Matthew Cox | Inside True Crime Podcast - Raised by Inmates | Life Inside the World’s Most Brutal Prisons

Episode Date: January 24, 2026

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You have to go insane to remain sane. They'd see me and be like, hey, he's a crazy dude. You know, what are you going to do? Get abused for the next years and then go live with that shame of what happened to you. This is home. You have to accept this is reality. And this is where things take a turn for the worst. When I was about seven or eight is when I started to realize like, oh, wait, I don't

have that normal family, that Brady Bunch family that I thought I did. I was loved and cared for and it wasn't like we were poor. but seeing your mom overdose at seven or eight and then go to school the next day and then try to see the kid it's like hard to understand how like how can I relate to any of these kids yeah they're not telling stories about they're not telling stories about their parents getting into fights or overdosing or drugs yeah right right as I got into high school is when I really started to get into crime and I was doing good in the beginning you know I was wrestling I had a 3.7 GPA but I was so embarrassed to bring those kids kids to my home because they had the Betty Crocker mom. They had or what it seemed like. And I had the chaos in my house and I had all this rage and anger that I never understood. And friends that were older in my neighborhood or cousins of mine, instead of saying, hey, you're, you know, you're doing good and try to push me to righteousness. They're like, hey, you want to learn how to make some money, bro. Screw that. Screw that. Can I curse, dude? Yeah. Okay. Absolutely.

Like, they're like, that shit, man. Just come on with us. So they taught me basically how to our robbing drug dealers, stealing saves. And how old are you? I was 15 at the time when I first hit my big kid though, right? I mean, you're like, to tell you the truth, I was tall, but I was a skinny little, like, I was like, I was thin, yeah. Okay. And, uh, but I was fearless.

And I had, at that time, I didn't understand, you know, the psychology behind it of why I had so much rage and anger and why I was doing this. And it wasn't so much that I needed the money. It just felt like finally I'm with people that are broken like me. You know, looking back after all the years, I kind of understood. that. But at that time, I was a wild kid. And so the, they're about 20, 25. And I grew up with two sisters. And they were like, basically like, you don't have any brothers or your brothers. And they would make me fight every day, fight other kids, like fight for money, bare knuckle stuff. Yeah,

like, like crazy. You should go to these trailer park neighborhoods and fight. And like, like, you know, now looking back, I was basically being used and manipulated at a young age and bring, you know, and like, it wasn't a gang, but like these dudes were head. heavy into, you know, what they were doing as far as like fraud, like steal a computer, get all the information, we'll pay you this much, do this, do that, do this. And I kind of like started to be like, wow, you know, I'm feeling accepted here. So I fully got out of school, said, screw this, you know, I found my tribe. I'm good now. How old were you when you dropped out? 16, basically 15, 16 is like, that, that was a pivotal change in my life was 15 to 16 is when I was like, I was doing so good

in school, wrestling and this and that, but I was so embarrassed with everything at home. So I gravitated towards people that were more like me in their home. Right. And one of my closest friends, he passed away, his name's Chance, you know, Chance Wilson, like my brother. And the way we met at 15 years old was, I don't know if you guys remember American Online or whatever, AOL. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So everyone used to be on the chats or whatever, and like high school, middle school. And he's like, Hey, how old are you? I mean, now I'm 37. Okay.

I was going to say, you look like you're in your, yeah, late 20. No, you could be, you could be, whatever. Yeah, you could be in your 30 or stay raised. So I guess he preserves you a little bit. I was like, you're acting like AOL. I was like, God, that was a long time ago. Like, okay, but you're still young. You're young at that time.

Yeah, I'm super young. And his brother and his family were real, like, deep into somewhat organized crime, not like, big time. But they were, they had a system, you know. And he's like, man, I heard you rob drug dealers. And I was like, I heard you rob drug dealers. He's like, man, come hang out with us. So that's what really aligned. Like we aligned our wildness.

And he had the same broken home, the hate, the anger that we didn't understand at the time. So, you know, his brother had us fighting. And we were doing all these crimes. And immediately, I would say within the first year of doing all this, I got locked up. And it was for an armed robbery on a drug dealer. What happened? So basically, we would either go. and kicking the door.

Like I had a, it's kind of crazy, but this girl that I was dating who was actually my first love of my life, quote unquote, she was a stripper. And what she would do is, and she was. Nice. Yeah. And how old are you? I'm 15, turn 16 or just turned 16 at the time. Okay. So she would like set these guys up, go in their house, have their windows open and we creep in there and pull out weapons on them or she, no one would be home and we would just take all their stuff.

And I wasn't using the drugs at the time. Like, I was just selling them for half price to the same people helping me find these, like, licks, you know? And it was wild. And eventually this guy came over to buy, I think it was like five pounds of weed, but we didn't have it. And the crazy thing about it was I was on house arrest at the time for in juvenile system for it was a, I went to rob a drug dealer's house and I got caught like in the, like, and like, doing a burglary like the neighbors called you know even though it's a drug dealer it's still illegal to go into a house yeah so i was still i just caught my first charge and just did a little time in the like attention center and in the juvenile they put me right on house arrest so i was on house arrest

i was 16 now and uh my friend chants and i came up with the great idea to tell this guy we have five pounds of weed come in and uh we walk them in an empty room you know i have no supervision no parents at the time at home they just home all the time alone and we basically just make him give up the money. You know, he's like, you know, we pull out like, I think we had like a kitchen knife or something like that. And he gets out of there and we had it. And he calls the cops.

And he made up saying we took his phone or whatever, but it doesn't matter. The crime is a crime. Swat team comes in. I'm 16. My friend got away for the moment, but. And your previous charge. Yeah. And I was on house arrest.

So, you know, and he's like, cut the band off, man, come. And I was like, nah, man, it's a drug dealer. He's like, dude, let's go. And so eventually they come. They arrest me. And this was my first real understanding of the system at 16 years old. I got what's called direct filed. If people aren't familiar with that, being direct filed is when you're under the age of 18,

they make a decision to charge you as an adult based upon the severity of the crime. And they take you to Gun Club, which is the county jail of Palm Beach County, and you go on the 12th floor. And that's where they put all the juveniles charges as adults. And you've got kids where they're facing murders. armed robbery. One kid was in there for six. Like the worst or the worst juveniles. And I had armed robbery, which is punishable by life felony, you know, because anytime you use a weapon, a deadly weapon in the commission of a robbery, regardless of what it is. But I had no, I was so

young that I thought, I was, I was like, look with me, dog, yeah, yeah, yeah. So in there, this was my first understanding of how corrupt and crazy and violent Florida, especially the youth defender system is. And, you know, my family, they wanted to help as much as they could. At the same time, you have the house. I know you were a, you were a lunatic. Yeah. Right. He's, yeah. And I, yeah, exactly, 100%. Like my dad and they were like, listen, you know, we've helped you're the first time and you're robbing people in the house on house arrest at 16. It's not good. So their idea in the beginning was to just let me sit for a month, which at 16, that's forever. Right. You know, you know, and.

And this was not your ordinary, like, detention center or, like, regular jail. Like, this is the worst kids. Everyone's going to go to prison here or a charge adult or if they have a good lawyer. Maybe they'll get down to the juvenile sentence. And it was just constant fighting. And, you know, there's really, there was no, it was like no real, like, encripsing, you know, gangs like that, no racial gangs. But it was like this city, that street. And me being a white boy from the suburbs of Boca Raton, right, South Florida, it was like,

like literally just like, hey, where are you from, white boy? And I'm like, Boka, man, tighten up and just fight. So they have a thing called a test the heart. And a test the heart in, youth defender and in the juvenile system in Florida is where if you're not known or you're not affiliated or no one knows or can vowed for you, you get in there and you're going to have to fight, maybe stab. And if you're weak or you show any, like they're putting brooms, like, it's in the news where they're violating dudes with broomsticks. And the officers are encouraged. it. It's like they take advantage of the young men because we really just need like a fatherly role model. And they see that in us and they'll be like, you guys fight here, Friday night fight,

have us in the cells fighting at 15, 16, 17 years old. And we're all filled with rage and anger. We're flooding the toilets. And I was in so many fights there, jumped, hit with locks, just nonstop. And this is not even prison yet. I don't feel like I do well there. And we're all juveniles. And like since I was like, this is where I really learned who I was, because I had no idea this existed. I just, you know, I was fascinated by the life and thought, oh, yeah, I'm tough. No, no, no, this is the real deal. And I'm not there with any friends, you know, I'm there by myself, this white dude from the suburbs.

And I'm around these young that are like, they've been doing this since they were 12, you know. And so it was nonstop just fighting. And then they would make us fight. And the officers, if you didn't fight, officers would beat the crap out of you. You know, they had a thing called the Doom Squad where they'd come in there. I'm sure, you know, like they'd come in there with their little squad with their mat and it beat the crap out of you. And it was just nonstop.

