Locked In with Ian Bick - Ex-Peckerwood Gang Member Exposes Life of Crime and Survival in California Prisons | Garet Mclendon

Episode Date: January 14, 2025

Garet Mclendon shares his story as an ex-Peckerwood gang member, revealing his life of crime and survival in California prisons. He discusses gang culture, the challenges of prison life, and his experiences navigating the criminal justice system. This episode provides insight into the realities of California's prison system and gang dynamics. #PeckerwoodGang #LifeOfCrime #CaliforniaPrisons #PrisonSurvival #GangStories #TrueCrime #PrisonLife #InsideCaliforniaPrisons Connect with Garet Mclendon: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garetmclendon/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garet.mclendon/ 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: https://www.ianbick.com/shop Use code lockedin at checkout to get 20% off your order Timestamps: 00:00:00 First Impressions of New York City 00:04:52 Living with My Mom: A Tale of Struggles and Family Choices 00:09:59 Struggles with Education and Early Hustling 00:15:06 Childhood Bullying and Violence 00:20:15 Life in a Peckerwood Gang 00:25:35 Early Troubles and Youth Authority 00:30:42 The Cycle of Violations and Incarceration 00:35:44 Struggles with Addiction and Family Relationships 00:41:07 Experiences in Lancaster County Jail 00:46:21 Navigating Prison Life and Brotherhood 00:51:19 The Role of Tattoo Artists in Prison 00:56:24 Transformation and Life After Prison 01:01:32 Turning Point: Choosing Recovery Over Prison 01:06:52 From the Streets to Times Square: A Personal Transformation 01:11:33 Overcoming a Troubled Past and Losing Friends 01:18:18 Overcoming Business Challenges with a Felony Record Powered by: Just Media House : https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Creative direction, design, assets, support by FWRD: https://www.fwrd.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America's first pledge was freedom. Jeep still carries that fighting spirit. With the Jeep Declaration of Deals, we're pledging our allegiance to the American people with great deals on the luxurious Grand Cherokee, with available three-row seating, premium craftsmanship, and tech that turns every drive into an adventure. Or Jeep Wrangler with legendary 4-4 capability and open-air freedom.

Because Freedom deserves the vehicle built to carry it. Jeep, there's only one. Hurry into your local dealer for the Jeep Declaration of Deals. Jeep has won more awards over its lifetime than any other SUV branch. Even the Jeep Grill or registered trademarks of X-C-A-U-S-L-L-C. Garrett, welcome to Lockton from California. Thanks for being so patient today. Yeah, you're welcome, man.

It's been quite the adventure. I mean, I've never been to New York, and this is an opportunity, and I'm all about that, the journey and the opportunity. I've been out there living life today. Let me tell you, living life up today. What did you do in Connecticut today, or did you go to New York City? I went to New York City, and I went to New York City, and I went to Times Square.

And the energy in Times Square was just live. It was just like I got out. I watch and, you know, you know, I was like, I only seen places like that in magazines or on TV and to be able to experience it today, man. I was, it was just like over. It just, it just, it filled me so much, man. It is, you know, just like the excitement. It's like the energy, you know. It's like it's like a mixture of L.A. and Venice Beach and stuff.

You know, you're down there with all the people, all the vendors. Everybody's trying to try to get you or hustle you for this and that. You're like, hey, I love it, man. I love this vibe, you know? Was that the first time you've ever been in here? Ever. First time ever. I mean, first time ever, man.

I was really, I really thought, man, I really thought it would be like more of the taxi scenarios. You know, I thought it'd be like taxi, you know. I thought maybe I see a grill meter, you know, and stuff like that. You know, like fall in love, you know. But none of that happened today. None of that happened. I had some pizza, you know, has some cheesecake.

You know, had a canoli, you know, like experience just like and just like loving it, man. It was just like I loved every bit of it, man. What do you think of the pizza? It definitely, when I was sitting there, up against the wall and I was eating me a slice of pizza today. I was like, this is the best pizza I have ever had in my life. And I don't know if that's just because I'm in New York or something and I'm sitting there and I'm looking off in this, you know, and it was just like, I was like, this pizza is so good today.

It just like, it was, it was good, man. It was good. And I even ate the, I usually don't even eat the crust. Today I eat the crust today. I ate the whole day. I killed it, man. Oh, you're not a crust guy? Yeah.

Yeah. California Pizza Kitchen is pretty good, though. California Pizza Kitchen is cool. I live right by it. Yeah, real good. You know, I mean, pizza, who doesn't love pizza? But something about pizza in New York is it different, is, you know, it's like you really, it's just like on a different level.

Yeah. Yeah. When you're in prison, did you, like, dream of going to New York City? No, I did not dream about going to New York when I was in prison. I dreamed about all the girls that were all my wall that I waxed up there on the cell, you know, the Pamela Anderson's, you know, even, you know, Mendez, Cindy Crawford, You know, all those pictures of all the girls up there And you sit there in this dream of all of them, you know?

That you take out a U.S. magazine or U.S. weekly or people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All the FMF maxims and, you know, magazines that you know, you get through and just you tear them apart, man. Yeah. Well, when I was like in the Midwest states when I was in prison, all the guys would always ask about New York City. That's like the go-to. What's New York like this and that? And a lot of guests that come out here, they want to go to New York City first.

Which is kind of cool. They get to experience that for the first time. To me, it's like old news. Yeah, to you. It's like, yeah, I go in the city often, but, you know, it's not the same. It's like someone coming to California and they're like, oh, how's been it? Like, oh, we want to go to Venice Beach or something. Or, you know, I see the city.

You're like, ah, that's cool. Stay far away from there. Yeah, I'm like, uh, not me. So did you grow up in California? I'm born and raised in California. I'm a whole life. Where in Cali? Anilat Valley.

Okay. Palmdale, California out there in the Aniletalip Valley, you know, desert, open area. You know, and yeah, it's where I, you know, so everything started that. Who did you grow up with? I was, my parents got divorced at five. I grew up by my mom. My mom had a, you know, had a little sister. You know, I have, I have a few sisters.

I have one older, one younger, and a couple step-sisters. And, you know, for a while, you know, my parents got divorced when I was like five, you know, and my sister and I stayed with my mom. and, you know, at a certain age, my sister went and started living with my dad. My dad came back around and started, and so that, you know, she went and lived at him, and then I stayed with my mom. So you didn't really have a close relationship with him? I did up to the point, up to a point, you know, I had a great relationship, you know. Me and, you know, my sister and my dad, you know, we do stuff to hang out and do everything a family should, you know, of, you know, and the parents doing my relationship.

best they can. I go to my dad's house and go camping trips and we do all that, you know, good stuff, you know, Disneyland trips, camping trips, you know, family time, you know, it was really, really, really good, you know. So even though they were divorced, it was still kind of a stable family environment? It was that half stable and half not for me, you know, my mom's side of the family. I grew up with my mom. See, my sister went over there because my mom, you know, I couldn't leave my mom, you know, like everything, but everything happened. I felt like I was a protector and everything of my mom, and I didn't want to leave her.

And I remember the day of my dad came, and he asked me if I wanted to go, and I was like, no, I wanna stay. You know, and I felt like my dad lived on the other side of the tracks, because, you know, he had that stable home and, you know, all the stuff that I didn't have, you know, over here, you know, as a provider, you know, for my sister and, you know, and everything like that.

Like, he had all that stuff, but I stayed over there with my, mom and my, you know, grandma and my uncle and, you know, my little sister and this, you know, in this, like, one, you know, one bedroom apartment, you know, just, you know, on the opposite side of the tracks, you know, sleeping on the couch. One, you know, it was just full of animals and full of people at all times. What did they do for work? Um, my mom didn't do nothing. Man, grandma didn't, nobody, nobody did nothing at her house. And, uh, my dad was a salesman. My My dad was really good.

He was a really good salesman, and he moved up the ladder, you know, went from cars, went to real estate, and he built a great life for himself, you know. But my mom, shit, what we do, what my mom did, I don't ever recall my mom working, you know. My grandma, I think she might have been a waitress or, you know, or something at a hotel back in the day. Briefly, I remember that.

And my uncle was in making me. mechanic when he worked, you know? And mainly it was this stuff for me, it was my mom just had a mixture of boyfriends and stuff growing up, you know, that I got to experience that addiction and everything on that side of the family, and my mom, you know,

and then the guys that she had in her life. And then I just sort of grew up watching all that stuff, you know, I was, you know, I hung out with my mom, my mom took me into places she went. My mom would go to score or go to the Connections House. I was that kid that I'd be there, you know, with her and growing up and you're just watching, you know,

other kids, other parents have kids too, you know, and we all just hang out in the rooms. We didn't think nothing of it. That was, you know, we had, we had, we had the kids that really had no rules, right? We could stay out past the street lights coming on. Like, you know, we, we had these, you know, maybe some better bikes, you know, and we'd be outside mischief. And, you know, our parents would come out, you know, and if we did something wrong, they sort of, you know, they back us up and be like, you know, my kid, you know, what you mean? You know, my kids, you know, he did the fine. You know, we, you know, we stole little, you know, suckers from the store so we'd go sell them in junior high or, or, or.

or whatever that was, but, yeah, my mom never worked, you know. By the time I was 14, by the time I was 14, by the time I was entering high school, I was already, I was already in, you know, wobbling that fence of drugs and alcohol and I was already out there. And I felt like I was just too big to be in this environment that I was in.

