Locked In with Ian Bick - Inside the Tragic Robbery That Sent Me to Florida’s Most Dangerous Prison for 15 Years | Mo

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

Mo shares the shocking story of a robbery gone wrong that led to a 15-year sentence in one of Florida’s most dangerous prisons. He reveals the events that led to the crime, the harsh reality of surviving behind bars, and the lessons learned from years of incarceration. This is a powerful story of crime, consequences, and redemption. #PrisonStory #CrimeAndPunishment #TrueCrime #SurvivingPrison #FloridaPrison #Redemption #LifeBehindBars #RealStories Thank you to THE PERFECT JEAN & NORDVPN for sponsoring today’s episode: The Perfect Jean:  F*%k your khakis and get The Perfect Jean 15% off with the code LOCKEDIN15 at https://theperfectjean.nyc/lockedin15 #theperfectjeanpod NordVPN: To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to https://nordvpn.com/ianbick which will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! Connect with Mo: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real_monelsonspeaks?igsh=aTViOG5rYXJldTcw Website: https://monelsonspeaks.com TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@monelsonspeaks YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrevailAgainstSelfSabotage 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://convictclothing.net/collections/convict-clothing-x-ian-bick Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome & Introduction from Florida 00:04:51 Aaron Rodgers' Unexpected Injury and Future Uncertainty 00:10:30 Discovering the Perfect Pair of Jeans 00:15:51 Discovering Confidence and Magnetism 00:20:55 Discovering the Power of Public Speaking in Prison 00:26:06 From a Juvenile Mistake to a Life Altering Crime 00:31:26 The Influence of Peers on Decision Making 00:36:41 A Harrowing Night: Innocence Lost and Regret 00:42:17 Undercover Sting and Codefendant's Betrayal 00:47:20 Reflections on a Teenage Crime 00:52:41 Facing a 15-Year Prison Sentence: The Impact and Reflection 00:58:23 Life Sentences and Prison Culture 01:04:00 Learning Personal Development in Prison 01:09:29 Navigating Difficult Choices: A Moment of Reflection 01:14:34 Apology and Remorse: Owning Up to Mistakes 01:19:55 Empowerment and Personal Growth Through Coaching 01:25:23 Overcoming Self-Sabotage for Success 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

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and enjoy 15% off with Code Summer 15, even if you've shopped with us before. Mo, welcome to Lockton, man, straight from Florida. from the warm to the cold. Most definitely, man. Most definitely. Appreciate you for having me, yeah. Yeah, thanks for coming. And shout out to Sean Gunby

for connecting us and making this happen today. Yeah, most definitely, man. Yeah, big ups to Sean. Podcast was so great gentleman, great guy. He spoke very highly of you. And I ain't gonna lie. Initially, when he told me your name

and I looked at you, I'm like, you guys are freaking nerd. But not, man. He just, you know, he just spoke highly of you. And I'm like, all right. I love to be on his platform. I did my own homework and I see the guess you had some of the stories, you know, how poignant it is and doing you doing your thing, man. I appreciate you for having, man.

No, of course, man. You just didn't realize. Yeah, you just didn't realize I went to prison. Yeah, I didn't know that. Yeah, I won some brownie points. Yeah, I can relate to the whole people who put you in this category as like a, you know, a chowmold being there for something weird because of the glasses and, you know, the exterior butt. That's just a confirmation that you can never judge a bugabody's man the exterior it means nothing yeah i tell people i was a shot caller now i ran the yard you know

i was checking paperwork yeah yeah so did you grow up in florida born a raise man tampa florida oh my buccaneers go bucks man yeah i became a bucks fan when uh tom brady went there oh yeah oh yeah and then i stopped becoming a bucks fan what he loved oh man i can honestly say this man that um Brady, I don't say I own him because I don't own nothing, but I am definitely grateful for the exposure he brought to the city of Tampa because a lot of people, when you think of Florida, off rip, you think of Miami, Orlando, because it are a more branded tourist destinations in Florida.

But Tampa is a gym, and Tampa has a lot to offer. We have a fortified economy. We have tourist areas, bush gardens, adventure island. Mosley Museum, Ebor City, High Park, you know, very historical city. And we have a lot to offer. You know, we got sporting teams, winning franchise. We got two Super Bowl rings. And Tom Brady just, you know, gave that exposure and just educated people on the city of Tampa.

And I'm just grateful. So forever, man, I definitely be appreciative of Tom Brady. Not for what, not for him just winning a ring, which that was a bonus, but just, you know, bringing that brand, bringing the people from New England down. you know, to Tampa and just getting a glimpse and seeing hey, it ain't just Miami and Orlando. Tampa, Tampa got something to office, so definitely grateful for that.

Yeah, say what you want about them, but, you know, that's legendary to leave a team, come to this first team and win a Super Bowl the first season. He should have retired right there. Yeah, it should have been over. His legacy was already cemented, but that would have just like mic drop, bam. You know what I'm saying? There's nothing else to do.

And then it's funny. Raffaunner is so hilarious that they try to, they try to like pave this same roadmap for Aaron Rogers, bro. It's like, Aaron Rogers, yeah, you're all Hall of Famer. You're amazing, bro.

One of the best talents ever to throw the football, but you're not Brady. You're not that caliber, bro. See, what makes Brady so great, it's like the mindset, the work ethic, the intangibles, not the most talented guy. It's definitely not athletic,

but the IQ on the field and the mindset, like, you know, intestinal fortitude, they say, he has that intestinal fortitude that he's like, you know what, I may not be as talented as you. Man, I'd be as fast, may not be as strong, but I'm going to outwork you. Because, you know, working hard is boring. Nobody wants to put in the extra effort. Yeah. Nobody wants to do it's born.

I want to get to the fun stuff. But when you work diligently, when you can sustain through the boredom, that's what counts. You know, like, I don't know, do you work out? Are you in the gym? All right, so in the gym, it's days I don't feel like working out. But like I tell people, those are days that count the most because it's easy to work out when you're motivated. Of course.

Yeah, yeah, you motivate you feel good because you've seen somebody on Instagram you comparing yourself like, ah, that guy's abs look nice. Chess is bulging out. I want my mind like that. All right, so for a day or two, for a week you're motivated. Yeah, I'm going to go to the gym, eating all the protein you can eat you think wrong was building today. No, it takes time.

It takes months. People that you see that you compare yourself with, it took months, years to get to that level. And you think you're going to get in a couple days. But then when you don't see results, as you're anticipating in two, three days, ah, it's not working. It's like, bro, you got to have that grit.

You got to work it out, bro. You got to push through even the days you don't want to, even when it's pain. You get what I'm saying? So, yeah, man. Yeah, I mean, but Aaron Rod, He made a history too because he got hurt the first 30 seconds in the cave on a new team That was crazy, bro. It's like yeah, man, I just don't. It's like that look at a draw, bro. I mean, and it's like now he's leaving it like up in the air like mystifying. He's going to return and that

But I just me personally, I don't see anybody bringing Aaron Rogers and I don't see where is a good fit for him. Maybe Cleveland because of the defense, you know, Miles Garrett and stuff like that. that, but I just don't know, but I don't, I think Father Tom unfortunately called up to him. And who am I? I mean, I'm nobody. I'm not, you know, just, but I think Father of Tom caught up to him. And Tom Brady was the exception of the rule. He was the outlier. Everybody's not going to be Brady. And plus, if we look back in retrospect, Tom Brady never had any, like, significant injuries. And Rogers has. So there is a distinguishing factor there. but yeah. Who'd you grow up with?