And eventually they make a decision when you go to court if you're going to be charged or convicted as an adult or a juvenile. Now, lucky for me, since I really didn't have an extensive, extensive record at that time, they said, we're going to give you one chance. You're going to go to a program, which was a level A program, which is juvenile prison. You go there for, I think it was 16 months. And it was somewhere in like Miami. I don't know where it was. But it was juvenile prison, but they have like military structure.

And like a boot camp. Kind of. It was like prison boot camp, I guess, for juveniles. Like, but they ended up a kid there, the officers and like this or the drill instructors, quote unquote. But there were officers. Like, they were very hands on. So, but I was like, oh, yes. Because at that time, I was so scared to go to the adult system.

because you hear all these stories and then all these kids are making rumors. So I take it the time and I think it was 16 months and three years probation maybe. But I was just so happy that I didn't have to go to the adult system. And so I go there and I'm probably 16, about turn 17, staying there. And it is just insane. I mean, these guys, the officers are pretending like they're drill instructors. Like they were in this middle. But no, they're beating our asses.

They shut it down because they beat this one kid. to death. Like brutally, they would just kick us, punch us, like just, like just beating us, nonstop making us fight. It was like what I was at on the 12th floor when I was direct filed, yet they had so much more control over us and we had no contact to our families. And it was like, holy shit, you know, and it wasn't as methodical and as calculated as the adult system where you have some like real cunning criminals. This was just pure. unadult like they they were just violent kids and violent COs that were taking advantage of these young men and just we would fight for entertainment they'd gamble on us we fight all this stuff and and and me being the

white dude from the suburbs it was just constantly fighting fighting fighting fighting and I was in no gangs and unlike that and I got out at about right before I turned 18 did you do the whole 16 months yeah in the program and I and I ended up I think I ended up getting more time there was it was crazy in there. But I'd get out and however I'm on the probate. Oh, I had probation, right? And I, violated my probation as soon as I got out. And how? Just something so stupid. I think it was a, I didn't show up at the right time. It was just something so dumb. And so I went back, but they let me write, like, it was like, I went back real quick. But at that mind, I thought I was like the big dog now. I came home to all my friends. They didn't see me in forever to them.

And I'm working. I was like muscular. And I'm, so. So now, instead of saying, I'm going to change and be better, I'm like, I'm all in now. I got connections with these people. I know I'm tough because before I was a little meek and timid, but now I'm like a savage and the beatings and the constant fighting and knowing what I can endure and what I can give back. And mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, I became like a savage for all the wrong reasons.

And I came home and I'll never forget. My mom didn't even recognize me when I came home. She was like, you know. And so I was trying to like do. good one foot in one foot out i was trying to i think get uh go to college but at the same time i'm robbing drug dealers again fighting linking up with the same people and it was like i'll never forget like we're in a a house and there's a safe there and um not 18 or 19 just about turn 19 right now how did you get into a house with a safe what i understand so i mean what you're saying rob and drug dealers

okay so let me explain you're skating over that like that's like like that's a normal thing so what we would do what we would do is, is we would find, and these are my two friends, Mark Anthony and Chance Wilson, we were like, we were like the three amigos, they're the Tombstone, right, the revenge tour, and Doc Holliday. And so what we would do is we go scouting and we would find out whoever was selling drugs. And we're young now. And we learned from the older kids and they're all doing, they're gone, doing Fed time, some are dead, whatever.

So now we're like the big dogs, I guess you'd call the suburbs, the trailer park, whatever you want to call it, you know, at least we thought we were. and we'd find out who was doing it, whether it was from a stripper or another woman, and we kind of have her infiltrate them, or we start slowly buying a little bit of amounts, and we called it building a castle. We were young, devious kids, dude, that just listened to too much rap music and watch Scarface too many times. Right. And we would either get them to trust us, put their guard down, and either find out their schedule, break in when no one was there, or we would just do a pull on straight up home invasion and lay everybody down, take their stuff, and be. walk up, kicking the door with,

like the cops, and we pull them over on the side of the road and just catch them in their car. Like, we'd have them thinking they're meeting somebody for a drug deal. Like, we were bad kids. Right. The only thing I would say was a blessing,

and I deserved to go to, like, I was, these weren't mistakes. These were all decisions. And this was from coming from a broken home, and that's not an excuse. It was the misplaced anger, not knowing why.

I didn't even know why I was doing this. Right. When I could have been playing football. I could be going to college and having a normal life, but it was something about, like, I felt like I felt decepted, the thrill. I don't know, you know, but as I got older, I understood the psychology of why. So let's get out. You're 18.

Yeah. You got out. You're, are you still living at home? You're kind of trying to placate your mom like, hey, I'm going to college. I'm trying to do the right thing, but you're also rob a drug dealer. Yeah, one foot in, one foot out. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So the, the moment where I was like pretty much living in my friend Chance's house, but my mom was thinking I was going to college. Like, oh, you're doing so good, honey. Like, oh, you know. But like I said, she had her problems, too. So she wasn't as aware as this, like, a mom that see this, like, what's going on here?

You're coming home covered in, you know what I mean? Or you're breaking a safe open in the bathtub. But what happened? You said you broke into the one house and there was a safe. So, yeah. So this was something that was actually just something I remembered as we're talking about it. So we found a drug dealer and we knew he wasn't going to be home. We set it up to go on a date with this stripper, right?

He was out there and she was texting us the whole time. And we break in through a, I want to say, the sliding glass door maybe or something like that. And, you know, obviously this is before cameras everywhere and a lot of technology. So we get in and we're trying to find everything. And the girl's like on the date texting us. It's in there. It's in there.

It's supposed to be like four grand and whatever. And finally we find everything. And it's in like this closet inside of a thing hidden well. I got to give it to the dude, but it's one of those safes that we can't pick up and take. Because we're used to, our style used to be pick up the safe, put it in a laundry basket, cover it with laundry and act like, we're going to do laundry or whatever. This one we couldn't get out. So we have our friend come, we're like stall him to bring the saw. We're in this man's house, trying to cut it open with a saw.

My mom's calling me, you're going to be, you have school tomorrow. And I'm like, oh, my, don't worry. So we sat there for probably an hour. We got into it and we left and got the stuff. Was there four grand inside? So what there was was about $4,000 worth of rolls, or not XA rolls. Like when they had like double stack rolls, like I don't know, like there were the pill like a dolphin, triple like they were but they were called rolls. Okay.

Because I don't know if you guys know. But. And that's when I started getting now into the next level of my like criminal. life because this was worth a lot of money now i think it was like more than i expected it was four thousand dollars if you bought it like to sell but it was probably like almost 50 grand if you had so we thought we were the big dogs we were just handing them out we were going buying shoes and clothes for women we're young men here and uh i immediately uh get caught this was my my where i entered now because i never was like a drug dealer or anything like that

i just did this like it was almost like an adrenaline rush and the ladies loved it we though parties and we were just like living like we were in like a western movie my friend and I right right but as we know there's consequences and when you start doing this to people things get serious yeah and somebody somebody comes looking for yeah these weren't kids anymore that we were robin from middle school and high school these were grown men they've been doing this so now and they're gonna put together the stripper that took i went on a date with that was texting a whole like it's not like these guys are if they start thinking about it they're going like okay well it was my buddy todd or it was this chick yeah you know you know so

The only two people to really know that that safe was there. So it's not hard to put together. 100%. And so true, dude. And like you said, they're putting it together. And these weren't young dudes anymore like us. Like these were like serious dudes about being serious. So when they see this, they have to, you know, they felt betrayed and they're coming out

to us. So now life is like, we're selling the drugs now and we're making money doing that. We're still robbing, but we have a lot of problems. We're getting shot at. My house is getting shot at. everywhere we go people are trying to fight us like it's constant bar fights just in insanity are you still living with your mom at that time but when i say living with my mom it's like i'd go there like here and there i know but i mean is the house that they're shooting at your

moms no this was uh yeah yeah my mom's house there breaking windows your poor mom yeah i felt so horrible yeah i really you know i'm glad that i was able to make amends and and show her what i've become as a man today right but man did i put her through some stuff man and uh and then i would feel so much ego and pride. Like I wouldn't even, it was like, how dare you? Like, but more, you know, we'd go after them. And so this is where things take a turn for the worst. Now, I don't know if my bad luck of constantly being locked up for half of my entire,

all my 20s and half my teenage years was a blessing. So having all these problems with people and being constantly like shot at fights and We're doing stuff too where, man, like, somehow I didn't get a life sentence, you know, somehow. And we go to a bar one night and we are thinking we're the big shots. Like, we're loving it, though, because we're so just wild. We think this is the coolest thing ever. Like we're living, all these songs, all these, we think we're the real deal. Right.