So I was going more out to the streets and I learned by hanging out with all my mom's boyfriends or the guy she had around as role models to me. I learned, you know, how to, maybe flip that, you know, drugs into money, you know? And by doing that, I was able to get stuff maybe that my mom couldn't, you know, buy me or afford for me. And then as I got deeper into that and that, you know, I mean,

I hung out in these apartment buildings and like, man, and I, I guess, like, I stayed in the laundry room. And like, I remember, like, I was making baggies in the bendil, you know, making bindles, not even baggies of, you know, in 20s and just trying to sell 20s all throughout, you know, to double your money. you know, and, um, you know, and I was like I'd go home in a few, two or three days and I, you know, eat, feed, you know, feed myself or whatever like that, sleep, you know, knock out. And, um,

you know, and by that time, high school was, uh, was getting in the way of, of me, uh, of me, you know, living the life I wanted and, uh, that father I had and that, and my sister and all that whole side of the family, like it's, it's sort of like, uh, I, I sort of just drift away from all that, because, because life that, you know, the way I was going wasn't,

that wasn't, you know, wasn't acceptable, you know. And I went out there and I met these older guys and I started hanging out and I really got involved

into the, into the gangs and I got addicted into that street life, you know? And from there, it just landed me into, I mean, for high school,

I moved out. I mean, I got this little, like my, like my great grandma lived at this convalences home or old retirement home and like she sort of something happened to her and my mom was in jail for probably

drugs but i didn't know if it was drugs or not at the time like they were like oh you know nobody was telling me as a kid and my grandma was like they were like go stay over there at your uh at your great grandma's house and i went over there and i was staying over there and uh you know and uh and um it's because it's supposed to be closer to my school and i mean to go to school but all i did was i sat there and I just sold, I sold weed and I sold speed at the time. And, you know, I walk into school at, like, a break. And, uh, I mean, back in the day, like, I had a, I had a bullet. And I remember I sell that bullet, man. It's like every, for every, every turn on it, man, would be five bucks, you know? And I sit there and I hand it around, you know, and then I go home and like at lunchtime and I feel

it and I come back up for the next couple periods, you know, and, uh, and pass it out, you know, and I just learned, man. It's like I got into this way of, like I wasn't thinking about working. I wasn't thinking about school, but like all that stuff was short-lived because I flunked out every grade because the thing is is like the new rules happened at school to where it's like you you flunk, like if you miss so many days, they automatically give you an F, you know. And for me, I failed in every aspect, you know. I didn't have enough structure in my life to be able to show up to school.

every single day. By the time, you know, and it just led, I was just out there, I hung out in these apartments, man, and it was like both sides of the street was like six apartment complexes, and I was on my BMX bicycle. And like I said,

I was in that laundry room, and I was just, I was going, you know, you know, it was, you know, supply and demand, you know? I knew where the supply was, and, you know, and I go down there and just in this house, and it seemed like it was just like for days,

you know, I just go out there and it was just moving all around, you know? And, yeah. Why do you think you gravitated to your mom more than your dad? I think that as a protector, I think that like abandonment, like I didn't want to see my mom. I didn't want to see my mom.

I felt like going to my dad, my sister was going to her dad, and I felt like I just had like the better bond with my mom, and I couldn't leave her. And that was what, no matter what situation, you know, she was in, you know, because as time, as she was with all these wrong guys, I was watching all the abuse, you know, fighting all these boyfriends. I'm, you know, just like an ever-sum guy she was with before even all this stuff happened. Like, I'm here, you know,

I'm watching her get beat up on the daily. I'm watching the abuse. I'm watching the drugs and the abuse. I'm watching alcohol and the abuse. I'm watching the guys, you know, until I got to a point where I was able to like I got tall real quick so I was able to see these guys at more of a level you know eye-to-eye level and and and and I just started fighting them all you know to where like you know I felt like I had to protect my mom you know and and and then my mom met you know her connection became like my father figure you know she hung out there a lot and he was a guy and he was a great guy you know I mean I didn't I didn't but he had like family values and he had like family values and he had a house he was a you know i guess a good role model you know but um but he sold drugs and so uh

but he was like he was that father figure that uh like you know i think a certain time in a boy's life he really needs that father figure and whether you're if you're out there on the streets i think that's who you're gonna pick up you know you're gonna gravitate to a guy that you know that you know that you know that to what's missing in your life and uh and and or he's gonna pull you in or whatever and and this guy pulled me in and he just sort of and I just sort of went with him and I watched him he was a drug dealer and I just watched him on the continuous base of what he did I didn't do it I didn't touch it you know at this time I'm I'm I'm in the junior high you know and stuff like that I'm watching I'm getting into weed and marijuana you know and and drinking and stuff like that and and then I and then

I you know get into that little speed a little bit you know like my first day in high school like I showed up You know, I was on speed. You know, back in that, back then in my day, we went there to school and we registered. I went there and registered for high school that first day, man, I was, I was high on speed. And, um, and I left to go sell weed. And, um, it was just like, you know, that, that was just that, that's just how it grew up with my mom, my mom's side. It was just drugs. It was just drugs.

It was just drugs. Most, every place we went was just drugs. And it was abuse. And it was just like, uh, you know. That was it, you know. Do you think if you lived with your dad, you wouldn't have went down that path? I definitely believe that if I lived with my dad, I wouldn't went down a totally different path. But, and I used to think that my, you know, my, and he gave me plenty of opportunities.

I could always go over there, you know, and I could have always went over and lived on that other side. And, and I always chose not to, you know. I felt like, you know, as you get older, like the bond between my mom, like I didn't want to leave. I just, I, a boy and his mom. I'm a mama's boy. And I just couldn't leave her. No matter. And it didn't, and it didn't matter how, how bad my mom's life was, where were we living, what we're doing, whether we have food or not, whether we have clothes.

It didn't matter. I just, you know, it felt like that was, you know, I was there. A Lego set is a gift that always clicks and clicks. The end of the final lap. And we've got a champion. And clicks. Kids who love everything on wheels, choose a LICO set. A gift that always clicks.

Looking to start 2026 with an unforgettable getaway. Fiji Airways sale is on now. Fly non-stop round-trip to Fiji from just 748. Or enjoy a sunny Fiji stopover on your way to Australia with round-trip fair starting from 839. As a One World Alliance member, an American Airlines Advantage program partner, your miles go further across the South Pacific. Book now at Fiji Airways.com.

your local travel agents conditions apply you know would kids make fun of you because of your upbringing um i got picked on a lot because i was taller and so i got picked on through elementary school by older kids a lot because you know and a lot of times it just be i was just fighting or getting beat up by kids that were older than me all the time because they thought i was you know three to four years older you know elementary school i'm going to put down by junior high kids you know and uh and uh And I think a lot, I think a lot comes down to it on a, on a level of when you have all this violence and all this stuff going on in your house as you grow up, like you really don't want to go out into the real world and living in this violent life. Like you really want to, you know, like you come like all this violence and all this hell that they break loose on it on like a weekly basis at the house. I'm running out of the house.

I'm calling the cops. I'm getting dragged out of the liquor store of my mom's boyfriends. Like all this stuff is happening. And then, and, you know, and like the last thing, like, you're really thinking about, you know, is that is like this, you know, you're going to school and, like, you're pretending to be everything's all fine. So I think that's that trauma or emotional level or whatever it is that comes with that, you know, it really, you know, you don't think about it, but it affects you. Because, like, you get so tired by that means by the time I'm in junior high or by the time I'm in high school and I'm in my upper teens level and all this, like I grew up with all this violence. on my whole life and now it's like and now you just get tired of it man it's just like uh but you know you either step in or you step out you know how would people describe you back then oh full on

i was a i was a drug addict man they full on um drug addict yeah yeah they'd be like you know uh if you're to see me like they say like if you look at the people you hang out with you'll be able to tell what kind of person you are. And, you know, if I was hanging out with, you know, I was hanging out with nothing, but a guy's 10 years older than me, blasted with tattoos, you know, and, you know, and, and, and, and into, you know, and guys that were in and out of jail. And so, like, they probably knew that by the time, it was only a matter of time before, it was just my turn to, to be in that, you know.

