Public defender Thomas Leaf gives his unfiltered take on America’s growing immigration crisis. From ICE overreach to broken policies and political hypocrisy, Leaf breaks down what’s really happening behind the headlines. This isn’t courtroom drama — it’s a firsthand look at how the system is failing from someone who sees the consequences every day.

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Travis Richey was a successful hedge fund owner with a background in finance — until a paperwork mistake landed him in an Arizona state prison. Raised in Boston with family ties to organized crime, Travis built a career on Wall Street before a technicality changed his life forever. In this gripping episode, Travis opens up about his rise in the finance world, the moment it all came crashing down, and how he’s now using his experience to help others through his nonprofit.

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DJ Whitmore spent 30 years inside the walls of federal prisons — not as an inmate, but as an associate warden. From serving in the Gulf War to working his way up through the ranks of the Bureau of Prisons, DJ has seen every side of the justice system. In this powerful interview, he shares what really goes on behind bars, from low-security camps to high-security penitentiaries. If you’ve ever wondered what prison is like from the other side — this episode pulls back the curtain.

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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.

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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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.

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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.

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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.

Connect with Ed Kressy:http://www.instagram.com/edkressy

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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.

Timestamps:

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Daniel Pedicini’s life spiraled from teenage trouble to attempted murder charges. Growing up in Massachusetts, he got hooked on painkillers in high school, was arrested for kidnapping and assault, and eventually landed a 3.5-year sentence on the murder block in state prison. In this raw interview, Daniel opens up about life in county jail, surviving time alongside killers, and what it took to beat addiction and stay sober after prison.

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Kyle Sandler scammed 79 people out of $2.3 million, went on the run from the FBI, and ended up serving time in federal prison—twice. But his story doesn’t end there. In this interview, Kyle shares how he built a fake startup empire, what life was really like as an openly gay man in prison, and how he's now trying to make things right by helping others navigate the prison system through his consulting agency.

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