And as I would soon find out in life that, no, no, there is no, there is consequences. You're going to meet the real deal soon. Right. So we're at a bar and we're in Broward County. and it's in Fort Lauderdale. I'm like, you guys familiar with that, Fort Lauderdale Beach, and we're having fun. We're buying the bartender. We're getting, you need new shoes.

We're acting like we're like these big shots, and we're like these just stupid teenagers. And we're having fun, and whole and behold, someone did the old reverse Uno card on us. Someone had got the drop on us, and it was probably the bartender, made the call and said, those dudes are here. They're acting real crazy with all the money. while. So the people that we robbed, whoever they were, showed up there. I walk outside and I don't even know who these people are, you know, and I'm always like ready for whatever. I have weapons on me constantly. Like I was living super reckless and he says something to me. And I just thought it was a

regular guy that was going to be a bar fight. And he, and he's like, something like, where's my, shit? I go, what? Like, what do you say? And all of a sudden it turns into him swinging chairs and I'm thinking it's just a bar fight. I don't know what's really going on right now. And I'm getting hit with a bat on the side of my head. My friend comes out. It turns into this huge brawl, this huge scuffle. People are fighting over here, over here. Everything's just crazy.

And they're like, we're calling the cop. People are getting pepper sprayed, hit with brass knuckles. And someone's like shooting guns off, boom, boom. And everyone's like scattering. And I'm still thinking this is a bar fight. So I was like, let's go, guys, this ride. Because like, we're messed up. I'm bleeding.

They're bleeding. So I was like, whatever. We get in the car and this dude comes up and starts hitting my window. And I'm thinking, at first I thought I was going to get shot. I was like, uh-oh. And then I saw it. He started saying something like, give my shit, my love. And I'm thinking like, and I go, and I roll out on the window.

I go, dude, it's a bar fight, man. What is your problem? And he keeps saying, give me, give me. And I'm like thinking like, why? So I have a knife on me. I take it out and I put it up to his neck. And I say, motherfucker, I will be you right now, dude. This is a bar fight.

A little bribes comes out. I don't know why he's doing this. And then we get in the car, we leave. I'm like, what an idiot, man. Like, what is he? It's a bar fight. And my friend's in the back seat. And he's like, dude, you don't know?

And I was like, what do you mean? He goes, those are those dudes that we robbed a couple weeks ago, man. I beat the shit out of one of them. And I took all his other shit, too. And he pulls out like a guy's chain. He guys his wallet. And we're not like chain snatches like that. He just did it to be an asshole.

And I'm like, oh, you fucking idiot, dude. Why didn't you tell me this? Dude, why was you running my car with a chain? And so someone that was still there that wasn't part of, like, us, really they were just kind of an associate of us. He's like, dude, you're fucked. They called the cops, said you put a knife up to him and you guys rob them for his chain.

You know, they wanted to get their get backs, and they're not wrong for it. And you've got a chain in your car right now. 100%. Once that happened, I immediately dumped my car, jump into my friend's car. And he's driving, and my friend chances there. And he starts beating the crap out of the,

he's just beating the dog shit out of the dude who took the chain. Like, what the fuck is wrong what you're putting? You know, and he's just beating his ass. And they're going crazy. And I'm thinking like, fuck, so. We make it to my house. I'm like, all right, guys. I'll see y'all later, man.

Just go. And I run upstairs, and I'll never forget it. My sister was there and my mom, man. And I'm 19. And I run upstairs and I open up my bed. I have like a stash spot there. I grab like a stack of cash. I grab a pistol and a bunch of, I think it was some, some weed and some other stuff.

And I got this huge like navy camo blue thing in the middle of summer in Florida. I'm run down. And they're like, what's going on, Jeremy? And you know, you know, and they're like, what's going on, Viking, whatever you want to call me? And I'm like, guys, listen, I love you. You won't be seeing me for a while. And my mom just was like so sad. But like, so I leave and I run.

And I'll never forget it. My neighbor who was like a good friend of mine, also a fellow criminal at the time. He's like, dude, I don't know what you did. But there's swat in here. Dogs everywhere helicopters come to my house now. And I remember running. I'm running and running, running. and I see the helicopters and they're in there and he opens up the garage and I slide in there

and I'm in there and I end up giving him like a thousand dollars and I stay there for the night. I'm watching them all look for me nonstop. You know, they have me as like a violent felon that just pulled a knife out on a guy and rob them for no reason. Right. And now what are you thinking that you're going to go on the run for a while and hope it dies down? Oh, no, I'm all in now. I'm telling myself, this is it.

I'm going to, I'm screwed. You know what I mean? And I'm hoping. Are you thinking like if I can get away from these guys, then I just, I'm just, I'm They're going to keep doing what I'm doing? So in the moment, I was just thinking to get away. Okay. So then once I got my mind cleared, and remember, I'm 19, so I don't really have my frontal lobes develop there, you know?

So my thinking was, all right, you know, I'm going to go get a hold of the dude that took the chain. I'm going to force him to go and admit that he took that chain and ran in my car. Because regardless, there's one thing you don't do, man, and we don't take people's chains and then run in a car. And the guy was like, they're taking pictures of my license plate, and he's just sitting there laughing. So I was like, you know what? And I'm going to get the chain back and they'll drop the charges. Right, right. That was how I was thinking.

So, and I'll turn myself in and I'll be all right. So, you know, and obviously, I find the dude. We get him. He gives me back the chain. And we end up working something out to where he admits that he didn't know I pulled the knife out. And I said, I didn't know. He didn't know I had a knife. And I didn't know.

We both admit that. And I was like, okay, cool. And now I was thinking like, good, you did something good, man. You know, as much as a piece of shit you were for doing that, I mean, we're all a piece of shits. But, you know, dirtbag on dirtbag crime at least help. And I'm trying to say, like, these guys are drug dealers, though. They're like, yeah, okay, man. So he does that for me.

I had a public defender. I give him that. And he's like, the fuck am I going to do it this, dude? Some guy telling us that he committed a crime and you didn't know he committed a crime. I didn't do shit, dude. And so my friend Chance went again after him and did whatever he had to do and got him to get me a paid lawyer. And I sat in that jail for probably a year. And I ended up maybe a little bit over a year in Broward.

And basically, I haven't been caught yet. I was going to say, by the way, that makes sense that like these are two separate events. Like one is like, like I understand what you're saying. I don't know why your lawyer would say this doesn't mean shit. that to me that means everything. Did I pull, you know, I had a knife. Did I pull a knife? Yeah, but it was only because this guy's banging on my window.

It was a fight. It had nothing to do with a robbery. Because the moment there's a robbery and you used a weapon. I mean, you're looking at what, 10, 15 years in Florida? Something like that? It was a game changer. If that was the whole thing, yeah. So that's why immediately once that guy's, the PD, the public defender said that, I said, I got to get a lawyer.

Yeah. So, so, so, yeah, the guy who initially did that, you know, he fucked up and he knew he did. He paid for a lawyer. And he's like, you're face. an armed robbery, you know. So let's go back. Oh, yeah. You get arrested. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So I'm still on the run now and I'm everywhere. I'm just living from place to place, just whatever. And once I get everything situated, you know, and I have like kind of situated, I end up getting caught on the run, getting in a traffic stop. And I get caught in a traffic stop. And I go directly there. And my charge is

arm robbery, robbery with a deadly weapon, battery with a deadly weapon, battery with a deadly weapon, battery with a deadly weapon causing harm and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and the other one was conspiracy to commit armed robbery as if we plan this the whole event what is that what is that if you get sentenced what is that I'm facing life okay at 19 fuck but you do have two prior charges yeah and yeah and they're all similar you know like MOs you know yeah yeah so I was like holy shit and in 19 I'm still like so I would say just so immature that, yes, I'm, like, scared, but I'm thinking, like, I can't show any emotion.

Like, so I'm in the jail now. I'm, you know, basic traffic stop, pulled over. They knew who I was. I think somebody told on me, they pull, they pull out guns, felony stop. They, they beat my ass, take me to jail. And I'm in there, and they put me in a high custody tank because I'm facing life in prison now at 19. And I'm like, fuck, man, like, like, dang, like, you know.

But whatever, I'm learning it. And now I'm in the adult. situation now and I'm seeing oh this is a whole different world these are grown men that that that you know so I am like having to like lose that young mentality a fight fight fight fight fight fight because these dudes aren't they're stabbing and they're waiting for you to go somewhere in a blind spot and they're gonna you know so it's a whole different calculated game they're making money in here so you get you can't just be acting reckless and I'm learning this also while facing life I'm just so like like just it's the it was the weirdest I don't know how to describe it was like almost like

out of body experience now looking back. Like being 19 thinking, this is going to be my life forever. I have no hope, nothing. And then at the same time, having to be there and be ready for whatever because I'm 19 and I think these dudes are going to all try to victimize me. And I will never be a victim is how I had it. So I went the extra mile in that jail. And, you know, it is jail.