Were you raised by? No. Well, like your family and siblings. Yeah. I can honestly say no one. I didn't have that consistent male figure in my life that, you know, show me things and that I can look to and say,

hey, I want to be like you. Now, I did have, I do have an uncle. He taught me some things. things. It was things I liked about my uncle, but I didn't see him enough to where it's like I wanted to be like him. But when he did come around,

I definitely was a happy. He put me on certain hip-hop type of music and stuff like that. You know, talking to my colors, but I mean, honestly, the greatest example I have as a role model, you know, prior to going to prison,

I want to say my mom, bro. she worked hard, she bust the ass. You know, I witnessed my mom worked three jobs just to make ends meet. Not even ends meet to full we can have more because for 13 years I was the only child. So my mom, she always said to herself and to me that she doesn't want me to grow up

how she grew up. She grew up in the project of Cincinnati, Ohio, sibling to five. And they were unfortunate for a prolonged period of adolescence. And she said, you know, I'm not going to have that for my son. I'm going to give to some, the world within my reach. You know, she did just that.

I was a very spoiled kid growing up. I can't lie. I don't, I never experience starvation or being hungry. You know, there's always something to eat now. That's not to say my mom cooked every day sometime. I ain't eat a bowl of cereal. I had to eat a peanut butter jelly for dinner. But usually I was discretionary.

I had no problem. I mean, a kid eating the PV, J. Fidna, Serio, Lucky Charles, Captain Cranks. Living life, man. Yeah, living life, bro. But, yeah, I had a great child. My mom was an exemplary of hard work, very intelligent. She always, you know, fostered me into pronunciating and unctuating my words correctly. Because growing up, I used to like talking a lot of slang.

From when I seen from my peers and on TV, you know, Urban America. That's how I grew up. But my mom, she just was urban, but yet educated and different and edified me to do the same. So it's funny because when I went to prison, people used to always say, he talked so proper, Mo, why are you so proper? I'm like, you think I'm proper? And I'm like, nah, bro, just, I don't know my mom. She just encouraged me to read and she's educated myself.

And I don't know, brother, just. it is what it is but yeah but it's sad i didn't have my first person i actually looked up to mentor so to say until i got to prison man 18 years old i met in a phenomenal gentleman by the name o's iris a guy out of miami florida um had a life sentence at the time he was like on his like 23rd year of his bid and a very intelligent eloquent speech speaker, great perspective, just a man, a great stature, you know, a man's man, but not in the aggressive, I'll beat your ass type shit. No, it's like, no, he wasn't solid. He definitely wasn't a pushover, but that wasn't his persona. His persona was, you know, somebody that's

control of self and, you know, has knowledge of self and, you know, very, you know, conscious and aware of who he is as an individual and his surroundings and his environment and just knowing how to get the best out of people. And, you know, he helped bring the best out of me from educating me from, you know, religion, politics, science, what it is to be a man of African descent, born and raised in this country. Just a lot of different things, man, just gave me a lot of perspective. And that shifted my perception. And I actually, you know, because of him, he's a primary factor of me coming out of prison

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Did you know where your real dad was, your biological dad? Oh yeah, yeah, not for sure. He actually passed like two years ago from cancer. But yeah, I didn't actually build a rapport, an official rapport of my dad, quote-unquote. I was about 13 years old. I remember one day I was in middle school. And the principal called me on the intercom. Now, and me, I'm like, man, what I did?

I had a good day to day because usually I'm disruptive, you know, in and out of detention, I said stuff like that. But I'm like, man, today I was good. What y'all called me for today? So it was like, you know, Morgan Nelson, please report. the student affairs. I'm like, oh, man, getting blamed for something I ain't even do because I was just that. I wasn't bad,

but I wasn't good. I was just, you know, class clown, very disruptive, wanted to be entertaining, you know, stuff like that. But they called me, I went down there, and I walked into the AP's office and I see a guy with a congruent faces me, and it was like shocking. I'm like,

whoa. And you're like, how you doing, son? I'm puzzled. I'm, you know, lost for words, taking back. I can't even say nothing. And it's kind of crazy, man, because it's funny how emotions were because for years I had such a disdain and animosity for my dad for his negligence. But when I seen him, I just broke down, man, and tears can't have my eyes. And I can't, it's like I can't convey, but I was happy, bro. I just wanted a dab, bro.

I just, you know, having that counsel or having somebody who favors you, it looks just like you giving you worldly advice and wisdom on how to navigate life to be loved from a masculine perspective. You know, I got plenty of that from a feminine from a mom, but not as much from a masculine perspective. So to have a glimpse of that and at least have an opportunity of somewhere to have a have a relationship with my dad was very, very, very groundbreaking for me. And I appreciate it. But even that, he wasn't what I anticipated, what I really wanted a day. He was more like my homeboy, my friend. And I accepted and it was cool. I mean, at least I got to build a rapport

with my dad. Some people never got to meet, met the dad. So definitely grateful for the opportunity. But yeah, I mean, it is what it is. Before you met him, what did your mom tell you about him? Um, my mom said that, you know, it's crazy, man, what I appreciate about my mom, she never really, like, tried to throw his name in the mud. It was never too many things to say. She just was saying that, you know, my dad was in the military, always busy, was selfish, you know, a narcissist. But when it was the, well, not together because they were never together in a relationship. I was a fleeing baby. He was just two attracted

of people found a liking to each other had sex and voila You know what I mean The kid here But she didn't have too many Bad things to say about him She was very intelligent

He was an all-star in basketball Profound athlete And you know Stuff like that But that was a cool guy man He said he was very I don't think I'm cocky But my dad was very cocky

I'm very confident You know It's a difference. But my dad was very cocky. You know, hell, this chest real high. Six-four, six-five. You know, dark-skinned like me, handsome guy. Very, uh, he had a, and that's why I think I developed this trait from.

He had a very magnetic personality. You know, his presence would enable you to gravitate towards him. Nice cat, nice guy. You didn't feel threatened in his vicinity. And, um, it was, he was, he was, he was, It was alright, cat. He was all right. You know?

But anybody perfect? No. I wish he was a better dad. But as an individual, he was a great man. What were your dreams and goals as a kid for when you got older? Well, one point of time, man. Fun fact is that I actually aspired to be a dentist one point of time my life. I just, I had this thing about teeth.

I felt like teeth were very important. Teeth says a lot about the individual. It gives you that look. And, you know, when you're appearing, especially in regards to teeth, people will trust you more. And, you know, growing up my mom didn't have the best health when it came to her teeth. And I always wanted, like, to create an avenue to help her. And then I just heard, you know, how lucrative the industry was, like, what, the top five-pin industry in the country. And I was like, hey, but then when I have to, you know, how lucrative the industry was, like, hey, but then when I

found out how much schooling it takes it took and um you know the diligence you got to put in i'm like you know what let's pivot on that but uh that and then i had basketball aspirations you know urban kid in america who doesn't have some type of basketball or football baseball aspirations um but you know when i got incarcerated at the window you know reality set in it's like hey bro you're not going at NBA you know you can do how many crossovers you want in the jailhouse and B. A.I. LaBronjay, but not that until you're not going. So reality setting, I had to accept that, you know, but you're a fitness and playing basketball. You know, it's interesting about the teeth thing. It's always funny when you meet, like, people that brag about how much money

they have and then you look at their teeth and it's messed up. Bro, I'm glad. There's so many billionaires. Yeah, what do you know what that have messed up to you? Bro, I think that should be like when you, when you, when you incident, the threshold of you know experiencing a certain caliber of money if you don't have nice teeth

I think that should be one of the first investments bro like I say people I've been in places and I'm talking about it I look like a straight bum bro I know I was looking raggedy as hell and I approach people with the offer and people subscribe to it and I was just curious

because I know I wasn't you know my presentation wasn't wasn't proper as I would have liked it as I usually approach somebody when I'm making them an offer and I just asked him I was like, what made you trust me? Because I'm looking like a bum

and, you know, first impression is the best impression. And it's like, you know, I'm more honestly, man, it's your teeth. I say, I know you can't be broke. You can't be serious. You got to be somebody because you got nice, healthy-looking teeth. And I took a liking to it.