What kind of drugs were you into? I got into, I got into, I got into, um, I started. off with the alcohol to the weed and then it got into speed and then it got into the crystal you know and as times as times progressed it got into the you know the heroin and I got into the pills but mainly I was all crystal meth was speed very popular back then speed speed was popular back then this is before like this is like that transition from speed into crystal meth like it was a big you know thing in the world that all of a sudden ever you know the crystal came out but like yeah I remember and I was back there when it was just like

peanut butter or the crank, you know, or the, you know, this, the cat piss, you know, like it, like, I, my, my partner's houses and stuff that I go to, like it, like he lived, we lived in this old place called a little Alcatraz, it's like a little L-shaped apartment complex. My mom and my grandma lived on the corner, which we, you know, we stayed together, you know, which I, that's where we stayed. And my mom, you know, and her boyfriend and, and, and me all stayed in that, you know, and my little sister stayed in right there. And my grandma, my uncle, my nephew stayed in the one. And my one right next to it. And then the next to that house was, uh, was this older guy that I met, you know, and, uh, and he was, and he was that guy. He was that blasted, been to prison, you know, and he sold drugs and I, and he was, and he every, like you, you, you can't pull up into, into our driveway, like into a little dirt lot right there without smelling that cat piss. It, like, it, it, it just like, you know, from making it in the, you know, it just, it, it's like the whole area smelled like, just that crank, just cranking. You know, and then if you snorted it and you tasted it all day, that drip, like it, it's so like everything, everything tasted and smelled like cat piss, you know.

Yeah. Did you have dreams or aspirations when you were a kid? Like, what did you want to be when you grew up? I really didn't have no, you know, I did. I probably wanted to be a model or something, you know. I did want to be a model. I was, I was, uh, and way. before all of it, before I moved

back in the town, like my friend, I did like some runway modeling or something like that with a friend of mine and I really, and I really enjoyed it, you know? And and, um, no, you know, I, I, I, I grew up, I mean, dirt bikes out in the open, ranch, horses, I mean, everything

was very good, you know, baseball, I really, but I, I can't recall that, I think maybe if I wanted to be anything, maybe a garbage man. A garbage man, but I really don't have, I don't, like my dreams and aspirations of, I really thought in the life, when I started living all that street life and doing all that stuff,

like I just thought I was gonna live and die inside that system. My goal, it wasn't, I didn't have no dreams of being, ever working or being somebody or anything like that. Like I just thought, you know, well, I'm gonna end up doing life in prison or I'm gonna end up, you know, dying on the streets,

you know, whether or that's from an OD or doing some kind of crime because, um, I, I didn't have, none, you know. When you were in the street life, were you running with a gang? Or what was the situation like? Just, just white peckerwood gang members, you know, anything out there, just, just, yeah, white, white, to white boys, you know, straight, you know, white peckerwood gang members, you know, and just out there. And there's, uh, when you're doing all that stuff, I think you sort

of run with, uh, you know, you sort of just hanging out with any and everybody because to hang out with just one person, I think, is this a neutral? You know, you got to be more of a neutral. If you're out there and you're selling drugs, like it's like you got to be able to sell to everybody, you know? And I did, I hung out with those, you know, our bomb with the, you know, a guy's, a bunch of white guys that were all, we're all peckerwood gang members, you know. Now, is there a certain way that you have to get in, like, you know, like the bloods

and other things? Initiations and stuff like that. I mean, not really, yeah. I mean, you're out there. you it's not like we have a we don't get i mean you didn't get jumped in but like maybe once you got into prison and you done some time and you know you went in there and you and you and you take care of some uh you take care of some uh you know yard stuff you know and uh maybe you're on the streets and you and you take care of some you know uh you know some stuff out there you know um that um you get to

earn like you know pieces of the puzzle you know whether those lightning bolts or or your letters for beating somebody up or, you know, and all that stuff. Why do you think most people associate the peckerwoods just strictly with prison and not as a street gang? Because I think Peckerdwoods, I think are, I think maybe because the Pecklewood thing came from prison, you know, and then it just came outside. So like, you know, if you weren't like a Nazi or a skinhead or a writer or something like that, that if you were just white and you stood up for white, you know, that you just became a peckermint. Beckerwood, you know, and because, and that was like the, this breed of guys. And it was just like, you know, you just, you know, because we got to, there was so few of us that you got to be, like, connected in some way. And I really think that the pecker wouldn't, you know, like, it connected us all in a way. Like, oh, you're white, you know, you're one with us. You know, connection. It's a white pride. That's our, you know, that's our unity. Now, is it common for young individuals to join?

Yeah, yeah. I think that it just depends if you're young and you're in the game, if you're out there, if you're young and you're in prison or, you know, I started young in my, you know, I was out there on the streets as I hanging out with all this, you know, a lot of different peckerwoods. And I just think that, you know, I think that you're sort of just, you know, if you're involved and you're doing it, I think that, you know, the younger the kids, it could be, I think it, you definitely come in fresh like that, you know,

18, 17, 17, you know, 18, you know, 19 years old that you're, that you're hanging around is, you know, hanging around it and you just become part of it. What was it about that street life, gang life that attracted you to it? It was the only life I know. You know, I think that I was just, I think the father figures, I think that the unity of the guys, you know, the brotherhood that we had, I think at all, this was something that I was missing because I didn't have that father figure in my life. So I think all of it just, I think all of it filled up the, you know, the things I was missing in my life.

And I guess what's interesting is that you, you had the option to have a father figure. A lot of these individuals don't even have that option. Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting to see that perspective that you did have the option, but you still chose to go the other way. Yeah. I, I, um, I had the option. I could have went that way and I didn't. And that was just because I didn't want to leave my mom. And I don't know if that was because there was too many rules or I couldn't live the way I wanted or I couldn't have my dog with me or for whatever reasons, you know, like I don't know, but I stayed with that. I stayed on the other side of the fence. When was the first time you got into some trouble? Oh, shit.

Probably in elementary school. Vandalism, you know, of a county yard. And then, I mean, I mean, like, you know, stealing. I got my first GTA at probably 16 years old. I was coming home. I was in a friend of mine, you know, I was a friend of mine stole in the truck and they parked in. I was at one of these homeboys houses that we're all hanging out at. And I really wanted to get home. I was tired. I just like, you know, after three or four days of being there, you're just worn out, man. I really want to go sleep at home, you know, just out there mucking around.

you know, stealing and selling and doing drugs and, you know, this lifestyle. And I, and I knew there was stolen cars in the neighborhood. I went over and grabbed it, you know, and I went to drive home on it. And I forgot to connect the wires right, you know, and the brake lights weren't on. And I, you know, caught, you know, young kid, I get pulled over. I get pulled over. I got no brake lights. Car stolen, you know.

A little by the white, you know, I go to youth authority, you know, real quick, you know, little in and out thing, you know. Now I'm doing community service up there in the forest, and I'm up there with these kids, and we're going up to the, to Angeles Crest and this, you know, and doing this, and cleaning up and picking up trash, you know. You know, I'm meeting, you know,

other little kids that we got in trouble with the same thing. It wasn't nothing special. I mean, I was there, and I remember, you know, I was hanging out with my buddies. I remember that I did, like, man, and I was hanging out in those apartment complexes, you know, And I knew that there was a car over there that I, you know, could take home. And I just tried to get home, man.

And, yeah, boop. What's about a California people stealing cars, man? You guys love your GTA. Yeah. So, and you're done with high school completely at this point at 16? Yes, I'm done with high school. I'm already out. I just stopped going.

I just stopped going. I even tried, I think I might have tried to go into independent study, but I couldn't even do that. And I tried to even go to like adult school or something like that to pick up some classes. I couldn't, I couldn't do that. And by the time I'm 18, 19 years old, I'm getting into, I get picked up for a bigger crime. And then I wind myself up in the prison. And I got the GTA and I get out and then I get like a drug charge.

And I get, um, see, it was like 19, 20 years old. And I get picked up for, uh, they get busted for, uh, arsenal methamphetamine, a possession methamphetamine arsenal, a chop shop. And, um, you know, being a white supremac gang member, you know. Oh, you were running a chop shop? I just, you know, when you're getting really high and doing the things I was, doing it like I was running a chop shop I was just getting stolen cars and like taking them apart you know like it it was just like something to do you know yeah yeah uh I loved it I loved I love getting you know I love

I love stealing car I love getting stole I love taking stuff apart getting high and taking stuff apart you know and and so uh through all that stuff what stuck was just the guns and they got me for intent to manufacture and and the arsenal and then um you know I go to I go to attachby state prison And, you know, back in the day and, um, I end up on the four yard and, uh, you know, and I, you know, and I, you know, and I, and I, and I meet more of the brothers and more of the people I love to hang out with, you know, and I get this bond. I get the father figure. I get these guys that, that show you how to, you know, to live inside the system and, and how to, you know, and how to behave and how to, and how to do stuff. And I, you know,

and, and, and, uh, and I love it, you know, I didn't, it wasn't, it wasn't like I hated being there or nothing like that because I grew up in this lifestyle. And so like you said, like it was just like I was waiting. I was waiting for my turn up there to be pushing the broom on the tear. I was waiting to be able to hang out with my homeboys on a weight bench. You know, I was, I know, like it was just like, it was like the brotherly love. Like, you know, I'm going in there. I'm not.