So it's not as crazy as prison. But these are all people facing serious, serious crimes. You know, they got red bands on, which is like high custody. So I'm in there sitting for probably six, maybe 14 months at the time. And they're not coming down. They're trying to sentence me to 14, 15 years. And I'm like, fuck, man, but I got the information. Like, like, I'm thinking, why isn't this?

And they're like, it doesn't matter with your history. You're outrunning with knives. You know. So they go and they say, listen, what we'll do is if you plead guilty to every single one of these charges, we'll do what's called a open plea. And we'll give you a, and you know what an open plea is, guys? Yeah, I know an open plea in the federal system, and I don't know anybody that's ended up well for. So, yeah, they kind of convince you, like, you'll go on from the judge, you'll explain the situation, the judge will just make the call.

And then, of course, your lawyer kind of convinced you, like, the judge is going to see, he's going to see that you, it wasn't your fault, and it was just this isolated small event where it was a bar fight. He's going to understand. You could explain that to him. Really, your lawyer kind of knows, like, like, bro, you're going to get in front of the fucking judge. It's going to be, he's going to be like, you're a fucking menace. Yeah, that's 100% right. And I was so young and naive and you hit it right on the head, bro,

because I'm thinking, oh, they'll see it my way. Like, they'll see that it was just a bar fight on my end. And I'll be all right, man. I got the stuff like that. All right, yeah, right. Like, the fact that he's even having me open plea facing life was, like, crazy. Now, so we finally get to court, and this is when one of these moments in life that you just never forget. And I go in front of the judge, and he's reading the stuff, and he's like, so, you know, Jeremy, Viking, you know, Mr. Viking, you want to open plea to all these robbery, conspiracies to commit armed robbery, I'm like, yes.

And I'm thinking, he's like, don't worry, the prosecutor's going to put a good word in for you. you're good, right? But I'm so young and I'm naive that I'm thinking, okay, I'm good. And so I'm like, okay, cool. And he's like, you know, so he's reading everything. And he's like, now listen, you know I can give you anything from time served today to life in prison. Do you understand that? Yes, sir.

And then they go through the whole thing. Are you making this plea, you know, knowingly willing to ask you all? You're in drugs, alcohol. Yes. No, sir. Yes, I understand, you know. And I'm doing it. And I'm thinking, okay, here comes the prosecutor going to come in my.

He's like, worry, relax. I'm like, life in prison. What the fuck? You know, like, I'm freaking out. He's like, just calm down, man. And I'm like, all right. And the prosecutor goes, sir, we recommend that this man gets 22 years in prison. And I'm like, what?

And I go, I thought you said, we're going to go to that. That was the good work? Yeah, no, that was my lawyer who said the prosecutor was going to be. They all got it all worked out. Yeah. And I, like, now looking back, I know that they just basically, like, sold me out like that. And I look at him. He's like, don't worry, no worry.

He's still telling me not to worry. And I'm just like, I'm 19 going through this. Like, I just don't know what to do. I don't know if I want to cry or just anger. I don't know what to do. And I'm thinking, like, but there's still hope, you know. So I'm like, maybe the judge will see it. So then he, my lawyer goes to talk and he's just like, listen, we showed you, you know, he's

the most basic thing. I'm like, tell him about the paper. He's like, and then we got the paper where the guy says he did this and it didn't mean for this and, you know, that's it. But tell him about my, this. what I have, my plans. And like, it's like the quickest thing ever. It was like over before it started.

And I seen that. And I said, I got to take this in my own hands. So I said, I said, I said, your honor, can I speak? And he goes, okay, just know, you know, what you're facing. And he goes over it again about faith. And I said, I know that I messed up. And I know that I have to do time. I would just like to be able to come out at some time relatively young or go somewhere

where I can change maybe a youth defender program or something like that. And he's like, well, we've already done that. You know, we tried that. And, you know, it didn't work. And he's like, he's like, so I'm looking here and they're recommending 20 some odd years. And, you know, your lawyer really didn't give me a really good reason for your, your circumstances to this.

So he's reading it and reading it. And it was like, oh, my God. I'm like, this is it. I mean, this is my life now. And he comes in and he goes, well, I'm going to tell you like this, Mr. Viking. He goes, you're lucky. And right,

I'm lucky. I'm thinking like, okay. And he goes, there's a new program here. It's a youth defender. And YO. in Florida's youth defender where you get a one chance at it,

where you can get, it's one to six years. You can get, if you're under the age of 23, and he's like, I'm sending you to the youth defender program. You know, you're going to do,

I think it was you have your credit plus two, and you'll have to do the rest on probation. I was like, okay. But. So how much? Tommy did he just give you? So it would be a total of almost three years. So it would be, but you already have a year. Yeah. So basically, and then with 85% I'm looking at like 20 months maybe,

not bad, right? But Y-O is insane. It's just, it's like horror stories because there's no organization. There's no like we're doing, it's just pure, not fighting. I mean, they're putting broomstick up dudes asses in there. And it's just insanity. It's like that, like I described the direct file, 12 floor like that on steroids. So I'm hearing all these stories like, do you not have a fight, man, you're going to learn. So I get to the area, finally I go back to the jail. But to me, I won. I'm like, whew, I did it.

And so now I've barely had any time free. I know the system. I know, you know, I'm hearing these horror stories, but I'm ready for whatever. So they transfer me. I get there. And it's similar to that with like the drill instructors, but these are CEOs and everybody's in there for serious crimes. and you get one chance at Youth Offender. That's it in your life.

You can never get it again. No matter if you're a teenager and you get arrested multiple times, you get it once. And I got blessed that time. And I go in there and boom, right at it. It was pure just from the beginning, fightings, a lot of more stabbing. They had a thing called razor tag. Hey, fellas, do you want your grooming routine to be a one-and-done deal? Well, the days of using the same trimmer for your face and your private parts are over,

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No more juggling multiple tools or dealing with subpar results. Just efficient, effective grooming wherever you need it. They had a thing called razor tag where I hit you in the face. They go back. You're it. And it was just, it was chaos. And it was this street and this. And it was just fight after fight.

Extortion. That was the big thing. Extortion in the Florida prison. And if you weren't, like, had anything going and you weren't fighting and immediately test the heart. They call it the TOH or a heart check. You walk in there and they'll try it. They'll take your canteen, your stuff, slap you in the face, and you'll have to line it up. And that's the term for like, you're going to fight me.

You're going to fight my brother. You're going to fight him. And after child, you'll fight again. And it was just like, holy shit, man, going through this again, but even more violent. But I made it through and I got out. And this time I thought, you know what? I'm going to change my life, right? That's what I thought.

You know, so now I'm 21, 22. And I get up and I get out and I'm like, all right, I got a little probation and stuff to do. And, you know, I'm like, I'm doing good now. And that was like my introduction to real prison. Even though it was a youth offender thing, it was the most violent thing place I've ever been yet. And very corrupt. The CEOs will put people, you know, in your cell or like to fight you or your enemies. He's like a lot of nasty games going on.

But I had yet to see the adult system where dudes are making house payments on the inside. And they're going to kill you over that over nothing. All right. And I get out and I'm trying to do right. And I have the mind frame. And I meet this chick who's a stripper. And, you know, she ends up putting me up to another lick. And I'm like, fuck, man.

It's like this shoulder, this shoulder here. And I immediately, I'm just, I go from zero to 100 within. I'd say six months of me being out, and I'm still on parole, or not, it's probation. They don't have parole, but it's basically parole. And I just go on a robbing spree. I'm robbing every drug dealer there is. And this chick and I are like Bonnie and Clyde. You know, when we got arrested, they could call us Bonnie and Clyde a Boca.

And I'm just going crazy. She's like the cute little, like, girl. And I was really turned it up now because my level of violence and what I've felt, I had a lot more rage, a lot more. I was diabolical. And I was just robbing everything. And we ended up, there was a store that was a front for a drug dealer. And we robbed them and they were after us.

And then I went to go collect money at this house where they were supposed to be like the guy at and whatever. It was a job for somebody. And she was like, I'm going to go there. And I was like, just wait a second. She was like so pushing me to go. And I'm like, come. What do you rush you? Like she was like almost like doing the old like, I need a man.

come with me like you know like like of course I'm but I'm a man I'll go so I go with her and automatically I go to it's like an apartment building and I know something's not right it's the guy's supposed to be here nobody's here and she's like look listen they got the money in there we're just going to fucking take it I got a key to the thing and she starts using like a nail clipper and there's cameras everywhere but I don't I don't even give a shit I'm just wondering like what's going on here and I was like what are you doing and she's like shut the fuck just help me and I was like I thought you had a key I thought it's got and I see what's going on and so we're arguing and it's on video and everything like that and uh and i'm like uh what the fuck you know

you know and all the sudden i said you know what you want to be tough you want to be a gangster you know you know you know shit you know and i did all this time already growing up in the system state race i kick in the door i go in there and there's a little money in there but i realized that this was like not the right spot this was all bullshit and and i feel like i find out later it was all set up so we go in there and i'm looking and there's nothing there we leave and within probably five minutes, the cops are there right on us. A setup for what, to arrest you? So let me explain it better.