I'm like, you know what, man? Teeth are very important. Their parents, man. Goes a long way. It goes a lot about the individual. And even me, when I meet people that, you know, has very wealthy financially,

or even financially, it's like, like you said with the teeth, it's like, bro, ew. Like, you look at your teeth, bro. I mean, it's crazy. But, yeah, and then teeth also exhibit leadership. Just like public speaking,

now something, And, you know, I learned and enveloped while in prison. Are you familiar with Toastmasters? Yeah, of course. Yeah, I was a Toastmaster, but I was a Advanced Communicator Silver. I got to go for my gold.

I'm coming for that gold. I'm coming for that gold. I'm coming. But yeah, while I was in prison, I took advantage of that. But in prison, it was called the Gavill Club because Toastmaster, it's a playing club you have to pay.

But due to the fact it was in prison, we had no way of paying. So they waived it. But they branched it off into the gavel club. but we were, you know, sponsored and taken care of and used the same resources as toastmasters. So I took advantage of that. But it's funny how that story went because when I first got introduced to toastmasters by one of my peers in prison, immediately I'm thinking of breakfast, bro.

I thought about like a piece of toast and the egg and some oranges. Like, toasts or what are they going to teach me how to make and eat toast? What is that? And it's like, no, man, I think you like you like, you already talk a lot, bro. Like, just give it a shot. And I'm like, kind of looked at him. They talk a lot, like you don't insult, but, you know, it's like a little, small inside joke.

But I was like, you know what? I'm a man that likes to try things new. Let's see. Can't hurt it. Give it an experience, right? Give it a try. And I gave it a try, man. And when I seen the environment, I'm like, wow.

I seen inmates that I knew in the compound that I didn't know that they was involved in something like this. I'm thinking, you know, like, hey, bro, you're doing it here, bro? And it was like, what? about 15, 16 guys in there and it just had so much structure, you know, so much organization. And it was time for me to do my icebreaker

and introduce myself. And I, bro, I nut it up. Bro, I couldn't even say my name, bro. I forgot my name. I forgot where I was from and everything. I could. Like, you know, Icebreaker tell you this name. Where are you from?

Some interesting, interesting, fun facts about yourself. It was cringies. And I remember that experience, that feeling. I was like, bro, I never want to feel like this again because I felt defeated. And I was like, oh, hell, no. I'm a type of dude, man, like, bro, I can't, I can't be defeated. You know, I embrace the challenge. I understand challenges are a part of life.

It's an opportunity for us to build character and grow and be the best versions of ourselves. So I was like, you know what? I'm going to be the best version of myself. I'm going to be the best in this club. Because I know I've seen some, they, I've seen people snickering like, Like, you know what I mean? Because, you know, but I'm like, you know, you laugh? Fix a game?

All right, bet. Bro, in like four months, bro, I was the best. I was the number one speaker in the club, bro. And it's not for my, you know, from my own personal, you know, self-biased. My peers said it. Our sponsor said it. We had a little competition where different compounds in the area will compete on who's the best speaker, who had the best order skills and articulation and stuff like that.

Guess who won number one? Yeah. Yeah, boy. You know what I'm saying? So that just gave me confirmation. I was like, you know what? I have a gift with speaking. And all I said, I already talked a lot in like I explained it, like I alluded to with my dad, having that magnetic personality.

I felt like it worked hand in hand and correlated, complimented each other. And I love it, bro. I love the art of speaking. It's like, it's like for me being an entertainer, being a rapper on stage. but not busting lyrics, but, you know, busting perspective and wisdom and instruction, but in like an eloquent, persuasive, wanting to embrace way, you know, because it, you know, it comes with, you know, facial expressions, body language, certain posture, confidence, pauses, without fillers, stuff like that.

All that, you know, compiles into the art of public speaking. And this is what I learned. Toastmasters. And big ups, anybody, if you want to polish your skills as an order, public speaker, a leader, man. I definitely advise you to get into a toastmaster, man. It works. It's proven.

It's helped me become the person I am today. So, but yeah, it was amazing, bro. I love speaking, man. I can talk all day. It's where you got me here, right? Talk. You know what I'm saying? But yeah, I love it, man.

I love everything about, you know, public speaking, the art of it. It's amazing. Let me tell you something. I never go online with. without NordVPN anymore. Seriously, whether I'm traveling, watching sports, or just scrolling at a coffee shop, I know my data is safe, secure, and private.

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Now, let's get back into today's episode. How old were you when you turned down the criminal path? And why do you think you got set on that path? All right. Well, in criminal path, I'm a criminal? I mean, we've all made criminal decisions, you know? All right, so. And we're talking in time.

It's not like we're talking about you down. Yeah, yeah, no, I'm just joking. I'm just pulling your leg. Bro, Ian, I'm going to keep it. I'm going to keep it 100, bro. I'm going to keep it above, man. I was the dude, bro, that jumped straight off the porch into the back of the police car.

And I ain't ashamed to admit it, bro. Prior to that, I had one juvenile charge. Why, ironically, I tried to say, a police bike, bro. It was so crazy too, bro. Like, that was our thing growing up stealing bikes, you know, chopping them up, customizing its own liking and stuff like that. That was the furthest thing I did

in regards to criminal activity prior to what I went to prison for. But one day, bro, who was going to the rec center? I didn't have a bike at the time because somebody stole my bike. Karma something, right? So I was like, my homeboy was like, man, let's go to the gym, you know, play some basketball. Like, Brian, I know nobody was like, man, you already

know the deal, bro. I'm put you on the end of balls you're going to ride there but on our way back we're going to get us one for sure for so so so so we did just that play ball had a good day at the rec center I seen a bike bro a nice kennedale bike and at the time I was so oblivious Canada that's the brand that police use in my city that's the Canada bike they're very expensive bikes like 3,000 or 4,000 dollars bikes so I didn't realize like how can somebody just be so like stupid to just leave a nice bike like this unlocked.

And when I got it in, I noticed like the brakes was like squeaked on the tire so you couldn't really go like you couldn't really like you had like some like resistance there. I'm like man bro what's up with this bike?

And I hop on it bro and I never forget bro, Chevy Lumina pulled it up, tinted up jumped out bro. The scrawny white guy bro but had big balls you know vest up

badge. He gets me bro. He puts me, slam me on the freaking hood. the hood's burning my neck. I'm like, bro, this car is like, shut up, I don't care. I'm like, bro, what do I do? Like, remember, you're a thief.

You're stealing. I'm like, steal it. What, that's my bike? No, it's not. It's mine. I put it there to set up. I'm like, oh, man. I was like, nah, man, what happened?

I was just going to just, I was testing. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, we know. And I'm like, I'm stuttering trying to lie. And like, in the blink of an eye, bro, like my life lasts before me. Like, I thought, like, I don't know, I just thought my life was going to be altered forever. like, I'm like, bro, all this over a bike, though.

Bro, I literally got like slammed and like pushed to like the hot ass hood of the car, bro. And I'm like, man, this is crazy in my home. What are you looking at you? Like, don't you say, call my mom, bro. Like, do something? But yeah, that was my very first charge. And I just had some little community hours, little kiddie probation, but nothing big. But it was crazy because.

subsequently, like three months subsequently, I catch a charge, man. I cast a charge. I went to prison for it. And it's like, wow. Like I literally, bro, just like, literally from off the porch into the police call. And it's like, how?