And then the thing is is I'm going in there. I'm getting healthy. I'm working out. I'm, you know, I'm eating food. I'm sleeping on a regular basis. You know, I'm fighting if I need to fight, you know, and stabbing if I need to stab. And then you get out, you know, and like, man, I, and then I, and then I, the drug, there's like the disease in me of the, of the drugs would be, would be pushed away as I went in there, you know, and I'd be able to get healthy and, you know, and pick up, you know, and like I could have went into school. I could have went and done, you know, school in there or picked up a trade or something like that. But I didn't do none of that stuff either, you know. I was, you know, and I hung out. I just hung out, man, smoke cigarettes, drink coffee, you know, and talk a lot of shit, you know, and, and, you know, work out on a daily basis, you know, and, um, and, um,

And I get back out and I get back out, man. And I felt like I felt like I graduated. You know, it felt like it feels like this graduation, you know. It just feels like you come back out and you see who's around because it's not. As you get older, it seems like it's just a rotation of who's getting busted and who's not, you know, and who's new, who's not, you know, and who's, who's in the cycle. You know, because we're all right. If you're in it, you know, like we're in these cycles of a violation or a new term or new beef. And so we see each other's inside and we see each other's outside.

and I just, you know, and I just pick up, you know, where the fellas left off, man. And now I'm like on a higher control and I'm on a weapons thing. So it seems like I, every time I get picked up, now I'm on my, like I'm not checking in, but the thing is is that, you know, I'm trying to duck and dodge on parole. But, you know, like I, even if I'm trying to do right, I'm still hanging out of those places that get me busted, man. And like the littlest thing, man, I'd be out of house and it gets, get raided and it be like they find a knife and the vicinity it'd be a year flat violation i i get out for a

couple you know i get out after a year flat and i go in there and i i be uh you know the parole come to my house and they dump out the they dump out the chair like this they find another knife it'd be another year flat violation you know so then i'm just going i'm going i'm in the cycle now i'm just stuck in so now i'm spending more time inside than i am outside you know and i'm on another violation i'm on another violation and then i by this time it comes out and uh i make it a little further and you know, and no stable place, no job, no, no, I'm not checking in. I'm out there. I'm, I'm immediately into the, into the, like, I mean, I get out, man. I really, like, want to, to, like, get a job and, and obey the rules of parole. And, and I try to really walk that line. Like,

I, I really deep down one of that, but, man, but, like, I, I, I, I, I, I get that 40 when I got on the bus, you know, on my way home and that, you know, I take that drink and for me to take that drink, man, it automatically seems like put that liquor to my lips. I'm like, I don't like the way I'm feeling right now. I'm, I need to pick myself back up. And I picked myself up with that. And I didn't have no control. I couldn't have controlled it, man. I go inside and I and I do these drugs. And then once I get the taste of drugs, like, I immediately, like, I don't want to be home. I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to, like, I don't want to be a responsible in any aspect of my life. Like, I want to go out there. I want to be in the excitement of the streets. I want to I want to be gunning and running out there.

I want to be up in there just like, you know, I want to be like, I felt like I couldn't sleep because I miss out on something, you know? And I go until I get busted again. And then, you know, I get up, I get busted. I catch a GTA or, you know, and I get back out. I, you know, I catch a, you know, I beat up somebody and I, you know, you get strikes, you know,

and all this stuff and all just keeps on, man. It just, it just is this a never, It's just a never ending style, a never ending, you know, style, a never ending lifestyle, man. I just, I just, at the point from, from my 20 to 33, I'm inside more than I'm ever outside. I'm outside. I'm either doing a term or a violation. I'm out for 30 to 45 days. I can't stay out, you know, and I want you, you know, like I really feel at this time that, that lifestyle, that way of living is the way I want to, like I get custom to live in inside of a prison system.

And I'm not accustomed to live on the outside of a prison system. And I know, so like it's to be in a routine of life inside of a prison where they tell you, it's like it's really, it makes time go by. And, and it's really easy for me to live, you know. Like it feels like I, you know, you get a job in there, you know, you're working out. You're working. You're working out. You're eating.

And, you know, you got this in time they're just fun. But for the, for the F of it, man, I couldn't. I couldn't get that routine on the outside. You know, I get out and I, you know, I get a construction job. I get my, you know, I go and try to buy some boots. I run into somebody I know. He's giving me something I shouldn't have. And then I'm sitting there like, damn, I need to go to parole first, man.

And I, and I, you know, and I go and I, and I, and it seemed like my pro officer would like, like they're supposed to show up on Wednesday and then she's not showing up. And I got the stuff. Like, I really want it, man. It's just like, I could taste it. I know, man. I can't do it. Yeah, man.

And then, like, you know, she'd show up Thursday and I go into that bag and it'd be a wrap, dude. Like, you know, the next time I'm trying to, the next time I'm in her office, trying to do a piss test. I got a, I got a, I got a, I got the winniator, you know, wrapped around me, you know, like a Wizzinator and I got a fucking tied to my, you know, my nutsack. I got, you know, I'm like, you know, you're like, what are you looking at? You know, I'm trying to like, just take a piss. You're like, what are you trying to see my cock or something? You know, you're like yelling, you know, like, hey, man. You need to look the other way.

They know you're up to something, you know, because all of a sudden you're like, you know, everything's about, you know, you're messing with me or something, you know, or you get a free one. Like you, do you be stressing all day? Like, man, you know, you know, for like the week, man, you have you done nothing but like sleep and, and, you know, drink some liquor.

You're flutting your pickle juice and you're drinking prune juice and you're drinking this juice, man. And you know, you're drinking like a gallon of water. and you're ready, you're going to go in there Thursday, man, and to see your officer, and you go to the office, and all of a sudden, oh, your officer's not here today. And you're like, damn, is there officer of the day? Like, I need a piss today, you know?

And, and I finally got, I finally after been in and out so much, man, I even stopped doing that stuff. I just knew that, you know, I get out, I immediately get high, and I just be like, why, you know? And, no, I, I, I, um, I, um, I like being in there. Yeah, it wasn't like, it wasn't until years later. They're all my 20s.

I liked being there because when I was on the streets, I was addicted to the drugs and all that stuff so bad that I, like it was cool at first, but as the years go by and you're getting out, man, and that's all you know. And two, you know, two, three weeks, I'm just like, you know, I'm put myself in the ground. I'm not, you know, I haven't talked to my family, not 15, you know.

I haven't talked to my dad and my sisters in like 15 years. I got a, I never had to have a 168 traffic. tickets and never never had a driver's license you know like a you know like a have a have a little girl you know when I get out I'm like I can't be around or close to her because like all I'm doing is breaking her heart you know like my mom and you know I'm I'm using and stuff with my mom and all the guys she hangs out with I'm in that you know and like you try man you try try to be out there you try to be out there you try to man like you you really want you know not to be like in this life but like I think that's the only life I know, you know.

So only life I know was that little, you know, to be that, you know, to get something, to make something, you know, so I can get by, you know. What do you think the biggest hurdle and obstacle was for you? Every time, you know, you got out. Was it internal? Was it external? I think, what, I think for the biggest hurdle, I think that, that I had to get away. I had a, I think what really happened, you know, like, of course I get away from my, from my, my friends and

my hometown and all that, but I really had to isolate myself from all that. I had to come, I had to physically move myself from all that lifestyle that I was living because I, you know, and I don't know if that was it, but it sure did help, you know, and, and I, and I, and I, and I had to stop, and I had to stop using drugs and I had to stop, you know, going. I was just like in a repetitive cycle, man. I was just like doing the same stuff and expecting different results. I'm just going through. I'm getting out of prison or, you know, and then like, you know, I even want, like,

I wanted to sell drugs in there. Like I was like, man, I went from a four yard down to a minimum yard. I'm like, dude, I want to bring stuff in, you know. Like I want to, you know, like you see these people in there just making it in there, you know, and you do it, you know, tobacco. I was in there when tobacco was in there when they took tobacco out, you know? And so now just to be able to bring tobacco in the yard was just like money, you know? Money, dude.

And I'll tell you this is what really drownded it out too is like I'm in the prison and I'm bringing some stuff in. And, you know, stuff is happening and like the pipe breaks. And I'm a smoker, dude. And there was just that transition point. I went to my homeboy, man, because I'm bringing in the, these points and I was like man hit me and I was like it like it it will only be something that I do in prison I'm not going to do this when I get out and um I got out man and uh I I stayed strong for a second but then I put a needle on my arm and then I once I I stuck that needle

on my arm and then I like I get out of prison all of a sudden it seemed like the the streets were just flooded with heroin and I got into not only saw a mess but like a lot of people wanted And I just knew the right people from doing so much time that I was just, you know, and the next thing I know, man, I'm sticking this needle on my arm and I'm just like I'm, I'm literally just a mess, dude, you know? And I didn't care about, I didn't care about the stuff. I just cared about, you know, staying, you know, staying loaded, you know, because at the end of the day, that's like I don't want to be sick, you know,

because being sick sucks. The only time I want to be sick is when I get busted. And then I'm just begging for them to just give me 24 hours, man. And just give me 24 hours here to sleep this off before I got to go on that processing, you know. And, yeah, just keeps on going like that. Every time you get a violation, do they send you back to the prison you left from? Or is it a new prison every time? Different prison every time.