So the girl that I was doing this with had got caught with some pills earlier. And they're like, we know your man is the one responsible for all these robberies, all these stuff out here. And I wasn't robbing civilians. I was strict, but some of these businesses were front, some of these places were, you know. And the cops don't know when they get there if it's a legit business. You're breaking in, you know, and there's civilians that live in there. and they're like, so you're going to go to jail, you're going to lose your kid, or, you know, let us know what's going on.

So she's like, I think he might be going to this place. So her way of doing it was, hey, I know where some money's at. I know a place we can collect it. You'll get broken off. And as we're getting there closer, it was like, I see now she was buying time. And she was like, oh, we'll just take the fucking money. We'll just get the money. And I'm like, but I still wanted to go along with it because I didn't want to look scared to her or anything like that.

and I love this girl, right? She was different. Right. And so eventually I kick in the door and I realized that it's all bullshit. And I'm like, let's get the fuck out of here. And she's like, no, wait, wait, let's take this. Let's take that. She's waiting for the cops.

Yeah, she's trying to take clothes. Like shit that we've never done before closed. What do you doing? And I'm like, let's fucking go. So we leave and we don't get too far. And all of a sudden, they just come. The cops like sworn. I run.

I get the fuck out of there. Did they follow you or? So I think they were either watching it. Or they were on their way. Or somehow, like, they never put her out there like that. But in my mind, I know from the paperwork that she wasn't informant, and I feel like she told them where I would be at a certain time. And they got me there.

And I got away. You know, I ran, got away and hit off into this area I was living. And I was living in this freaking apartment building where the landlord was a dope fiend. And I would just pay my rent with whatever drugs I stole. And so I could just hide in this apartment, that apartment. I told him what was going on. He's like, going this one, going that one. And I'm on the run, just hiding from place to place.

And all of a sudden, I would say a month of getting away, maybe a little less, I hear a knock on the door. And they say, I'm like, who is it? They're like, it's Timmy, or they just say, I know. I look, and that's a two-story, and they got everywhere surrounded. No, remember, I'm 22, man. And, like, again, here I am, like, in another situation. They're like, SWAT team around, guns pointed.

it everywhere and I'm like fuck and they're like listen you're done you know and they're like they come in they arrest me take me down to the station they they flip the house and there was shit in the house it wasn't even mine I got charged with all of it like whatever everything that was in there from weapons to all types of shit dude and on top of it they bring me down to the station and they show me the recording of me kicking in the door and and I was like oh my brain I was like that's it And they're like, oh, no, no, she's, she's over there telling everything right now. You're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're going down. And they, you know, but I'm like, I want my lawyer.

I mean, I don't do the snitch and shit. I don't, and plus, there's no talk on your way out of it. They don't come in with a SWAT team to let you go later on. Right. So now this is my introduction to manhood now. Now, it's real. You know, there's no more. So this is where things get really, like, this is where my life, to me, this was a blessing.

But what I went through, you know, So in the end, it justified the means, I guess you would say. But I had to really go through this to really get to the man I am today, the father I am today. So I'm arrested. They take me down to the gun club, you know. And why I'm there, I have a case in Broward County. Broward County, something with, something, battery on a law enforcement, resisting arrest that I don't even know where this was. They bring me there.

why I'm there. In my mind, I'm already committed. I'm 100% all in. It's going to be my life. I don't, I just completely cut off my family. I remember, like, I had picked up the phone or something, and they were like, yeah, I'm in traffic, man, I can't take it. I'm just thinking, I just couldn't relate.

This is my life forever now. Right, right. That's how I feel. I'm never going home. I've burnt all my chances, burnt all my family. It's over, you know. So I'm in there and I'm waiting to get this case resolved to go to Palm Beach, to go take my prison time and go start the rest of my life.

and in there my friend comes to me that I know because this is in my town you know relatively close and he's like dude you see who that dude is and I'm like who and he goes he's such and such and what he was doing was he was putting cameras in the kiddie bathrooms at a local park that you know we all grew up at and selling it on whatever he was doing it on and one of the kids that could have been a victim was a friend of the family my family and so I make a decision there that you know this was my first time really seeing chomos and because like in the juvenile and all and that you you don't really see that too much it's more just young kids that are fighting rob and stealing maybe a couple of here but it's mainly just all like drug dealing and so this

was like i was like you motherfucker and i felt it was my duty to do this make a name for myself because now i'm going to the adult system for a very long time and i remember i talked to the trustee and the officer and i say to him i say what's up with dude and he's like yeah that's him, you know, confirm it. I said, can I get some help? He goes, yeah. He goes, just make it happen quick. So they had it come up with the trustee because we're in jail and the trustee are the ones that serve the trays or they're sentenced to like less than a year. And that's only in jail. You know, they don't really have trustees in state prison in Florida. I'm aware of. And they cover where the officer could see with the trust, with all the,

the trays. And I, and I go up to the dude and I say, man, what do you, what are you, what are you a, what's your definition of a, and I go, you know what, I'm talking about, motherfucker. And, you know, at this time, I'm a state race, so I'm, I've done thousands of, you know, like I'm grown up in the system. So all I know is violence and push-ups, dude, really. And he's like, this was a hustle, man. This was a hustle, man.

And I've beat his ass from fucking pillar to post. And, you know, finally, about after 15 minutes of it, he's in the shower, just completely bloodied out. And you know what, dude? I regret a lot of things I've done in my life. but never when it comes to someone who hurts women or children like that. I don't give a fuck, dude, ever. And so they come in, the officers, they cuff me up.

They bring me in the room, like, you took it too far, man, you fucking idiot. And I'm thinking, like, I took it too far. You guys are helping me do this, but I don't say that. And I'm just like, yeah, whatever. I'm just keeping quiet. And they put me in like another, like an isolation unit, like a confinement, basically. And they're like, yeah, man, you're going to get outside charges. You fucked him up.

And I'm like, whatever. them and I'm sitting in there, you know, going to wait and going to these little court dates. And I can't believe that they're even doing this in my mind for a fucking chomo. And that's the mentality, though, that I had as I should be able to do what the I want if I believe the reason's right. You know what I mean? That's my thinking at the time. So I eventually, it was like they were trying to offer me a plea of like three years.

And I was like, no, I want to trial. I'm going to trial. There's no witnesses. And then he ends up forgetting what happened and saying he doesn't remember me or anything like that. Right. So they dropped the whole thing. They dropped the case and then I got that hold off me. They sent me to Palm Beach. Get the Palm Beach County jail now. Now I'm facing the home invasions, the burglaries, the armed robberies, all in the drug dealers. And that's when I get my discovery and find

out, yes, that girl was an informant. She had set me up in charges that I didn't even know I was going to get charged with or because of her. And it was fucked up. You know, and things that they found, she testified that they were 100% mine when they really weren't, but who can say they weren't. And she testified to only get a year on her time. And that's what it was. So I was like, all right. So here I am. And they left me in the holding tank for like, I'd say two days, dude. And they kept interrogating me. Tell us. Tell us. Tell us. Tell us. And I was like, like, I'm built different. I told them because I had that mentality of that youth criminal, you know. And what is the benefit to telling them, to admitting to it? I mean, are they saying if you-

They're trying to think I'm like this young kid that's like, just, Tell us what happened, dude. Like, because I'm guilty. And like, yeah, dude, and we'll help you get to rehab, whatever you. And I'm just like, dude, can I, can I go back? And so they're, like, shocked that a young kid is, like, so callous to the system. And I was like, you know, and so I go back. Finally, they bring me to, like, to where you go outside of the holding tank.

Like, and they put you in basically a transitional cell or a unit where you're going to go to based on your custody. And I got labeled with max custody. and it's called the East Side. They call it the jungle. And I was like, holy shit. And I remember they're like, all right, we're going to call names. But you haven't been sentenced yet.