How old are you? I was 16 years old. And what happened? What happened was, man, I was an idiot. I felt, I don't want to use the word, victim, but I fell weak to peer pressure. I didn't have the fortitude and the balls to say no. But I allowed my friend at the time

convinced me to participate in the robbery, right? And this friend gave you a little backstory about him. I kind of looked up to him a little bit because he was a year older than me and, you know, he just had what we call motion. You know, what we called motion today, he had motion. He had way more money than me. It was like equivalent on the dress tip, but he just had a little more,

always had Jays, had the jury, no swagged up dude. And girls gravitated towards him. And I just liked the clout he had because when we go to school, he was able to buy the girls' boxes of pizza and I whipped them flat. I watched him like pull out like three grand

in high school. To high school, three grand, that's a lot of money, bro. I mean, the most money I seen at that time was no more than $300. And I got that saving up, working at Bush Gardens. You know what I mean? So,

you know, I asked him like, yo, bro, what's up, how are you getting all this money? Like, well, you know what I do?

You know, I boomed my reef. He was selling reef for marijuana and, you know, committing robberies. And he said, bro,

you should, you should, you should tag along with me, bro, I show you the roads. I saw you how I get down and, you know what I mean? Elevate you a little bit. So initially,

I'm like, man, nah, that ain't for me. That ain't my swag, bro. I'm more of the, get the girl, school guy, class clown, cooling, you know,

but, you know, after being around them, and that's why, you know, it's cliche, man. I know everybody says it, but it's very paramount and very true, you know, birds of a feather flock together, man. You are the sum of five. You are the sum of the five people you hang around. If you hang around five robbers, guess where you're going to be the sixth robber? If you hang around five entrepreneurs, guess where?

They're going to be the six entrepreneur. Hang around five nerds. Guess what? Even if you, a street cat, eventually you're going to transition to a nerd. So by being around them, for a long period of time, after saying no, I just gave in. The Florida State Fair was coming around. It was like, man, you know, I just want more. Jay's was coming out, wanting more clothes.

You know, because I'm going to say my mom definitely spoil me, but sometimes it was like my mom didn't, didn't have it at that time to get what I wanted. And I seen him and other people were in the school always like bragging about how I'm gonna buy my clothes, bro, by my own. And he used to make me feel like small,

like less than because my mom bought me clothes, but isn't that it was supposed to happen? I'm 16. I'm a had a lesson. I still live under the roof of my mom. But everybody wasn't as fortunate as me, so they had to go through desperate measures to get, you know, material gain.

And as a man, I understand that now. But, yeah, with my co-defendant, that's what it was. And eventually I just gave in due to the circumstance. And, you know, we went to pull the robbery, me and three others that I hung around that we were all close. And that night, Ian, man, was something that I'll never forget, man. It was just so daunting. It gives me the chills even just going down memory lane.

But this is what we're here for. We locked in. We want to give the people perspective. on reality of decision-making and, you know, the rawness of life and how one decision can alter your life forever. And that was the case with me. So we went on to, you familiar with USF,

University of South Florida? Yeah. Yeah. Prominent college in Tampa. We went on the campus. Now you're like, why in the fuck would you go? I mean, like, that's how stupid we were. Like, kids, naive.

Why would you go on a college campus? with a community that has nothing. College kids are fucking broken shit. Like, what are we doing going to college campus? But, blind leading the blind, naive, dumb, young, idiots. So we're going to college campus. We pull in a middle we see a lady. Because of a kid and say, like, boy, let's go.

Let's do her. And I don't know why it's like a robbery, but I just had this like soft spot like, man, nah, let the lady go. Now let somebody else. It's like, hi. So we, you know, circled, scoped out the scene.

And eventually we got out. Got out the car. And it was cold. It's actually February. It's February 8th, to be exact. Freezing. You won't think, because it's Tampa, it's Florida. But Tampa does get cold.

So it was like 40 degrees, bro. Freezing cold. We got out of the car. You know, I'm warming my hands up, stuff like that. And we're walking for about, Five minutes across the campus. We see a guy. The guy walks past us.

And what's so chilling is that the guy even spoke to us. I remember his voice. He said, uh, good evening, say, it's pretty cold out here, huh? Like, hey, I feel like I want to jump in the microwave. And I'm like, yeah, he definitely feel you on that. And we walked past him. Coeurnefeeling gave me the nudge.

Like, hmm? Yeah. I just spoke to. He was pretty nice, man. Like, all right. So, and for a long time, I had to forgive myself because I felt like had I not done what I did, I probably wouldn't give him the momentum to do what he did.

But I sucked it up, and I was like, okay. So I ran behind him, and I hit him in the back of the neck. And I remember his glasses falling. You know, I remember that noise. And you're like, oh, what the? And it's so sad, bro. It's like kind of emotional, man, because I don't know if you ever did it, man. But you ever committed some type of betrayal to somebody in?

Like, be honest, bro. Yeah, I would say so. I think we all go through that. All go through that. And it's like, even though I didn't know this guy from a can of paint, the way he looked at me was like a sign of betrayal. Like, we just gave a great greet. And you just hit me for no reason.

And I'm like, wow. And I was just stuck. But by the time, it all happened so fast, you know, my co-defendant pulls out a gun. And he says, you got the count of three to give it up. You know what time it is. And for those who don't know, you got a count of three to show us anything of value

or he was going to shoot him. And the guy has his hands out. He said Well, gentlemen, you're just going to have to shoot me. I have nothing. I don't got nothing. And my co-defendant,

he counted the one, two, and the three was a bang. Shot him. Cold right there on the concrete. I got so stuck, so nervous, forgot where I was at

what we were doing that I screamed my co-defendant name out. I'm like, what the fuck? And I remember this guy crying in agony being shot with a WCC holotip bullet. An innocent man gets killed on his way home because he had nothing. And that right there, bro, did something to me. Mess me up, bro.

I don't even really get that deep into the story like that. The first one, first pocket I really got this deep into it because it gets real emotional. It took a long time for me to forgive myself for being involved and something like that. But we ran.

I was like, bro, I felt like Forrest Gump. I was running and running and trying to find that car. And we got in the car, me and my other co-defendant and we're telling the drive like, bro, go, leave.

Like so-and-so was crazy. Mof-fucking nuts. Man, just shot somebody for no reason. He's like, no, man, we can't leave you. That's our dog. Man, fuck all that. Did he just hit me this man just shot somebody cold blood for no reason bro

So eventually he stayed he waited A cold defendant gets in I see him tucking the gun in his waist And I'm like motherfucker I'm like bro what the fuck Like we're back and forward I'm ready to I'm ready to grid that means fighting I'm sorry for my slagher I mean I'm ready to fight I'm really ready to do it to you bro

But I had to come into my senses This man got a gun on him This man just shot somebody Yeah we homies but in the heat of argument, bro, motions are flared up. I could be, I can take a bullet too.

So I humbled myself. But I was just mad, bro. I was infuriated because I don't know if this guy was going to make it or not. And I told him, I say, bro, what if these guys dead? Hey, bro, that's just part of the game, bro.

He'd be all right. What? And it's like, bro, I wasn't the most mature person, but I did grow up some type of dignity to, bro. I wasn't an insensitive person. Like, come on, bro.

An innocent person loses life or nothing? How insensitive can you be, bro? And right in and there, I looked at him different. I didn't look at him, I no longer looked at him as a friend. Like, you're a monster, bro. You're a menace. With that type of mentality? And then weeks go by months, we had a cold case.

We were on camera. but the distance was that the camera was set at. We were under the file, we just see three bodies running across the campus. So we had a cold case. So they had like a $100,000 reward on our head, anybody who had any type of information by who was involved in this crime.

So I remember I was having trust issues because the guy, unfortunately, he died. He didn't make it. So they wanted us, bro. They wanted us. And I'm like, bro, I couldn't trust nobody. I couldn't tell my mom. I couldn't tell nobody.

