend to everyone the olive branch of peace.” 23:43
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1h 5min
December 05, 2023Against All Odds | Manny Lopez's Triumph over Addiction and Despair
Finding himself in foster care at age 9, Manny Lopez ran away, stole a BMX bike, and rode over 28 miles with the hopes of finding his mother, but to no avail. By age 10 he was a meth dealer; by age 11 he was an addict. He spent the rest of his youth hopping between juvie and the streets, eventually bound by a 35 year-long drug addiction which landed him in and out of prison 11 times. Find out how he survived and turned his life around so he could help others break out of the same vicious cylce. Manny had no chance at a successful life, yet here he is on the other side living to his full potential and being a beacon of hope to others struggling with addiction. Tune in to hear his incredible journey.

Manny’s story 2:00
Meth meant a place to stay 10:40
A drug deal that went sour 13:20
11 times in prison 24:15
Finding a woman who cared 33:30
Getting out of the gang 40:30
Healing and accountability 48:00
Helping others who struggle 63:30

“Which is one of the things that I’d say to them is I know that seat that you’re sitting in. I know it. I know that pain that’s in your eyes right now. I’ve felt it. You’re my people. When I’m in these group rooms, when I’m in this individual session, when I’m in this group room teaching this class, I’m around my people, and it’s just a blessing that I get to do this with my life.” 62:47
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1h 17min
November 30, 2023Meth Addict for 25 Years | From Hell to Hope, A Courageous Journey to Recovery
Todd Hull had a rough start to life that left him with a crippling drug addiction for 35 years. From being bullied at a young age to getting in trouble for grand theft auto, his life is no walk in the park. Todd has been in and out of prison multiple times and eventually, he was hit with a scary medical diagnosis that changed everything. Listen as he describes the depths that meth takes you to and how it completely overtakes your life and ability to choose. His story is one of suffering, redemption, and love; you don't want to miss it!
His youth and what that looked like 1:20
First interaction with bullies 7:40
Fighting back 12:20
Getting in trouble, grand theft auto 18:00
An alternative lifestyle 22:40
Meth, crank, losing your ability to choose 28:00
Drying out 43:10
Losing his loved ones 47:00
Some of the issues in prison 56:20
Bath salt (MDPV) 58:45
Experiencing a change 67:00
Diagnosed with cancer, dating, and marriage 69:00

“Waited for a caseworker to come to the door and got on the phone to find out that my 20 year old sister Becky had died in a motel room in Salt Lake from meth. Meth complications. She didn’t overdose, but it’s called myocarditis, her aortas hardened from meth use. Cocaine use at a young age when I was supposed to be a bigger, older brother–""So how did you feel Todd? What did that do to your heart?””That destroyed me.” 47:08
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1h 24min
November 28, 2023Breaking Chains | Smaqs' Path from Prison to Rehabilitation
Born to former gang bangers, Ricky Zazueta's parents found religion and left that world to raise a family. Living on the poor side of town in East San Diego was rough for young Ricky, who wanted more and discovered that selling drugs was his way forward. Hear how even in the depths of the drug world, his parents’ example of love and faith guided him to live a better life. Ricky's story is one of success where the connections he made in prison provided him a pathway for positive, life-long change. He now works at a rehab facility and is also a private chef. Follow us on his inspiring journey and follow him on Instagram: @smaqs.mafia.uso

Ricky’s start 2:00
Losing his brother 7:45
Dabbling in the harder drugs 14:45
What got him in prison 19:05
Prison and his wife 23:00
Living life with direction and intention 32:10
The education program and making progress 47:45
Getting off parole 53:00

“He sees me stressin’ and he sits me down and is like ‘Bro, what’s up man, you look like you’re stressin.’ ‘I’m like man look, I’m gonna be real with you. I initially came in here because I wanted to pretend like I’m crazy so you can put an M1 hold on me, my wife’s pregnant, I need to see her, it’s important that I see her.’ He was such a great man. He said ‘You know what? I deal with guys in here lying all the time and trying to act like they’re crazy. You’re the first one to ever just be real with me. I’m gonna put a hold on you and it’ll never come off until I take it off.’” 26:06

smaqs.mafia.uso
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1h 10min
November 16, 2023From Shoplifting to Self-Discovery | What I Learned in Federal Prison
Mark sits down with Louis Hamilton on this eye-opening episode of All My Friends Are Felons. Louis grew up west of Salt Lake City, Utah with a single mom and though he experienced some tough times as a kid, he grew to love sports and became close friends with his teammates. After some bad decisions, Louis found himself facing 5 years in Federal Prison where he learned that he needed to make some life-altering changes. Now on the other side, Louis is living the life of his dreams. He’s glad he can share his story with our listeners because if he can help just one person change the trajectory of their life, then he's doing his job right.

His young life and moving to America 1:30
Bad habits, abuse, and bad parental relationships 12:20
Getting involved with “The Regulators” 21:30
Shoplifting tendencies and a great father figure 30:00
Prison life 39:20
An event that changed things in prison 46:00
Getting out of prison 58:40
Pathways to Life, taking care of foster kids in state custody 64:50

“At first I wanted to take his head off because I was just like ‘We don’t do this to each other, we don’t snitch, and this and that. We knew what we were getting into, we’ve been doing this our whole lives. What’s wrong with you!?’ I had that at first, but as I’ve grown and matured, and realized how much I’ve learned and grown from going to prison, he kinda helped me out.” 37:44
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1h 15min
November 14, 2023Life Sentence at 17 | How Could This Have Happened?
Colin Reesor came from a religious tight-knit family that was struck with disaster when both of his parents encountered life-altering accidents. As a teen, his involvement with the Straight Edgers found him in numerous street fights until one Saturday night the unthinkable happened. Almost unable to realize what he’d done, he confided in a religious church leader who helped turn himself in, putting him on the road to jail, court, and eventually prison; a road that his 18 year old self had never considered prior to this. Listen as he describes the state prison as something out of a movie with 3 tiers of barred cells and men yelling all night long. Though still haunted by his past, he now has his own family and is moving forward with the support of many people. This is an incredibly heart wrenching story you won’t want to miss.

About Colin’s life and witnessing his parents’ accidents 2:00
Coping with the accidents and getting into drugs 11:00
The fight and getting in trouble with the cops 21:20
Going to prison 30:00
Pleading guilty and prison life 41:10
Choosing to have a positive experience 52:30

“The whole thing with coming out the other side sane and half normal is man, you gotta do it yourself. You can’t let the state fix you, you know? That’s the big takeaway I think.” “They can throw programs at you all day … but it’s not gonna do anything.” 52:58
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1h 8min

FAQs about All My Friends Are Felons:

How many episodes does All My Friends Are Felons have?

The podcast currently has 111 episodes available.