So how is that navigating as a peckerwood going to a new prison? Is it different in each one? I think it is. It is, I was really, see, for me, like, I was so big, like people just wanted to be my friends, you know? Like, it wasn't like, you know, like I was just like a dominant person. Like I'm in there. I'm so big, you know, whites gravitate to me.

Now, now that you're doing, now I'm doing violations after already doing so much time. It's like you already know, it's like you know the routines and you know the rules and you know the way. And when you're in that cycle of stuff, like the people know you in the system, you know? I'm not staying out long enough for the people to for the number you know for the things to change inside the prison system like those you know I'm like I literally will go I mean there was a time that I literally went got off I got off that yard and and then I hold right back in you know and on a violation and went right back to that yard you know and there was times that I go I go to you know they they I seems like I being county for like the longest time. and then they they ship me and I I get out of reception in Chino you know or I I I go in there and I my violation I would just be it seems like I would just be in a I would just go right back into the hole and I would sit there and do my whole time and and and Lancaster you know and until it my violation was up or they immediately would you know and which wasn't long because I you know it'd be

like 30 days it'd be like be able to go to court or I'd be able to get my my violation and get my bus ticket and then hit a reception, you know, and then they would just, it seems like I'd be one of those ones that just got lost in the works at the reception yard, you know, and you're just stuck there in a reception, just, you know, waiting on the violation to go to the, to Manard. But, yeah, it just, it just, it just, I never thought about it, man. I just, I sort of just went through and, and met the guys, you know,

met the fellows, you know. How dangerous are these yards for a peckerwood? The dangerous, I think it's more dangerous in the county jail in California than it was in those in the prison yards. And that's because the numbers in the county jail were really small. And then the numbers, when you get inside the penitentiary, I think it was a lot more unity, a lot more brother, and a lot more of us. That's why we liked going up into the penitentiary because our numbers were a lot higher. You know, and to where we're in county jail and stuff like that, I feel like you can get really lost. And there was only like two or three of you.

And that was just scared. When the riots kicking off in a county jail out there where we're at and stuff like that, for me, it was, it was, it was scary times, you know. I mean, I was in the riots in the penitentiary, too. It was like, you know, and that was, you know, it was, you know, real Viking stuff, you know, of just like crashing into, but it, but those, those riots inside the county jail, man, it seemed like they just, they just shut that door and just let us fight, you know.

They'd throw in some tear gas and, you know, you have your bent you know everything wrapped around your face and eyes and stuff like that but um i really felt if i really felt more more um weak and more like something could happen dangerously in in the county jail you know because it was you know just be like you know 30 on three or something that feels like you know or or 30 on five you know and um it's scary can you be innocent like an innocent bystander in a riot? Like, say you're not getting affiliated and you're just there. Those are the guys, I think that there's guys, and like, there was times,

there was times when there was guys in there who I feel, like, maybe they didn't have the life, like I, you know, thereafter, like, somebody that, that got caught up into a DUIs or, you know, a spousal or, you know, a spousal or, or, you know, a drunk driving, you know, to where they don't know nothing about that street life or nothing. They're an actual, you know, working human being, normal, you know, guy. And those are the guys that when I show up, man, I really didn't like seeing those guys like getting taken advantage of, you know,

whether it was by our own race or other races like that. And I really think I stood up, you know. And I met some of those guys that when the, time came to it like they would fight they would fight they would fight just as much as the guys that grew up on the street they'd be right there side by side with me and uh and there were some that you know in those in those situations to where like you had to protect them i felt like it was our need just like i just like i protect my mom that i know you you tell them that you know just got to get behind me somehow man because they they don't have no they they don't know how to defend their self

in situations like that when you know and you sort of just just have to have it you know just just like protect them, you know, because you're all, we're all in this corner and you're just fighting it out as they come in and I, and I feel like those guys, some of them get caught up,

man, they get grabbed up and they really get, you know, sent to the hospital pretty bad, you know. Those types of guys, the movies kind of portray that they get turned into, you know,

like these joining these white gangs and stuff, like they don't have a choice. Are you guys giving them a choice? I think you do have a choice. Yeah, it's not like you, Every individual in there has a choice of what's going to happen. Like, you know, you're either, you know, you can run.

You can, you can. I'm my first selling, man, was a guy who, you know, he was the normal guy who someone robbed him. He hit him with the bat. I think the guy died. He's getting life. He's getting 15, you know, in a prison. He's in a, I'm on a level four with him, you know. I'm in a, you know, and he is, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he

he did was re books, man, went to church, you know. He's in there, you know? He doesn't talk to nobody, you know? He obeys the rules that are necessary for him to walk, you know? And, and like, but he's not all out there. He was at there to do his time. And, you know, I don't, it was never like, oh, you see, I think that even for that guy right there, I think that, you know, you're a peckerwood, right?

You know, I think that's just the thing. If you're white and you're in jail, like, you're just a peckerwood, you know. And some are more, more than others. but like if you go to church and stuff like that, I don't think that, you know, and then you're like a guy of God to where like you, you think, you know, God protects me, you know. But, yeah, I think that you get there, you're young.

If you got there, like I'm on this DUI or something like that and you're doing it three with 80 or two with half or 16 months or something like that, I don't, you're not going to, you know, you're just trying to get your time up because you just, you know, you're just trying to, get back to your family. And if you go up to the higher level yards,

you know, the threes and the fours, then I really think that you are going to, more or less, because it's not like we tell you what to do. I mean, we're convicts. So we're going to con you into doing that, you know? Yeah, you know, we're going to do it real smoothly, you know?

It's not we're going to tell you, you know, we're going to make it attractive to you. and you're gonna love this brotherhood and everything that we're about and you just want to be a part of it and you're gonna be on the yard man you get out you're thinking you just can go back to your wife and kids

and everything's gonna be regular but you know in a way that we just sort of we just sort of ingrained and impose ourselves into you know into it you live you know a different life now you're head shaved you know now you're getting maybe a tattoo

of some letters that you know you're in some rockers you know because you fought some guy that we didn't like, you know, and now you're really feeling the part of because, you know, it's either you're going to feel a part of or you're, or you're not going to feel a part of, you know, like, if you're feeling the part of, we're going to get that respect and love and that loyalty and the friendship, but it's those guys that are not a part of that we're not really going to watch,

you know, like we want to, you know, that unity, that, that brotherhood, you know. So you have to have your head shaved? No, I didn't. No, you don't. No, you don't. I was, I'm like, people, I always get this question a lot, man, And you can't tell now because, you know, but Garrett, why don't you ever have, why don't you have no tattoos? And I'm like, man, I wanted them bad. I know the few different reasons too. But another thing is, is that I'm a hairy Viking beast, dude. And I, and like, I grow hair everywhere but my head, you know?

And so, like, I had, and I remember, man, I be there and I just, I just, I'm hairy, man. I'm like a vanilla girl. I'm just hairy, dude. And I'd be like, what's the point, dude? Like, what's the point? Like, I'm, you know, I have to shave all this hair off, you know? Like, now, yeah, it's cool. Like, I got no hair, right?

You know, but like, but like you, you come out, like, you're in there and you don't have the proper means and stuff you do on the streets, man. And, like, you know, I just, you know, I had that, you know, that true Viking, you know, just brood, you know, that brute of a man, you know. So that's why you never got tattoos. There's a, yeah, that's, I think that's one reason. there's another reason, you know, that, like, my mom told me not to get no tattoos. And then, like, even though I went against that and I wanted them, like, and I, I wanted them from certain people and certain times. And, like, and it never worked out the way I wanted it. Just whatever navigation through is, like, you know, I'm moving from, you know, getting, you know, going from this yard to this yard or this person, you know, something happened.

A riot happened or, or, you know, like a fight happened. Or we, you know, the way it worked out. I just never got it, you know? I don't think I was ever in one place long enough to be able to get the tattoos that I wanted, you know? Like they say that if you really want some good work, you got to make sure your celly does the tattoos, you know? Because that way when you're in a lockdown, when you're in the lockdown, your cellies is going to blast you up, man. You can just make, you know, make your own, you know, stude right there in your cell. And I never had the cellie that did tattoos.