But I eventually told two people. I told my girlfriend at the time. And I told my homeboy, God bless the day, who's no longer with us right now. But it got me mad because my homeboy told somebody. And I'm like, bro, what are you doing? Like, I'm starting to question him. Because I never, I never forget.

I got off the bus. And he calls me. He's like, Morgan. It was calling me Morgan at the time. Like, Morgan, bro. that stuff you told me about, bro. I think you need to come see me. Where you at?

Like, bro, I'm on the bus right now. Man, me at the bus stop. Like, all right. He made me at the bus down. He walked to his house. And he had a Florida Senate on his hand. Florida Central was a local publication paper that the city of Tampa provides. And there I was.

Not me, per se, but I know it was me in my case. In the back of the Florida Sentinel, the crime section. $100,000 reward for anybody who knows has any information in regards to this crime. And I'm, I'm talking on my stomach. My heart dropped to my stomach. Because now I'm looking at my own-boy's sideway. My boy, is you going to tell them?

$100,000, not a lot of money, especially back then for a 15, 16-year-old. You know, that's life-changing money. So I'm looking at everybody's sideways. I'm like, man, hey. I feel like everybody the enemy. I'm walking on eggshells. you know so it was a cold case man for about a month and a hair going on two months but my

co-defendant bro you're familiar with slick rig right slick wreck yeah no he's a rapper he's a old school legendary rapper he had um a popular song uh in the 80s uh storytime storytelling storytelling story time one of those but uh here's a little story once upon a time not long ago he very Classic, classic hip-hop song. But in that song, he said something in one of his verses, he was like, his friend,

he robbed another and another and his sister and the brother. Basically, he robbed somebody who was a DT undercover, some detective undercover, something like that along those lines. And that was my co-defendant. Because after that,

he uses the same gun that he shot the man with to corrobor a convenience store gets caught they find the gun forensics you can include the rest right these snitches on you guys

yes and I'm like wow really and not only that they had the the license plate number of the driver so they got the driver they got him they round us all up

but it's so crazy bro because that day it did something to me that at that point I had the intestinal fortitude to say no I stood up on myself and was like hell no because he wanted me to participate in that robbery

can you imagine if I had participated in that robbery I wouldn't even be talking to you right now you would have been just as guilty as a shooter bro that too but probably got more time I got since the 15 years followed by 10 years

15 years in a Florida state prison followed by 10 years probation bro, all of these got like 30 years. Because what that says is, okay, yeah, you say you saw, you're crying, but a month and a half, you have the guts to go rob a convenience store. Oh, you motherfuckers ain't learning. You motherfuckers are menaces to society.

And they sentenced my co-defendant within that manner. He has life sentenced. You got life? He's life. He would never see a daylight of freedom. So the cops believed your story, than it backfired on him that you weren't the shooter? No, no, no, no, no.

They had to believe it. My fingerprint was one on the gun. So it was what it is, springing prince. So what was his gain for snitching on you guys? I don't know exactly. If he still got life, he could have just let it go and say he was. But he didn't know that initially. I mean, in the inception of the round, though, nobody knows.

He just, I don't know. I don't know what was going through his head, but how do you know me? You know what I'm saying? Now, like I said, I do know that they did get the picture of the license plate from the driver. I don't know the driver, you know, said what he said, but they were knowing just a little too much information that was like only he would know, right? So it is what it is. But it's crazy because during the roundup, an inception of the roundup, I'm in the interrogation room. Now, mind you, this is the first time I've been in interrogation room.

I'm scared, got excited, don't know what they expect. But initially, I'm lying. I'm trying to wiggle out of something. I'm trying to get out of this. Yeah, no. But everything I told them, they knew it was a lot. And they knew the answers to everything. And I'm like, how in the fuck are they knowing?

And they kept going in and out. So, like I said, I was naive. I jumped from the police car, I mean, jumped off the porch straight into a police car. So I'm oblivious to all the tactics and strategies they use. I'm going against detectives that have been doing this shit for 20, five to 30 years. I'm just, you know what I mean, experiencing this type of lifestyle.

So they keep going in and out and they're asking me these questions and they're telling me and it's like, well, no, this isn't happening because remember you that? I'm like, what the fuck? How are you knowing this? So they went out one last time.

The last time they went out, I just hear a voice. Man, I ain't killed nobody though, man. I told you everything you wanted. I'm like, it wasn't the shooter. It was the driver. He told him.

Everything. Everything. So now that puts me in a corner position where people can say what they want. First law of nature is what, you know? Attraction. Self-preservation. So now I'm thinking, from a survival standpoint, oh, man, I got to be able to tell the truth because I don't want to make things worse for myself.

I don't want to be the lie. I don't want to be the one. So I just told them the truth. That's what happened. Everything. Blur raw, uncut. That is what it is. I had no choice.

And for people here, I know, because of the rap music we listen to today, oh, it isn't that, bro. Listen, call it what you want. I don't label that as snitching. I had to tell the truth and do what I had to do because I had co-defendants that opened their mouth initially. I had no choice.

I was 16 years old. oblivious to all this. If you want to hold me, hold that against me, oh well. But I can say this. A lot of people that may cash your judgments, quote on quote, majority of you want to say 99.9 would have done the same thing if he was in my situation as a kid. Oblivious, no experience, naive to how the system works. I didn't know.

Had I don't know it been more experienced, probably the handle the approach it a little differently. But it is what it is. we learn from our experiences. I will never endorse myself in any type of crime, especially that nature, ever again in my life. This podcast is sponsored by IQ Bar. Not to be a stereotype or anything,

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Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, most definitely. And I'm glad you brought that up. I'm glad you brought that up because, you know, my mom and my family at the time, they were all under this assumption, this paradigm that. I'm innocent. And I had to tell my mom numerous

a time, his sister, you know, dad, everybody's like, bro, I'm not innocent. I'm guilty as they come. I knew about the robbery. I knew he had a gun. I participated in it. What I'm not guilty of of having any

knowledge at all that he was going to shoot and kill somebody. Or did it at any point in time that I aid in the bet or encourage him to shoot him. I never once said, hey, yeah, bro, shoot him. Get that motherfucker. Let's get out of there, shoot him.

He's lying. Never. I sat there quiet, like, hoping, like, hoping that I at least hit him. What, maybe bruises his jaw a little bit. He fought, we just run. At least the man got his life, right? I had no knowledge and had no inclination of something of that nature to that degree happening to an instant man, bro.

It's not me. That's not how I was raised. Do you think that man still would have died if you decide not to go do that robbery that night? You as an individual said, I'm not going. You do what you want to do? Do you think it's the same outcome? You know, it's hard to say, man. It's hard to say because nobody knows.

We could do hypotheticals all day. But I did say this. Like I said in the beginning, me hitting the guy gave my co-defendant confidence, built momentum. because a lot of us, we move off momentum. So when he's seeing me commit the action, it's like, now you can't freeze up, you got to hold up your head in the bargain, because you got us out here. And you said you was the expert in this area.

And I just popped it off. What are you going to do? So I don't know him being so young, 17, trying to have this pooling mentality that I'm going to show my dogs that I'm about that life, that I'm against it. I'll pop somebody if I got to. He did that. And you didn't have to.

But I understand, you know, as an adolescent, we have an infatile brain. We have a childlike mindset. We don't really assess the consequences of our actions. And, you know, because of that, sometimes we make piss-poort decisions, very drastic decisions that can cost us dearly. And unfortunately, that's the case with my co-defendant.

you never get a second chance in life. It is what it is. And a lot of people may feel like, oh, he was a kid. He didn't know, et cetera, et cetera. But if that was your family member, would you have that same outlook?