No, no. Let me explain it better. I'm sorry. So in Gun Club, and when you're on the adult side, you basically, you go in and after you get through intake, you go into a unit where they kind of do a mini classification. Yeah, yeah. Okay. And then they, based upon your charges, your case, your, you know, your level of, you know,

management they put you in a unit based on that and you're only in there a couple of days and they go call your name every and they say you're going to this road you're going here and i'm like all right i'll just go i'm thinking i'm going to go to the easy side and they put me on the east side which is literally chaos and and i'm going to get into that right now so as soon as i go there i remember a dude i knew he's like oh man boy you're Fuck, dude. You're fucked, dude. He's like, I hope you. Oh, boy. That's, and I'm like, and I'm thinking, like, man, you did. Like, that was my mind then, you know, I, I didn't care. Like, nobody could tell me anything, right? And that false bravado. So I remember we walked to the unit. And I'm looking, and there's no officers anywhere in sight.

Their thing is down, so they can't even look in there. So I'm like, what the heck? And it's two-man cells. And I'm thinking, oh, a dude can get beat to death. So these stories are true when I'm hearing. And this is just jail. And so I get in there. And I remember I'm with another white guy. And he's like, uh, I ain't going in this motherfucker. I'm checking in. And I'm thinking like, what a bitch, dude.

And now I look back. I'm like, shit. He was right the whole time, dude. But obviously, I was in a check-in and I was ready for whatever came my way. And this is the first time I've ever been in a place where there's no assigned bunks or anything like that. So I'm walking with my stuff. And I'm looking in the cell and they're like, not here, white boy. So I go down to the next cell.

And then I'm like, not here, bro. I go here unless you're going to pay And so I'm like, holy fuck So finally this cool Mexican dude He's like man you come here bro So I come in there and put my stuff down And he's like giving me the run around He's like listen dude

I know it's County Jail but this is serious here bro You got dudes fighting death penalty cases Dudes facing life prid like this isn't anything to play with They're robin cells You know so he's showing me And we're talking This is over course of like three or four hours And he's showing me where the knives are at

And he's like don't if you're on any like pussy bullshit Any weak mind shit coward axe dude I will, we will fuck you up, dude, you understand. I got you, bro. He's like, you bring anybody in here on that bullshit. We'll fuck you up. And they're part of an organization, some, like a southern Mexican organization,

whatever they are. You know, that's who they are. And so I'm seeing the chaos. It's just unreal. And one of the first nights I'm in there, they beat the shit out of this kid so bad. And the way they come and count, I just couldn't believe this because I was used to like the structured system.

Now it's like, they come in, they're like, all right, you guys all here. All right, cool, boom, and they walk out. The officers and they go back to doing it. And they tuck the guy in. And it took like almost a day to realize he was in a coma. And it took him out. And it was just like, I was like, okay, this is the real deal.

And I was like, let me try to see if I can get bonded out. I remember getting on the farm. Yeah, so this is like the day after. I call my mom. And I say, hey, and she's like, hey, baby, how are you? You know, I was like, good mom. I was like, so you think I can bonded out? She's like, your bond's like 100,000.

Like, what do you think? No. She's like, you need to stay in there and suffer the consequences. You're not getting out. Yeah. I said, all right, I understand, mom. And while I'm on the phone, a dude says to me, he goes, hey, let me get a three-way Billy Cracker.

And a three-way, if, you know, people don't know, it's basically back in the day you would have the other person that you're calling on the prison phone, jail phone, make a call for you. Right. And unless you know that person, that's very disrespectful. And Cracker in Florida isn't like a bad thing to say. But it is, you know what I mean? It is obviously racist, but it's not as bad as people think from other states. But the fact that he asked me for like a three-way didn't know me and said that while I'm on the phone, it was automatic rounds.

We have to fight. So my mind is still on the youth offender mindset, the juvenile prison mindset where we go in the cell, we fight one-on-one and we go about it. Like, you know, and that's how it is, you know. And or if it's other shit, it's always usually a one-on-one or we make it happen, but it's always usually like, controlled. So I walk into the cell. I was like, what's up? So I was, all right, mom, I love you by. Click, hang up. I go, what's up? And he's like, uh, he's like, what's up? What's up? What's up? White boy, let's go. So we go into the cell, right? And this was the first mistake I made. But obviously I learned after this one. And we get in there and, and we're strapped up,

put your shoes on. And we square up. Boom, boom, boom, boom. We're fighting in there. And all you hear is squeaking of the feet, you know, boom, slap into the face. And, you know, he's getting the better of me, but I'm landing. But like, I'm trying to make a point that I'm not the one. I'm going to be here for a while. And all of a sudden, I feel like just hit in the back of my head. I don't know if it was a lock or a rock or whatever it could have been, but it was something that wasn't a fist. And I didn't get knocked out.

But I was like, I was like my legs were weak. And I just saw the stars. And like three of them came in the room of his friends. And they just start boom, boom, boom, boom, jumping me, hitting me with whatever weapon they had. And I'm just like getting just completely jumped. And I'm swinging wild. Boom, boom, boom. And I remember I grabbed one dude's head.

and we fell back into the um we fell back like that and like we're between this little wall and the toilet and like the dude goes and he goes to football kick me like the like because i have his friend and my face is right here right and his friends and i'm like poking his eye and biting him i'm like literally like this is oh this is bad for your life yeah like just straight to drain and i remember like putting my finger in his ear and like just giving him baby like i'm not letting him go this is my all i got and the dude goes like get off my own boom and he and he kicks me and he and he kicks me and And I go to block it with this hand, and it ends up, like, I didn't know at the time, but he completely dislocated, broke this whole entire, like, wrist and finger was hanging off like this. And I was like, ah, and he kicks me again.

They have, boom, football kick. But I'm still holding on to the guy. And they just keep, they're hitting it. And I'm still just kind of somehow the adrenaline. And they're like, yo, let's put his head in the toilet. And basically, a thing they do in Florida, they call flushing your soul down the toilet is, especially if they don't, like, they do with the, like, people that are, like, fighting back. Like it's fucked up, but like, uh, they didn't like that I was doing this. That dude was embarrassed that I was like, like just getting him.

All his friends were beating my ass. And he's like, put his head in the toilet and just kick it in. So they were going to put my head in the metal toilet and just stomp me to death and flush it. They call it flush and soul down the toilet. And I don't know, just the adrenaline, the rush or whatever. I just, I just, and I get up and I'm just kind of backing out of the cell. Boom, boom, boom. So like I was, it was just that, like you hear how like the moms lift up with the buses or whatever.

It was that same type of thing. And I just never felt that much. Like the most dangerous person is someone that's in fear. Right. Not scared, but fear. And it was just a power. I never even knew I was as strong. And so I back out of that cell and I'm just fighting my way out.

And like, I'm not feeling anything yet. And dude that I was originally fighting, he's like coming towards me and we're squaring up again. And they're coming there too. And they go one time, one time. The officers are coming in to do the count. And I'm like, all right. So like that adrenaline dump comes.

boom. I go in the cell. My roommate is the Mexican dude. He's cool. He's like, hey, you're a warrior. Mind my accent, dude. I'm not really good at accent. But he's like, hey, white boy, you're a warrior, dude. Holy shit. And I had a, and I ended up finding out there, but I had a broken or with a bone. Completely dis, my thumb's right here. It's all messed up. I'm bleeding everywhere, everywhere. And it's all setting in now. Like, I'm the adrenaline dump. Right. And he's like, yo, we got to hide you, though. And when they, when they, they flick the light, so you have about a minute or so, to kind of get it. Some guy's mopping up the bull real quick,

like, and everyone's going in the cell like nothing happened. And he's trying to, he's like, let me fix you up. And he's taking a sock, and he's trying to sew this thing, but it's so gashed. And he's like, he's thinking the work. And he's taking, like, a sock string with a needle, fucking probably almost, luckily I can get no diseases, right? And he's just trying to get through it and it's not working.

And he's looking at me and he's like, just go into the covers, bro, and pretend you're sleeping. So I'm like, all right, all right. So the officer's coming there. He's like, all right, man. Everybody good. Everybody here? and they're like, yeah, man, yeah.

It's just crazy, right? This is a horrible story. Yeah, it's a horror. It's a horror story. Okay. And anybody that's been there will contest. Like, this is how it is in Gun Club. It's very, like, the south side isn't like this, but the east and west is just brutal in the 12th floor.

So I get out of the, off the bed. And he's like, hey, man, you know, you're a warrior. You know, we respect you. He's like, but you know, these motherfuckers, you know, it is what it is. He's like, he's telling me basically I should go to meddle. right now check in basically. I said, fuck that, man. Look at me.

Do I look like I want to check in now, dude? I almost got my head flushed down the toilet, dude, you know? And he's like, all right, bro. So I got out and dude's like coming up to me and I was like, let's go back. Let's run it again. And he's like, nah, man, we're good, right? And he's like, he's like trying to talk. He's like, no, fuck that.