But I'm going to tell you, I don't, you know, if I had the cellie that did tattoos, I'll be blasted from head to toe right now. Are you glad that it worked out by? I am glad. Like, that's just whatever. That was in, you know, in God's, in God's way of things that he just saw fit for me not to have the tattoos, you know. And as bad as I wanted all that stuff back then, you know, like I didn't have him now. And I was a, you know, particular, you know, about like I, because, you know, you out there and you see him, we're in the game and you get out and you're in the drugs and all that stuff. And you see these guys and they have like, you know, an outline of one lightning bolt and, you know, and half another one. Or they have like letters that aren't done and stuff. like that and I didn't want to be rolling around with no half-ass shit dude like hey homie nodding you out and nod and like I you know and but I'm gonna tell you when I was in ironwood I literally man this my my partner there man like uh he uh he laid down the best of the best work man and uh if I ever was gonna have somebody to put work on me it would have been him you know but and there's a you know my older homeboys too as well but like uh but like man he

I just saw him, man. His last name was my first name, man. So it was, but like his tattoo, his tattoo game was just on point, dude. And a good tattoo artist on the yard is one of the best people to know because that motherfucker has everything. You know, he has everything. Now, in California, could the tattoo man tattoo other races or no? Did it have to be strictly with your gang? A tattoo man can, a lot of times it would just white people.

but like I seen I have Saul Like he tattooed He was so good that the races He was so good that the races would pay For him to do a sleeve And vice versa You know

Like I seen some white guys You know I seen a white guy work on a On a Mexican guy But never know black guys Yeah Now was it a requirement In the Peckwoods

To have gang tattoos No Not at all Absolutely not Yeah Is it Does that differ from A lot of the other gangs?

Um, yeah, like, I mean, a lot of times for us and the pecker was, it just be like your, it'd be your letters, you know, to represent your area, you know, and, uh, you know, and just like anything we have our, you know, from, from, you know, the stuff you do, like, you know, the tear drop for that or the, or the lightning bolts for a, you know, stabbing the letters for a fight, you know, like you, everything, you know, white pride, like this is all stuff that you earn in there, you know, and, um, nowadays is, it's different. But like, to me, I think all that stuff had to me, I think all that stuff had to, had a big meeting, you know, of doing it. And I seen guys later on just getting it on them, you know, because they're, you know, homeboy or whoever is a tattoo artist and makes you look a certain way if you have these tattoos. But like early on, you know, in the original days, it was just like a letters. It was just like some rockers on your stomach, you know, and, you know, lightning bolts on your arm, you know.

Now, where does the Aryan Brotherhood fit into the Packerwoods and all of that? Are they two entirely different gangs? Two different things, dude. Yeah, two different. A lot of the Aryan brothers and all that stuff were just locked up in the back. They weren't even on the main line. They were the big collars of everything, you know, laying down the lines for everybody out there in the field. And so, like, they're the one putting in the orders, you know, for us.

Oh, so you guys work hand in hand? Yeah, I think they, I just think that, you know, everybody has to answer somebody and whether I think all races, it all came up from the very top. I just think it just came down in the flu of motion of, you know, they have the tables up there of the rules and the guidelines. This summer, A.G. Jeans looks to California Wine Country for inspiration, where style feels effortless and time naturally slows down. The summer 2026 collection reflects that mindset with premium denim washes, relaxed silhouettes and refined details designed for real moments, from brunching among the vines to spontaneous tastings and sunset dinners that turn into memorable nights. Each piece balances comfort and sophistication,

created to move easily through the day and feel just as right well into the evening. The season is marked by a special collaboration with Napa Valley's Stony Hill Vineyard, an iconic estate with a timeless sense of place. Inspired by Stony Hill's understated character, the limited edition capsule features raw salvage denim for men and women, along with sun-fated sweatshirts, hats, and versatile essentials. Like a fine wine, AG denim is designed to evolve beautifully over time, growing richer with everywhere.

AG's Summer 2026 collection is available now at AGG jeans.com. Use code summer 15 for 15% off, even if you've shopped with us before. Prison system have, you know, everybody has to follow suit from somebody. So it's not like the whites are divided, like some other race gangs have like the Mexicans have different gangs within their race. Yeah, no. I mean, the whites, the whites are the whites and we do. There's times when the whites would beef with the wife, you know, their skinheads and the peckerwoods would go out of it, you know, for political reasons, you know, and stuff. like that and I saw that I saw that a few times and um you know just yeah sometimes you just get bored in there you know who else you're going to pick on your own race you know is it very violent on a

day-to-day basis it depends on what prison you're at you know I don't I don't think it's violent on the day-to-day braces I think that especially when you're in the upper yard I think it's more it's more repetition and more like respect and more of things that like you you know like when something's happening and you prepare, whether it's a lockdown or a riot or, you know, who's getting boobbed and who's all going down with other races because we have like this, you know,

you have that respect of one another that let other races know that, hey, man, we're going to be handling something, you know? Just to give a heads up. You know, we got to take care of our trash. Or they give you the heads up if they're taking care of their trash or, you know, and that way, you know,

you know, I think it sort of just keeps everything's flowing, you know? Keeps thing flowing. What do you think about all those, you know, prison politics now? I think on this prison politics now that they can keep those prison politics in prison. I, you know, you follow these guidelines in a way of life like that, and I was so ingrained to me that that way of life was just that way of life. And I got out of it, you know.

I, you know, just like once, once, you know, when you get done, you got to let that lifestyle go to as well. And the one thing hard that it is to do is to be able to move away from that lifestyle, just take out the good and whatever good. You can get like the routines and maybe the workouts and, and, you know, and the repetition, and the brotherhood and the unity and all that stuff. Like you can take that and put it over here to this other side of life and make a very good positive, you know, you know, approach with it. you know, but all the politics, all that prison stuff. Like today, like, I'm in my, I'm in my 40s, you know,

and any bit of part of that stuff, man, like God bless, man. I love, I don't regret. I don't, I'm not, like, sore about it. I'm not like, I don't like, I'm like, oh, man, I've been to prison. I absolutely, like, I'm the man I am today because I done all that prison time. And I, and I was, you know, I was out there on the streets, you know, And I, you know, and it did all this stuff. But like, man, like to be, to be able to bring in that politics of all that stuff out here on the streets as a four-year-old man with the kids and trying to live, you know, like it doesn't mix, dude.

Like, you either live in that, to me, or you're living that side of the fence or you're living this side of the fence. And I love it on this side of the fence, you know. And I was stuck in that, I was stuck in that lifestyle. And I even took that, I took that style to the streets. I lived that political. I was, you know, politicking on the streets. the same prison politics and living all that stuff with all the whole board. And it was like, you know, it was good when it was good.

But it's not attractive to me no more as an adult, you know. Yeah, how do you go from like over a decade of doing this to one day flipping a switch and you're like, I'm not going to live that life anymore? I think that I just went down to the very bitter end of time and time. And like, you're, you know, I'm going from a level four yard. I went to a one yard. You know, like I go in there. I did this time.

And like, and you sort of just like, it's a cakewalk. And like, and I, and as much as I loved it at first. And it was like cool, you know, it was cool. But then I have like a daughter. And then I say, no, it's 10 years. And I haven't talked to my family. The main thing is, and here I am. Now, now, like, it's not even about me going in and out of prison.

Now it's like, man, now I just can't stop. I can't stop using and I, and I drink in. And I can't follow the instructions on, on the outside world. Like I'm, I'm paroling and I'm, you know, and now they got like, like, AB 10-109s.

Now you can do like 10 to 15 years in the county jail and all this stuff. And, man, and I'm, I'm doing violation after violation. And, um, and people like me after doing so much time, you, you get out and, and you, and, and, and I'm trying to live that double life and work and,

and, and, and do this. But I'm, I'm stuck at night doing the street life. And like, you know, the parole, the cops are just, they just, they're on you, man, out there, you know. I still got like a sore thumb, but I got tired, man. I get tired, man. You just, you get tired of that whole lifestyle.

And for me, it was, you know, I went on March 17 to 2013. I arrived, you know, from jail into a treatment center. Just before that, I was, you know, I was out for maybe about 40 days, you know. By this time, like I said, I was in prison and I was, you know, and I did that stuff with the speed and, you know, and the tobacco. But what happened is I stuck that needle on my arm. And it really just ignited something, you know, like as a disease of drugs went into me. Like I got out and I, and then I really just fed that dragon.

And I was sticking this needle in my arm. And I'm riddled with track marks. I'm doing heroin. I'm doing speed. And I'm just like a mess. I want to cut myself off from anything in the world. And I just want to live and isolated out there in the middle of the desert somewhere, you know, and just being my disease.

And on February 14th to 2013, man, I'm still living that street life. And I, you know, I'm getting shot out on the streets by this guy early in the morning. And I'm seeking revenge that night, man. And I get dropped off at this liquor store, man. And I know, how dare he, you know, shoot at me? And I'm just an off-duty officer sees me, you know. I stick out like a sword then I'm six-seven, you know. I'm thinking I'm trying to be incognito, you know.