She'd ask yourself that. So it's not my place to judge. I worry about myself. I have my own dilemma, my own crossworld, cross worlds I had to deal with regarding that matter. Like I say, it took a while for me to forgive myself. And I'm there, remember being incarcerated, like crying late night, waking up with cold sweats.

Because I'm like, I just seen a man get shot. Nah, I don't know if you ever experienced that. But seeing somebody get shot and die, bro, innocently. So another ball game hearing somebody crying agony, man. Hope for a bullet. And, you know, those sound effects, those words still to this day. playing my mind. As an older guy,

somebody who would forgive myself, I'd cope with it out of deal with it. But at the time, as an adolescent, you know, finding myself, it was hard. And nobody knew. I cried, man, for like six months straight.

Almost six months till like a year, I cried almost every night. Having nightmares about that shit, seeing his face, hearing the sound, the glass is falling. All that, bro. It was real.

Did you feel like 15 years was a fair sentence for your, participation in this? It's funny, man. You can ask some great questions, bro. Yes and no. Because at the time, I felt like 10 years

would have been enough for me. I think 10 years was a fair sentence due to the fact I didn't pull the trigger. You guys know. Forensics confirmed that I didn't. I never hated a bet. First time really getting in trouble throughout the whole

duration of the judicial process. I show remorse and condolence. And it's on record, the victim and fiance stated that on record, told the judge to please take that in consideration. Mr. Nelson has been very remorseful understanding and, you know, sorry for his participation. Take that in consideration.

And I just felt like 15 years was a little steep. Team would have been the best. Because in Florida, you do 85% of the time, so I probably did like eight years or nine months. I felt like that was more than enough. But unfortunately, that wasn't the hand that was dealt. What was dealt was 15 years. I didn't have a life sentence.

I had a second chance of life. Even though I didn't understand it and what gave my big motivation is I remember, man, the judge hitting that gavel sentenced me to 15 years in the Florida State prison, bro. One year less than what I lived on the street as a free person. And he smirked, bro. It ticked me off, but this was like one of the first. One of the primary fact is why I got into prison and Trailblaze because, say, Mr. Nelson, be great for you, got a second chance.

I'm like, second chance, bro, you just sending me all this time. A decade plus second chance. No second chance. I'm being in my 30s when I got out when I get out. But, you know, at 16 looking at that, for 30s, you're like, that's a long-ass time. And think about it when you were 16, you're 29. Now, look out, look at the, look at the time. Look at the dash.

Somebody will say, man, just think about where you got to. to be doing that 29, age of 60, like, can't think that fucking far, but what the fuck? You see it? Yeah, a lot's happened to me. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? So that's what the case was with me. And I'm like,

well, are you smirking? And I may take it the wrong way. He may not admit that because now looking at it, he was kind of right because when I went to prison and I seen people have lesser charges in me because I got a second degree murder, accessory in prison,

when a 10-law robbery for the record. but I seen people that's charges in me you know a few robberies carjackings home invasions with life sentences and nobody died in their case somebody died in my case bro

and I got a second chance at life I'm able to get out at the age of 29 you know you still feel young right still got the world ahead of you I got out at that same age bro and I came out blazing and trailblaze like I came out on fire and what's the motivation like I say to judge

you know I don't know if he meant it like that but I took it as that and I used it just as fuel to my fire and I became a motherfucking beast in prison not because I was whooping everybody and

with a big dog and running the compound flooding the shit with drugs nah man because I tried to become the best version of myself that I could possibly be I'm talking about every

trade class I could take to give me some type of hard skill trade or something. off skill, took it, learn a second language, learn how to speak, learn a lot by myself,

became a man, you know, identify, cultivated, healthy habits that I use while incarcerated to help me not cope, but to give me

structure and safe. Because in prison, man, prison is an environment. It's very sensitive. It's, it's, It throws off emotion whether anybody want to believe it or not because people are very sensitive. They take respect, like, very seriously.

And people feel like they're being respected from the most minute things. So knowing this, I had to carry myself in a certain manner because I was 18 years old when I went to prison. I got locked at the back 16. I did two years in the county. But when I actually went to prison, it was at the age of 18.

Now, mind you, they put me on the Bluebird, send me to Mayo CI When I heard of A MioC I thought of mayonnaise For some reason I never heard of a day in my life Scraying the boondocks Redneck town

And I'm like What the hell Where the hell am I at? Get off the bus Looking around me What the hell did I get myself into? But at that moment I knew that

This is something that mama couldn't help me with This was something Nobody could save me from I had to save myself And And that's the whole key to life in is that it's not about what happens to you because life happens to everybody. Challenges, difficulties, problems happen to every living human being and organism on the planet Earth.

But the biggest thing is how do we respond? How do we grow from that? Do we allow that challenge to build character? to enable us to be the best versions of ourselves, to give to the world, to have a better life, to be superior to our lower nature, you know?

So in prison, I had to move different. Because I said I was 18, and they put me in a dorm, 75% of the dormitory, bro, had life sentence. I was classified as a short time on a,

fresh 15-year prison center in. Can you imagine? You've been in prison, right? You had three years. That was enough for you. Can you imagine having 15 years? Heart would have a drop, right? Yeah.

So imagine catching 15 years and somebody telling you talking to you like you were a short time. Man, you're a short time, man. You'd be out of no time. Motherfucking, what? Yeah, decade plus. You know?

But that's how it was. You know? And because I was in a dormitory full of lifers, they had a culture in there, bro. Don't disturb the peace. And I remember guys looking at me in my eyes, telling me in so many words,

young blood, don't mess up the peace, man. We got stuff going on in here. They don't bother us. They don't shake us down as much. Don't come in here drawing attention. All else is going to be ramifications. And I knew what that was.

Life could potentially get taken. Somebody gonna put that eye in your ass. And don't give a damn high, hard where you come from with city, hard, may you think you fighting, how tough you think you are? Can't be the community of people, especially when they're in unison. And they're willing to enforce the culture. You're going to fall in line. That's what I did.

I fell in line. And from that point forward, I matured as an 18-year-old. I wasn't the average 18-year-old. I was beyond my years because I was, I was, I was beyond my years because I, I fell in line. I was forced to be in an environment that forced me to grow up faster than what's the norm at that particular age. And I knew I was advanced because I used to see people, young cats, 20, 21, 22 coming in with no awareness at all. It didn't know well. Seeing cats get stabbed, blood, guts everywhere.

or was something that, yes, so minute. But very serious in the same sense because this is the culture. And one thing for those who don't know, I don't know if you was going to allow me to induce myself on what it is that I'm through, but I'm an emotional intelligence development coach. I help people build and manage their emotions effectively

to tennis their performance in business, workplace, and in personal endeavors. And I developed my emotions while incarcerated because in prison, you got to have control of your emotion. You got to be composed at all times. Because one slip-up, one falling weak to an impulse or that urge of the emotion, that Instagramification, whatever it is,

it can cause you dearly. And I witnessed people because of the lack of emotional intelligence get their life to it. I seen the man die in prison gets stabbed the death I seen somebody I got a call I don't know if they

you said you were in the feds called a lock in a sock where they get a sock and they tie it to a lock and they'll go to town on you, bro and though that lock lock is small

with force and the pressure leave a dent around with your fucking school I seen it you know what I'm saying and I've seen people get old raggedy bedposts I even seen

bro on you I didn't see him seeing people get a knife, shank, what we call them, get an empty coffee bag, take a shit in the coffee bag, bro.

Put the shank in there, let it bake and sit in the sun. You know why they're doing that in? Why? For the bacteria. So when they stab you, if they don't kill, you're going to be fucked up

for the bacteria because you're going to put that bacteria in your system. Think about all the germs and infection of bacteria going in you. So why they put that knife in. You know, it was just prison.

state. I don't can speak from state. I never been to fed, but prison was rough, and I went to one of the most treacherous prison in the state of Florida at that time. And things I witnessed is like, bro, I'd be damn if I play. I can't be in a dormitory acting childish.