Dude, let's run it. Come on. So everyone's standing there and he's like, all right, all right, then let's do it. So we square up to run it again. And he's got all his partners with him. and like they're kind of like we're getting closer and then like they kind of stop and I'm like what the fuck you know and he's like no we're good I'm straight and like then I realize because obviously my peripheral vision everything was I'm bleeding out my ear everything is that his group is met the Mexican his brothers and everything like that the South Siders you know they're standing behind me and they're like nah bro you're gonna give the white boy a one-on-one he's a warrior he already showed it he'll fight and in my head initially I was thinking like why didn't where were y'all at before yeah But it's politics, you know. They want to make sure if, you know.

Yeah, I was just saying, but they didn't know you were standing in. They didn't know anything about it. And they didn't know I would stand up and they didn't want to lose face, you know. And they're standing there. They got knives in their hand. One dude's facing a death penalty, you know. And they're like, you know, so they basically fall back. And I was like, all right.

We go back to the side. He's like, bro, you're a warrior, bro. He's like, he's like, we respect you dude. He's like, you'll never have. I mean, you'll get one-on-ones and this and that. But you prove it, bro. We got your back. that I'm the only white white dude in here.

Right. Period. You know, the other white dude is the one that left in the coma. And so, so like, you know, but I didn't really have any hate at that time. I just felt like I was doing time because in the juvenile and stuff, it's, you don't, they don't push that ideology on you like they do in the adult system in prison. And so I'm in there and about four or five days go by and they're like, they're like, that white boy is crazy, bro.

Like, I'm walking around, thumb is hanging off. And just, you know, and he's always trying to gash it up. up there they're using like string and it's just getting worse and um and i'm like fucked up fucked up like and you know like after a car accident you don't feel it but like later on yeah so it's that thing but except an ass whooping to the highest degree and um my thumb are in the cell and i'm talking to my bucket and he's like bro you need to fucking get some help so since my thumb was broken and dislocated and the bone was like coming a little bit out it started to get had staff infection on it and it was turning like greenish.

Oh, you could lose your whole hand. Yeah. And I'm leaking out of my eye and I could go blind from my eye. Like in fights, like that's why they stop it because the can make you blind. And my ear is bleeding and I'm just, I'm fucked up. But I have this, this false ego. And I'm like, uh, I ain't going nowhere, dude. He's like, dude, you're going to lose your fucking hand.

Dude, you don't have nothing more to prove, bro. He's like, you just fucking went through hell, dude. And I mean, come on, bro. Think about your. Did you want to lose your fucking hand over this bullshit? Like, all right. So they come in. So you're trying to impress a bunch of guys that you will never see again.

Yeah. And don't give a fuck about you. Yeah. And yeah, you're 100% right. And so then I think an officer came in or somehow I talked to him and he's like, I was like, I got to go to medical. And he's like, what the fuck?

I was like, yeah, I fell in the shower. And he's like, you know, I'm going to keep a real, though. I'm not, you know, I'm not a rat. And he looked. He's like, huh? And I was like, yeah, man, I'm fucking detox. I fell in the shower. I had a seizure, you know.

And he's like. In your hand? like you've been here like a month now almost like we're however long you're detoxing like it doesn't make sense you know and he's like uh whatever so they bring me down and uh they dude the craziest shit is like they're like they're like so they got a chair let me rewind so so he's like just tell me what happened dude tell me what happened right it's all right but just tell us dude let's get him the fuck out of there and i go i fell in the shower bro come on bro come on bro come on man why why why even ask it anymore so he's like all right so they're like just sit here for a minute

we'll get you some help and they put you in what's called it's like this black chair and the more you move the more they and they could wheel you and it gets like this to the point of tight and they're putting me in this with the broken hand and I'm bleeding everywhere and I'm like what the fuck and it keeps tightening it up and I can't move and they're wheeling me around like tell us and they're showing pictures of each inmate and I'm like I can't see shit dude I failed what are y'all doing I need help and finally a captain a corporal came in there and they're like what the are you guys doing man take this kid the medical dude so they go and uh they took me to the I think they I don't know if I went to outside medical.

Yeah, I went to outside medical and it was like the local hospital because my thumb was so, the bone was out and the stitches. They didn't have the type of care they needed. And I remember going there and they were trying to snap my finger back into place with the bone. They finally get it back. They wrap it up and I get the stitches and I had a staff infection on the bone. Bad, my knee, ribs broken, nose broken, just fucked up. I had a something with not a bone in my ear, but something got inside my ear.

ear and they had to put like a fluid out of it it was it was a rough one dude and uh so i get they put me on the west side wing which is the medical so i think i'm gonna do easy time now all right like i'm gonna i'll just heal up be all right nope it's florida they love this violence in the state system at least and uh i'm in there and i'm taking a shit and i'm already learned how to to do everything you know shit and like i have one like you have your short like you don't have both of your shorts on your ankles. You got one off in case you got to stand up. And this is an open bay. It's medical. So like, you're really not expecting violence in there. And I'm taking a shit in the thing. And all of a sudden, dude walks up and punches me right on the shitter.

And I'm having pretty much my first butt-neged fight. And we're fighting right here, rolling around on this dirty floor. And, you know, the guards monitor, or the officers monitor the medical wing a lot more than any other unit because, you know, it's a medical wing. And people die or they have seizure, so they have to, they can get a lot of lawsuits for not doing it. So they came in real quick and broke it up. And it turned out it was one of the dudes that jumped me in that whole chaos. And he happened just being, I don't know if they sent him there or whatever happened. So that happened. And we fought. And eventually I healed. And I got sent to another wing and I fought maybe two or more, three or more times, probably the same dudes, the whole crew of them.

And finally, it's my day to go to court and take my time. I had been here now, a little bit over a year now, maybe 14, 15 months, and including the Brower from with the Chomo and out of here. And I'm finally getting ready to go. And I have a lawyer and I'm like, all right, cool. Because my mom actually was like, listen, you need to go to president. You need to learn your lesson. But I'll get you a lawyer. So she gets me Mr.

Magoo. Literally do look like Mr. Magoo. He couldn't, I thought he was blind. I really did, dude. And he's like, yeah, yeah, I think we should go to trial. I go, dude, they got me on camera kicking in a door. What are you talking about? And he goes, well, what about a open plea, open plea?

That's how he talking. Open plea, open. I'm like, what? Open plea. And I'm like, dude, what are you talking? He literally looked just like Mr. Magoo, what's like, Neil, whatever that comedian's name is with the white hair. And I was like, open plea.

I started like having flashbacks again. And he's like, well, dude, it's either we go to trial and we explain why you shouldn't or you do the, and I'm like, I'm kind of screwed. And I was like, well, what's the state? offering, 17 years. So I'm like, so I gamble. I say, I'll do another open plea. Let's go. And I go, I'll get time served for the Browered, right? And this, he goes, yeah, yeah. I go, okay, you know, but obviously I'm just like trying to compartmentalize. Yeah. So we go to court finally. And I'm in there now and I'm an adult now and they're reading my, you know, I have a horrible history,

history in the jail. This is a different judge. Yeah, I'm in a whole different county now. And this is Palm Beach and this is for the case where I was robbing with the girl who was in the form. Yeah. You kicked in the door. And so with her and I, and she had already like put a sworn statement on me, took her time. She had been gone home already probably about three or four months into her thing.

So like a year ago. And from that time, a year prior. So I'm like, so they got the stay. I'm like, I'm fucked. This is it. And so I go there and it's just my dad and I, my dad's a, my dad's a. in the, you know, like the area where the civilians can go and we're there. And I'm talking to the lawyer and he's like, I think we're going to be the same situation.

We're going to be right here, man. And I'm thinking like, this man can't, he looks here, but he's really trying to look here at my file. Like literally Mr. Magoo. And the state goes up and they say, your honor, we just want to know. Or he asked what do you guys recommend? He gives me the whole thing. You know I can send you up to 47 years in prison based upon did or I can give you the same, same spiel again. And I was like, yes, sir, yes, sir.

So I want to hear from the state first, and then we'll hear from you guys. So the state goes, what do you think? So I'm thinking they're going to just 17 years is what they're going to do. That's the worst case scenario. I'm thinking maybe. And that's what my lawyer told me. But I'm like, okay, I can do 17 maybe. Well, I thought the 47, you could.

He could. But he's like, they either are going to go with my recommendation, the state's recommendation, or somewhere in the middle. Okay. So I'm thinking the worst in my, I'm just probably compartmentalizing it again, knowing that. But when he said 47 years, I felt like I had to take a shit right there in my pants. Right.

But I'm just like, whatever, being stoic. And I'm thinking the state's going to come out with the 70. He's like, I already talked to him. He's going to recommend the 17. And again, you know, and this is, you know, I learned the system the hard way. And he goes, I'm going to tell you this. We want to offer him 32 years in prison. He's been armed robbery, armed.