So like now I have a super big old black trench coat. You know, like, you know, I'm six. I mean, I used to think the funny thing is I always think that I was incognito, like I'm trying to hide. I'm six, seven, man. There's no, there is no, you know, like laying low with me. Like, you know, I'm like it doesn't matter. Like in a car, like a, you know, it doesn't matter. And off duty officer sees me, man, going from the liquor store to my hideout.

And they followed me over there and arrest me one more time. And I go into jail. I know and like I had done the jail I done the jail show so many times man you know like it's it's a cake walk I don't I don't care like I said it's give me 24 hours here at the booking station man before I have to go in but if not it's all right you know and I go in there you know and I get booked in and I'm eating happy cars I'm drinking hand sanitizer I'm I'm just you know feeling that that you know because I go in there and I really feel like I am somebody you know you know like I I just done enough time to where like you know and they oh Garrett you're back you know it's bad when

they know you inside the jails, you know? And, um, and, uh, I didn't know I was done yet, man. But I know that when I sat there at the doorstep of a treatment center that a bus has brought me to on another parole violation, they said, uh, we're going to take you to this treatment center. And, um, I sat there and, uh, I remember sitting inside the county jail inside the transfer, a transfer dormant 800s in the county jail. and I'm sitting there in this room,

and I've been in this room, man, too many times, and I'm sitting there and deep down inside me, man, I just wanted something different, man. And I know maybe I prayed to God, maybe I dropped a tear, maybe I looked around me, and it was like the first time I really, maybe just saw what was around me. And I arrived at this treatment center on March 17, 2013, man,

and I made a decision for myself that would, that would change my life for the world, man. And I think it's just, I finally made a decision in my life. I think up to this point, like what has happened is that I, like the circumstances of my choices I made out there on the streets and for me, maybe, you know, picking up that drink or picking up that hit, you know, and leading me right back into prison because as soon as I pick up that drink and that hit and, you know, and going out there and living that life, I'm immediately, I'm immediately just, you know, just looking for, you know, my way right

back in, you know. And, man, I, you know, and it seemed like all those choices I was making when I got out, you know, like I had to start changing those choices. I went to this treatment center and, um, and, uh, instead of those choices, making a decision for what my future is as I walked in there and I made a decision for myself. And I walked in and said, I'm going to do this program. And I went into this program in 2013 and I haven't talked to my family in about 20 years. I've been in and out of jail for the past 50.

I've been, you know, my, I really don't have at this point of my life. I don't, I'm just, I'm just a fucking, I'm just a drug addict, you know, it doesn't matter about it done a lot of time. Like, I'm, I'm just, I'm, I'm a, I'm a drug addict, man. Full board drug addict, man. I might be somebody when I'm in the prison yard or, or something like that because, you know, I'm big and I, and I, you know, you've done enough time that I, you know, I can lead a group of guys into doing stuff.

But, but what I am at this moment, it is is that I have no other, I have no other, I have no other, options in my life and I and I just I go in there and I tell us later I'm going to do this program and I go into a drug treatment program and I and I learned a new way to live man you know for the past 10 years now that's that's been I threw myself in recovery and and I and I got away from my old area my old playmates old playgrounds and I and I and I and I just started working on me man I just started working and I know I I got me a small I started from scratch, dude. Very small.

I started from scratch as in, as in, you know, I stayed in the tree. I had nothing, dude. And even if I had a place to go, like, it wasn't much to go to. And I stayed at this treatment's facility, and I sort of just got me a small job. I learned all the stuff I really didn't learn in prison. That was, you know, like getting a bank account, you know, how to money management, how to, you know, how to show up and go to work on a daily basis, you know. And I started off, man, I got me a bike and I wrote, I went through a staffing agency and I started

riding that bike to work. I had so many traffic tickets and all this stuff. I had 168 traffic tickets. I lost probably about 80 cars into the charge and to the game out there, you know, because I was just out there just, you know, funneling cars, you know. I think I lost like four in a day. point, you know, didn't even care. Didn't even care.

Just whatever. Take the car, not me, right? Write me a ticket, right? And I go to these DUI classes, and I go to these caltrans, and I, and I have to go in front of the, I have to go and to the doctors and get a full on physical exam because of that I was, I was physically retarded because I swallow, you know, methamphetamine and the bags would bust open, and I, and I'd be sitting there trying to do the line test, you know, and like the hair. on my arms standing up and on my back of my neck and, you know, and I got these DOIs.

And I just started cleaning up everything, man. Very simple, you know, I just started cleaning up all this wreckage of my past, dude. And I got involved with Alcoholics Anonymous and into recovery. And for the next 10 years, I just really threw myself into recovery. And to this day, man, that's what my life is about. It's about being in recovery. It's about helping other people, you know, whether you're, that role model in jail helping the youngsters out and being a role model on the streets for the

youngsters and all that stuff man now i'm just a role i like to be a role model out there and the on the positive size of a guy that went through all that stuff man prison drugs you know streets all this stuff man it's good and i and i got to take all that good man and and got to be like over and overcome it man you know like still to be to be to be to be fit to be soundness of the mind to be you know to be able to walk through stuff that you never thought you'd be able to walk through man like to about this journey man like that that's what my life is about today, man. It's about living. I come in here today.

I was in New York and Times Square. Like for a guy like me that used to sit there in the cell, man. I just remember I watched, I remember watching the, I probably watched a ball drop on TV, you know, inside my cell in New York more times than ever in my life, man. I spent at least nine out of ten holidays inside there watching that ball drop on that TV on Channel 2 or 4 or 5 or, you know, or whatever it was, man. And today I got to sit there in Time Square, but, and look up and look around. around me and it fill the energy and get a picture, man.

Like, that's that's that right there, man. Like, that's enjoyment, dude. That's, I got more enjoyment out of that than I ever got doing any, any lick or, or beating somebody up or the rush of the streets, you know, still in the car and crashing a car lining on a fire, do whatever, man, all that stuff out there, kicking the door in or whatever, you know, just like, man, that today, man, that enjoyment of life, dude. You know, being a dad to my kids and showing up when I say,

I'm going to show up, man. I made those amends. I got back in touch with my dad. I got back in touch with my daughter. I, I, I, I, I, I re, you know, I, I reconnected with my mom on a different level, too, you know, and, you know, and my, my whole family, man. And I, and I really got to feel, man, like for a person out there, I was, I got really lost, man. I got really lost. And the farther I got, the more I wanted to separate myself from everything going on, you know, because I, you know, like, I think it's emotional, like, a little thing in it, and it's about that commitment.

Man, like I knew, I done so much, I started doing so much time that I knew I'd get out. I knew better to get attached or to, or to let anybody get close to me because I knew exactly what's going to happen. I either get my heartbreak because I'm going in jail. I'm going into jail here again, you know, like, so I knew to keep everything at a surface level and to not let anybody get attached to me and to love me or knew who I am because I'm going right back into the prison, you know? And today, man, I'm just, I'm just working through all that stuff, dude.

I'm just here to be a better person and to help anybody and everybody I can, man. The drug addiction. I mean, I always riddled, I've been riddled with track marks from my ankles up to my neck, turning the, turning the A&PM and the Chevron bathrooms into a prison cell, you know,

and doing my laundry in the sink and, you know, my boxers and my socks, you know, one, you know, two pairs, one on, you know, washing the other one type thing. And today, man, like, it's just like, it's the greatest thing to be able to come on shows and meet people like you, man, and be able to carry a message, man, to maybe I can help somebody, man.

Yeah, and I think it's even more powerful when you have a background of like a gang, of a high profile gang, because I think that affects more of like the younger people who are either in the gangs or want to get into them. If they could see someone like yourself renouncing that life, showing what he's overcome and what he's dealt with, and then coming out on the other side, I think that's more powerful than anything else. I think that road back then that I lived

is a very lonely, lonely road, man, going down that path. For any and a lot of the guys, maybe I speak for myself, but it's a very lonely, lonely road at the end of the day. And it starts up with a lot of brotherhood and a lot of unity and all this stuff, man. But everybody, we stay in that game, man.

We soon enough, man, we all get separated because we're all, you know, our time never gets shorter. It always gets more, you know? And then they say, you know you're the last one out there left, you know. And now you got choices. You can either stay out there and you can either stay out there and join your boys on that

side or you can come over this other side. I live on this other side, man, and dealing with all that stuff that you, that's why, you know, that's why, you know, because my childhood or I never had a chance or because I was, man, it's just all, man, like some of us just don't have that role model in our life to be able to go this other route, man. And today I decide to be a role model for other men out there, you know, that who were living not life to be,

and then there's a way, you know, there's a way through, growing up, I used to think that, man, I, like, that was born and,

I'm a, like, that was, I, I, I, I, I,

I, I, I didn't have no, no, like, you know, no, no, like,

you know, I want to, I want to be able to, the number one drug cook in the valley, you know what I'm saying? Or, you know, like, a, you know,

that's it, man, and, um, no, It's all about that hope. Can you walk away safely from a gang like the Peckermoods, like without repercussions?