Speaking all loud, being obnoxious, being insensitive, skipping the phone line. That, get your ass beat a kilt. Skipping the canteen line. For those who don't know, that's a area, canteen line is a place where

you can get, you know, snacks, hygiene, you know, stuff like that. The closest thing you can get to the streets, like you're privileged to get, because state food ain't nothing. Prison food sucks is nasty, but you do have the option to get chips

and soups and stuff like that. We call them ZoomZooms and Wham-Wams. But I've seen so much violence, you know, get birth from people just being insensitive, thinking that the world revolves around them, you know, that you don't have to respect. your peers they're in the well for them

I remember that I tell you all the time bro do do skip somebody and the guy was kind of big too when I'm young because you got a little slice nice little fighting game tattoos you're intimidating

you think you run something so he skipped a guy small tiny guy humble quiet life sentence guy was trying to use the phone wait patient just patiently just like everybody else.

He skipped the guy and looked at him like, I beat your ass. You know what time of it? My phone. I need to make a call. It's important. So you got to say, you sure you want to do that, man?

Like, can I just get my call? Just no one no trouble, man. Fuck that. You know what time it is. Fuck you. Okay. Selfsequently. Ah!

Ah! Ah! Get him, man. He got me. He got me. Bleeding everywhere. Blood. Driven out of his face profusively.

on that glass. You already know that on that glass and me getting that deputy attention. I'll help. Medic. Medic. Because you're playing. You're causing on yourself.

So me seeing these things, it gave me perspective on how to carry myself. In addition to a meeting, my mentor that I alluded to, I just became an advanced individual, bro. I told that library up. I was just learning.

I just worked on my personal development skills, bro. I just always was wanting to read, Read, read, read. Because prior to that, I didn't, I didn't read as much. I didn't read. And it's safe to say, I read my first book by myself, page with page front to back. In jail. George Washington Carver the peanut, man, be exact.

I read that book, I felt exhilarated. I feel great. And I was like, man, this is a high. Like, I just hit a crack pipe or something. But no more constructive manner. I wanted more and more and more. And it translated when I went to prison, I was tearing that library up, man. I was telling that library because

my whole objective was this end. I got a murder charge. I got very hefty charges. I know it's going to be hard for me when I got out. I know it was going to face a lot of denial, a lot of rollbox because of that charge

what they see on paper. So I knew I had a lot of explaining to do. So I said, okay, I'm going to make it hard for people to say that. Excuse me. I'm going to make it hard for people to say no. Right? So I said, how could I do that?

Well, make myself more valuable. have something to offer, make somebody's life or situation more easier. And I did that by edifying myself, learning skills, and having that personality that I was already, you know, inherited, but just, you know, fine-tuning it, where you know how to use it to my advantage, you know, utilizing all those components. I got out of prison, bro.

So many doors has opened up for me in that if, I had a different mind frame and I didn't develop the intangibles within self how I developed while incarcerated I want to get those opportunities but I've literally had people tell me

that bro, the reason why I'm taking a chance on you more because of who you are as an individual because anybody else those charges scare me, bro. Think about it. Might scare you. He might have a job proposal. What? Murder charge.

What? they're going to pass on that one. But once I had the opportunity to present myself to you and let you know what it is that I have to offer you that can solve a problem for you, people wouldn't take a chance. Anytime you're adding value to somebody or something, not as I'll tell you,

it would be an exception to that rule. What would have happened if you stayed at the crime scene right after he shot him? Would it have been a different outcome? Could you have saved his life? Could you have gotten less, you know, blame because you stayed unseen and you called for help. What you're trying to make me crying?

Nah. The audience wants to know. Yeah, no, man. Great, great question. Detective did. He mentioned that. He said, you know, Mo. Morgan, not Mo.

He said, Mr. Nelson, it'd been a little different if you would have had stayed at the scene in the crime. At least tried to help the individual. And I wasn't trying to be no smart-ass, but I had to put things in perspective to the detective. I say, listen, I just witness a man, shot, shoot a man, senselessly for no reason because he didn't have any goods to give him.

If I would have stayed after this man just shot this person, nine out of ten, what do you think my co-defendant would have did to me? Because you know I got to tell. I'm going to tell. I have to. That's the only way I'm coming. coming out unscathed. I had to tell the truth.

Who did it? What happened? Oh, I don't know. I don't know, man. I walked over here and just, what, motherfucker, you did it. It's on you. I ain't taking nobody for nobody.

The man ain't died. The man ain't died from my hands. He died of his hands. So I had to tell him the truth. And my co-defendant knew that. So to increase his chance of getting away, you don't think he was shot. killed me, that's one less person they got to talk.

And I illustrated this to the detective, and he didn't want to admit, but I know he failed me because I know I made perfect sense. What would you have done? Now, you per se as a rhetorical question, but that's why I was basically putting the mirror on a detective, like, come on, are you serious? I think everyone would want to say they would have stayed, but it is hard to judge in that moment. It's hard to judge in that moment.

Especially in, remember, I'm a kid. I'm not 35-year-old more sitting before you today with perspective and reasoning. I was a child, bro, with an undeveloped concept. And I think a child that would have had the courage to stay would never have put himself in that position to begin with. Exactly. Exactly. So you see the difference. When you got out of prison, did you feel, like when you started to like be social and maybe date people or just get yourself out in the

world, did you feel like you were behind, you know, socially, psychologically from people that were your age because of, you know, you lost your 20s, you lost your late teens to prison, like those really developmental years. You want to know the truth, man? Give it to me. Of course you do. It's what we're here for me. Bro, I surpassed all of them, bro.

I feel like I was the advanced one, bro. Me getting acclimated, re-acclimated back to society. And I'm not saying it to brag, a boas, bro, a line. I'm not pulling nobody's leg here, bro. My transition was smoother than what you would have anticipated. And because of that, I mean, excuse me, was responsible for that. It's what I did in prison.

It was a development. I was so diligent about in prison, reading the books. And I read books on personal finance, credit and debt, you know how to make optimal decisions, emotional intelligence. I mean, a plethora of subject matters that when I got out, I lived through the books, but I also lived through the experience of other people because throughout my 15-year prison sentence,

I met and seen the visual that came in prison at least two, three times while I was on my first bid. And I'm like, bro, you just got out last year, are you back again? See, in the state, I don't know about the feds, but in the state, they have a letter that identifies how many times you've been in prison. So zero was first. I had a zero.

A, two, three is B. You get the g-st, right? So I seen people in there with, bro, G letters. I'm like, holy shit. You got a G letter, bro? 11 times. What is that? you ain't learned yet, bro.

And you in and out complaining about the system and this and that and it ain't fair? Bro, come on now. The system against you and you put yourself in the situation to be in prison 11 times. Come on, bro. You got to start having some accountability,

now don't we? You know? So I seen that and I said, man, I don't want to be that. I don't want to be the guy in that was behind. 29 years old behind, naive, no sense of reality and what's going on, very gullible. Now, I wanted to be an individual when I approach you and I taught you, you'll be a part, appalled when I tell you I tell you I've been to prison.

And that happens all the time. I tell somebody they've been to prison, you? You? No, more, more, more. Seriously, you? Yeah It was like, like, really pretty.

Yes, bro. I was in the blues. My DC number was T59-894. Look it up. I'm in the system. No point of my glorifying, but tell you the truth. I was really in the trenches.

But it was the intangibles man I developed while incarcerated that allowed me to survive the trenches and then construct a way to get out here and do some of the things that I'm doing now and to be able to help individuals. you know, prevail against their own adversity, you know?

How do you plan to make amends with the victim's family? Well, one point of time, man, you know, I still might do it. It's never too late. But one point in time I did plan on getting out and being escorted by a policeman, you know, for my own protection, just in case it goes left. And she said, I threatened there, try to do this, you know, you got to protect yourself. I want to get escorted by our police. Sorry. And just see the victim's fiance and just let her know that, first and foremost, it's nothing I can do to bring your late fiance back.

But what I do want you to know is that I'm terribly, terribly apologetic for my participation in the demise of your fiance. and I appreciate you recognizing my remorse throughout the whole process because I was and it was genuine and authenticity. Got no reason in life, man. That wasn't me, bro. Not a robber. Not a street dude.

Just a regular urban kid in America, but I just got influenced by his peers. And it happens to so many of us today And if there's something you're going through, you need help, DM me. The Emmy, man, let's talk, let's build. Because my objective is I want to help people, not just kids, but any young adult or adult

that's encountering some type of crossroads where they feel like they're about to succumb to peer pressure, going through identity crisis, and not having enough fortitude to say no, up for themselves. Let's talk. Let me see. We're almost halfway through the year, and a lot of people are running on empty without fully realizing it. Grow therapy helps you find care that's covered by insurance before burnout becomes the baseline. Whether it's your first time in therapy or your 50th,

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You know what I'm saying? So, yeah. Now, you were given the second chance. How do you plan on using it? to make sure people don't go down the same path you did. Because it's one thing to say to people to reach out to you if they need it, but we all know most people don't reach out, especially as a kid, you weren't reaching out to people.

Right. So how do you prevent that? Well, for starters, I made myself available by becoming a facilitator with a school called Roth. It's a proverbial reentry school. It's a proverbial school tailor for people, reintering society from incarceration, you know, providing them with housing, trades, education, you know, resources that gives them a boost that will enable them to sustain and prohibit them

from doing what they did to go in. Because a lot of people, they go in, they contribute to the recidivism rate because they don't have any resource. They don't have anything. Nobody believes in them. Nobody gives them a chance. So remember I say, the first law, nature is what? Survival. Self-preservation.

Somebody got to. Bob, you hungry enough in, hey, as much as you got going on right now, if everything was to stop, you had nothing. You had no more resources, had no food, nothing coming in. And that stomach hitting that back and it's starvation kicking in. And you might do some things that you even know you had the ability to do. You might think you couldn't challenge me in a physical battle. Not saying as you can, but just assume it.

But you're hungry enough. you'll come take my chain if you're down hungry that's for measure so we have to apply that same reality into real people right

so how I made myself available when to prevent that I became a facilitator where I teach my emotional intelligence development course through Roth you know educating the people

the importance and the power of emotions because if we look at it think about it in I don't know what you went to prison for but nine out of ten if we go down to the root the lack of emotional intelligence is succumbing to that impulse gratification the urge led you to prison mismanaging your emotion whether it was anger whether it was too much too much excitement depression etc somehow some way you go into prison

was predicated on emotions. That's why it's important for us as men and women to understand our own emotions while simultaneously understanding emotions and others so we'll know how to communicate and approach one another and to deal with the situation at hand because in today's time you see a lot of roles raised incidents, you know, transpiring.

Mismanaging emotions. Not being able to compose your emotions. I seen one time on Instagram, a video, Roll rage incident. Guy gets out the car, he's mad. Whatever case may be, you don't know, right or wrong,

couldn't really tell who was right or wrong. I just see two people arguing, bickering at one another. I just see the guy that in the back, gets out of the car, and gets in the window, puts his face all in the window to the guy in the front window.

A couple seconds later, bomb, body drop, headshot. Now you're dead because of the lack of emotional intelligence. You haven't not the know-how and the strength and the skill

to utilize your emotions effectively to be a benefit to you as opposed to a detriment. You know what I'm saying? And like I say, I prevent that, me facilitating,

but providing coaching. Anybody in need a one-on-one coaching that's having trouble developing their emotions, feeling stagnating, need motivation. like an empathy, you know, these entails that you need in order to strive and thrive in life and your respect to fields, you know, contact me.

We can work on that. We can help you. Me and the team, we'll get you together, you know, and help you become that elite individual that we all have the potential to be. You know, so I'm saying? And, you know, talking, going to DJJ youth centers, talking to them, alternative schools,

talking to them, sharing my story, never to glorify that I went to prison because I never once will ever glorify going to prison. I would never encourage somebody to go to prison in but I will say this because no matter how hard we try

and what resources we provide motherfuckers still going to go to prison. It's just nature. It's just law to land. It's the dynamics of life. However, if I can prohibit a significant portion,

Or just a fraction. I'm doing my job. And for the ones that do slip on a banana pill and go to prison, I want to show you that there is still hope. Do not allow prison to consume you. Osiris, my mentor that alluded to, he always told me, man, don't get consumed by the fire, but purified by the fire.

And what that meant was the fire, the environment was my fire. Right? And he said, Mo, If you take a piece of paper and you throw it in the brush of fire, what's going to happen? It's going to ignite the fire. It's going to ignite the fire, but what's going to happen to the paper? That's going to burn?

It's going to burn. You consume, right? All right. All right. So let's say if we are, you familiar with gold, you're not gold, gets manufacturing and stuff, gets created. In a mine, we go into mine, get some raw, dirty-ass, filthy, disgusting, gold nugget. We throw it in that same brush of fire. What's going to happen?

It's not going to melt. It's not going to melt. It's not going to burn. It's not going to get consumed yet. It's going to get purified. It's going to get cleansed and ready to be marketed for retail value. He told me, Mo, be that dirty gold nugget. Be that man, that boy that came in with filth, unawareness.

No sense of life with an infantile mind. allow the fire, the environment, prison to benefit you, to build you, to use it as an advantage, to make you an elite individual. And that's what the hell I did. What's an advantage? What's something you want to tell your 16-year-old self? Really foreshadow the consequences of your actions. Just think about it.

Like, put a scenario ahead, whatever you got, whether it's good or bad. Because cause cause people put a stigma on consequence. It's good consequences. Consequences are nothing but results. It's just a result of something that happened, that went into motion, a result of an action, right? So just being more mindful and more prudent with my action and just considering playing out the consequence. And if I can withstand it or handle it, move forward. If I couldn't, I need, that was confirmation I need to stay away.

because it's always a potential it can happen. It's always a potential. It's risking everything. Mo, I appreciate you coming on the show today, man. Man, listen, I appreciate you for having me, man. You did an incredible job speaking and sharing your story. Thank you, man. And I hope my story helps because I never glorify prison or try to make it seem like I'm some type of tough guy because I've been to prison.

That's not the case with me because everybody go to prison ain't tough. And just because you come out of prison, I'll make you tough, man. But what distinguishes me from the average getting out of prison is that the same intangibles I nurtured and develop in there

that gave me success in there, I applied out here in their free world that enabled me to have certain doors open to me for me to have a six-figure earning business to be the stature of a man that I am today is because I applaud what I've developed in there, out here. And if you're somebody, anybody that is in some type of stagnation, going through some hardships,

not knowing how to prevail against your adversity, because prison may not be adversity. And you don't have to necessarily go to prison to face some adversity of being at five. adversity and fire comes in many different shapes and forms for all of us but if you need help with prevailing against that deem me i answer my dms follow me at real underscore monelson speaks man give me the word prevail and let's chat and see how i can help you you know prevail against that adversity that you're currently faced with man and um just show you and teach you

some of the things I learned that I apply. Hey man, that will give you success that I'm currently experiencing. So yeah, prevail against self-sabotage, pass. It was a pleasure. See you soon.