Sure. Yeah. You need to start, yeah, it's not like a, you just, you start doing good. It's not, I think the unity in the brotherhood, the thing is is that because those guys out there on the street, there is guys out there on the street,

these Pecklewoods that are really living that good life. And I think that this is as much as you, just as much as those guys in there doing that life and living all that stuff, like when you get out there, the name of the game is to be living the right way. not the wrong way. Do you still associate with people from that past life?

Yeah, I still talk to a few guys, you know, the ones that are left. You know, a lot of a few of them, it seems like the past 10 years, a lot of them passed away, you know. Some of them want to stop living that lifestyle. And I've gone to many funerals just past a couple years since like COVID of guys that I truly, man, that was out there and I was running and gunning with. And they just didn't make it, man. it just didn't make it. Do you try to bring them on to the path you're on? A lot of those guys, man, they reach out to me

because I see the path I'm on. And I'm not here to preach to nobody. I don't want to hear a message, you know? And like I said, like anybody, anybody could have came to me when I was out there and when I was living in that game and stuff like that. And I, when I, you know, I was like one of those ones that say, not me.

You know, not me. Because I just wasn't ready for it, man. I wasn't ready to, I wasn't ready to, to take the action that you need to take in order to get a better, you know, a better way of life. I wasn't able to lay down everything that I thought I'd known about life. I was still stuck, you know, holding on to that pride and stuff of what I had and everything that I thought, that thinking that what I know and what I have is working, you know when it really wasn't.

Do you think you'll ever sit down, let's say, your daughter one day and share your story with her? My daughter, I have said. I definitely, when I got back, I reintegrated my life. didn't get back in my daughter's life until she was like nine years old and um and she's one of my best friends today and she lives a good life and i'm gonna tell you like i i i got i got like my my daughter my dad my daughter um i didn't meet i really didn't meet my daughter like i i you know like i i was in my prison in and out prison like i see her but i don't think she knew me as like she knew me as a dad but like i i be there I'd maybe see her

I'd be out for 30 days and see her two times you know I'd be out for the longest I was ever out in that stretch was like five months and that to me that was a long time like it was like it was amazing right and I was just on the coattails you know and

and uh I barely ever saw her man and I and the things that when I did see her I was taking her out doing the things I was doing that no dad she'd be taking his daughter out you know I was out there on the streets and I've taken around in the stolen car selling drugs you know because that's that's how i you know thinking that i was being

a dad and stuff like that and uh at nine years old when i when i got back into her life you know um like um the one thing i had to do is i just had to be accountable in her life and uh and i know because words are just words with no action behind them and uh and so when uh i had to show up on a consistent basis. And after time of doing that, of being consistent in her life, you know, the trust came back. And then since I was living this new life and, you know, and I go to meetings and I live a life in recovery. And that's pretty much like when you don't know nothing else, I had, I jumped in this life

of recovery and I just brought her in to do that stuff with me. And so she knows my story. Yeah, I never, I never was, I never was wanting to, um, to not be transparent with my daughter because I bother her know and be hurt than, uh, to find out and be hurt, you know, well, she's my best friend today. She goes to college. She, uh, she's, I, I, man, I love my daughter, man. Just great.

I look at her, man, and it's bringing, brings so much joy in my heart, man. You know, just a little call or text from her on a, on a weekly. basis, man, this is like, it's a world to, you know, world to a dad, you know. Do you have a relationship with her mother? Her mom, no, I, I, I, I, I, no, I don't have no relationship with her mom. My mom moved away and, and I don't really talk to her at all, brief, maybe once in five years or something like that. Maybe once in about three years, I've been to talk to her, but, uh, but, uh, once my daughter turned 18, um, I really didn't have no like she once i came in i got involved in my daughter's life like it was uh

like maybe she just knew you know something was different about me you know how do you make peace with the past um i speak about it like this and the more i could speak about that past that all the stuff that has happened and all the stuff i went through the more it releases the power in me to control me like if i if i'm using my story and everything that happened or you know prison and growing up and and the streets and all this stuff. If I'm able to talk it and talk it and talk about it, man, it just releases power from me, man. And because it's nothing I could do about it, man,

but turning into something positive, you know, and that's all I like to do. Now, you own your own business too. I got small business, construction, you know, doing stuff like that and hoping to get my feet started and doing a lot more of, you know, of treatment center, and mindset recovery out there in Van Nuys, California in California.

you know, I do got me a little general repair and maintenance business. I work a job, you know, I'm trying to get in. I got a book in the works coming out here shortly. I'll give it to you on your show so you can promote it, you know. Yeah, we'll add the link to the description when it does come out that I can re-added in. And then, you know, maybe getting into that coaching world and stuff like that. I like that stuff, you know, being fit and being your head right. and being in the, you know, you know, working out,

you know, prison, you know, yard routines, you know, I got the, I got the, you know, that's what I got at my house is, I was like, you know, I sort of just, you know, why I stop working out now? Why stop working out now? No, you're a guy that has no business background before prison. Has it been difficult to learn the business world after prison and with felonies and all of that?

I'm going to tell you, it is very, I, there's not a day that goes by that everything about business and work, and I'm going to tell you to, to, the feeling is very, very overwhelming and stressful and stuff like that. And to be able to learn,

it's just another aspect of life that you can either not do it or you can. And I'd rather be uncomfortable and take the losses of learning it, then being stuck thinking about, damn, I should have done that. And I'm going to tell you, man, yeah, it's hard. It's very hard and strenuous.

And it's not physically hard. In any aspect, dude, like, it's not physically hard at all. But I'm going to tell you when I only got a, I got a ninth grade education, right? And the only thing I know about business is from selling drugs or from selling guns or something like that. Like it's like it's a whole, like the laws and like, and insurances and like it is, it is, is, is. Like it is a constant ebb of like I, like those days when I think, yeah, you know what, man? I got it down, dude, right?

And I'm going to tell you, I'm far from it. But the thing is, is that I have enough courage and I have enough strength to be able to keep on pursuing it. And I got guys in my life that I, what it is is nowadays, man, I just hang out with guys who do business and I'm sitting and I'm sitting with them, man. And I'm going to tell you that's, that's the goal in life, man. is you got to sit with the people who are doing it, man. Like, if the guys that are coaching and the guys that are, but better, like, I, I'm with those guys.

The guys that have, have businesses and businesses are flowing, like we're friends, you know, and we all, you know, and I get in with those guys and man, and they, and the thing is, is they tell me, man, like, you know, they just, and we, you know, you know, business flows, you know. Yeah. It's hard to learn, bro. I'm going to tell you, business is not a, it's not a,

it's a thing that it never stops, you never stop. about business. It's mentally draining. It's, dude, it's, it's, the,

the, it's, the, the, the, and the, and the meditation or right on my

motorcycle or surfing. Like, it's, like, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's,

it's like, you're out there because at those times, like, your, your phone, just nonstop, like, business meetings and,

and, and people, meetings of people, like, it, the ebs and flows of that stuff, it's strenuous and very hard, and very, and that's a lot on you,

I love, man, I just love, man. I just, I love like being, like going and catching the sunset, man. And I love catching the sunset because it seems like for that, you know, five minutes as that sun goes down behind a mountain, behind the ocean, behind wherever I'm at, dude, like I can put everything in my life aside, dude. And it feels like I get recharged in it because sometimes you got to, I got a, I got to step away from it, man. And just like, and just sort of just like, and just be.

man because you can get sometimes and they have that saying about being in the box and then standing outside the box like I can be in that box trying to control everything and sometimes I need to step out man because it's stressed I can't put it in the words how how like it's

the thing is it's it's it's it's uncomfortable bro and I and a guy like me I'd like to stay uncomfortable because I like to stay learning and so I like to this I like to keep on like in those uncomfortable conditions and like you know like oh my God, should I do this or should I do that or do this?

And man, it's, it's, yeah. Yeah, I got to get better at stepping away and just like taking those days where you're just like, that's it. Like, I'll go on my, like, I ride my motorcycle with my friends and I literally just have to, it's, it's, it's, they talk about that. Like, just really being able to, um, to step away from it, man. And as hard as it is, it's how much it's needed, you know? And, you know, watching the sunset, man, setting everything aside and spending that hour with my son, working out for the next, you know, you know, 20 minutes or something like that

and just sort of just like separating yourself for it, you know. The thing is, is I got to keep myself busier than my head. And, you know, and that's still to this day. I just got to stay busier. I got to stay busier than my head, man. my head still be rolling, man. It's still be going there, you know. Absolutely.

Well, Garrett, thank you so much, man. Dude, thank you for having me. Coming out here. It's a pleasure to meet you in person. I've known of you for a few months now since whenever you came on Johnny's episode. Nice, dude. And it's a pleasure, man. You're even better in person.

I appreciate it. Appreciate it. Thank you so much. Yeah, definitely keep in touch. You know, if you need anything, let me know. I will. And as soon as the book comes out, let me know. I will.

100%. Thank you.