And he's always causing violence. He's caused violence in the jail. He's caused violence in the youth offender prisons. He's been through the youth systems. he's been through the boot camps, he's been through the programs. He goes, this kid has been basically raised in the state. You know, we brought in, and he brings in a officer, who's officer Wallace, and he's like, and this guy I can tell you, who he was a sergeant when I was in that program.

And he goes, I basically raised this guy right here, Viking here, I've raised Jeremy here, and he goes, he needs to go to prison for as long as possible. He will reoffend. And I'm like, they brought in. Yeah, dude. Jesus. Yeah, dude. It's fucked.

And so, but again, I'm being stoic. Or maybe I just numb, dude. I don't even know what's going. I'm just like, whatever. And that's how I'm like just, I just remember feeling nothing. Like this is like, it was one of those things in life, like I said, where it's like, this is all that matters. There's nothing else in the world that matters right now except this, this second.

You know what I mean? No problems has ever existed. Anything in the, this is it. So I'm just like, oh shit. So then my, uh, my lawyer speaks and, you know, the state's like, you know, He's, you know, 30 years, you know, we're willing to go maybe 28, maybe, you know what I'm just like. So I'm like, he's like, well, we did degree on 17, Your Honor. I'm like, uh-huh.

So I realize I, from my previous experiences, and now I'm a little older and wiser. You're better off talking for yourself. So I say, Your Honor, can I speak? Yeah, I go, because I realize I got to take control of this situation. I go, Your Honor, can I speak? And he goes, are you sure? You know, you just give me the rundown of what could happen and it could be used against it. And I said, yes, sir.

I mean, at this point, you know. So I go, sir, I know I have to go to prison. I'm not asking to not go to prison. I'm 22 years old right now. I know I have to go to prison. I know I've been raised in the system. I know I'm wrong. 100%.

All I ask is that I can get out before I'm 35. That's it, sir. So I can have somewhat of a life. He's like, all right, respect it. You have anything to say? Ask my dad. My dad's like, just know, man, I love my son. he's a good kid and I also know he does have to do time but I would like to you know spend some of my

the rest of my life I have left as I have kidney failure with him okay cool so they go and he's like let me review everything and it was like the longest 10 minutes of my life and it's like and I'm like tell him about the other case with the file but the guy they wrote he's like he's like nah don't say nothing I'm just like I'm just like let's do it let's just run it you know I'm fully committed now and I'm just ready to face it you know and so finally after like 10 minutes. It felt like forever. And he's like, all right.

You know, he's saying, I made my decision and I sentence you. And he's like, taking his time. He goes, hold on. We need some more information about this armed robbery. So another 20 minutes go by. He's reading the entire armed robbery case from the original one when I was a juvenile. I guess they didn't put that in there from when I robbed the drug dealer when I was on house arrest as a, as when I went like the like the first case I ever had or the second

case that sent me to the level a program where I brought the guy over. So he's reading that. He's like, wow, you brought someone to the house on house arrest. Like, I can't even sentence you to house arrest. Like, I'm like, I'm like, it's all away. So I'm just sitting there waiting to go, this is it, this is my life. And he finally goes, all right, I made my decision. State. I heard your, heard yours, you know, everybody, blah, blah. And he goes, tells me, talks to me. He's like, stand up. And, you know, you made this. He gives me the whole run down again. Did you know, what you're doing, you know, yes, sir, yes, sir.

He goes, I sentence you, and I'm just waiting for it to six years in the Department of Corrections. And I go, oh, thank God. Thank God, but I don't honestly anything. And I'm just like, good. And I go to my lawyer, I go, and ask him for that time served, you know?

And he goes, can he have, he goes, absolutely not. He goes, that was for a whole different case in a whole different county, you ain't get none of that. So I ended up doing seven years on a six-year case. Okay.

So, you know, so, but like, to me, I'm relieved, you know what I mean? I mean, and I've already, you know, I spent pretty much my whole life already locked up. Open police were working out for you. I never again, you know? But so I go and I get there and they put me in the unit where you wait to go to prison. And it takes about two weeks and they take you and, you know, you get on the bus, you go to the reception center. Now, this is probably where things, this is probably the craziest shit that, um, I ever experienced in my life.

And I know that sounds crazy. Yeah. Because this was like some kamikaze missions where, like, the way the Florida department, I don't know how it is now, but the way the state system is, it was just like gladiator, like shit. Like they literally get off on the violence and the amount of corruption and the dope that's coming in there and the cell phones and the COs that, like, if they don't like you, they'll put you in the cell with a notorious, or rape booty bandit, you know,

and they'll have you guys fight in the cell and confinement 15, 20 minutes, no air condition. I mean, it's rough, you know what I mean? So, you know, I get there. I'm hearing the stories, but I've been through this already. I've been through the system. And I'm like the number one draft pick is young kids, stay raised, in shape. And every organization is trying to get me. But, you know, I'm not trying to do all that right now.

And finally, I'm going through South Florida reception center. Then they send me to Orlando reception center. And the higher you get in Florida, the panhandle, the worst time you're going to do. because the panhandle is the most violent. That's where they send the worst or the worst. And at that time, at least. And so all the reception centers is South Florida, which is Miami. You have central Florida, which is Orlando, then Lake Butler, which is Jacksonville,

then Washington, which is literally on like Pensacola, and then you go to your main camp there in the Panhandle. So I'm in a whole different time zone and 12 hours from my house. And I'm hearing stories. They're like, man, you better hope you don't go to HCI. guy that is it's like literally walking over the dead bodies and I'm like thinking like nah you know so I'm on the last thing and of course that's where I go I get there put my stuff down and it's like first they do all the you know you intake they're looking through all your shit and you see them they just beat the shit out of an inmate for just even mouthing off and I'm like okay this is this is for real

so I get there and there's like you can just feel the tension here this is not a game any this isn't youngsters this is in the jail if I like this is I could just see that it's just a cloud of hell. I feel it, you know. And I get to my unit and immediately put my stuff down, get situated. And the dude comes out to me. And he's like, what's up, you bang, you know, what, what's up? And he's asking me what I'm in here for.

And he's like trying to confirm it. I guess he confirms it with the CEO or whatever. My paperwork's good, whatever. And he's like, listen to, you know, we're part of this group. And then another, so like all these organizations are coming up to me. And it's always mental warfare. Like it's even asking for a cup of coffee, you know, they could ask once, twice and say, oh, you ain't going to give us a cup now? Oh, you know, and that turns in.

So like, I'm very well, I'd say, groomed in this world as I grew up in the state system, state race. And a dude comes up to me that I've known through the travels and he's been here already for a while. And he's like, listen, bro, you know, he's like, this organization is fighting with this organization. They're extorting all the white dudes that aren't part of any gangs or cliques, dude. He's like, this group is going with this. He's like, that CEO is, is, is, is, is, is, is corrupt. He'll, he'll get you hit. They're doing hits.

They're doing this. It's, it's full on war. He's like, here's a knife, you know, we'll be out working out. And he's not part of affiliation. He's just politicking, you know. And I'm like, dude, here we go. And so I get to the yard and I'm finding out what's going on. And you just see just, there's stabbing's going on, just chaos coming on.

So the first incident I get in was probably, I'd say three weeks of me being there. And my bunk mate, my cellmate, he worked in the kitchen. And he was like selling whatever he was selling out of there. He was getting metal objects and sandwiches, whatever he would to hustle. And as you know and other people know, in prison, if you become whoever your friend is, it's not just who you are, but if something happens to him and you do not protect, like react, like if someone tells on him or steals from him or he gets jumped and you just let it happen,

You're next. You're just as, you're going to be targeted because it shows you're weak. You're not loyal. It's just part of the politics where I was at least. And I guess a guy told on him about the sandwiches. And this guy was more confused than a Billy goat on AstroTurf. You know, he didn't know if he wanted to be the head or a crib or this big old white dude jacked steroid just walking around. And I guess he ended up getting him locked up in like a real slime ball way where he was like, man, get this dude out of the kitchen. He's fucking with my hustle. Right. So, I get told that and I feel the pressure, especially being young. And I told myself, I will never be a victim like that again. That ass weapon I took out. I'll never go through that shit again. So I catch him coming out and I just come and straight hit him. And I remember his tooth being in my hand. And I was scared to death when I hit him because he's bigger than me.

And I was just like, whatever. But I just, the fear of ever going through that bullshit again, I told myself. So I went in there with that mentality of I will never. never let that shit happen again i will strike first wherever it happens it'll happen and i hit him and he comes like he's gonna he's gonna fight me and he just kind of like it's wobbling and then he just turns off and starts running towards the ceos and we both get cuffed up i get sprayed and and they take us to confinement and as we're walking this dude is covered with blood you know i got blow on my hand so everyone sees this and they're like holy shit you know this jit they call him like j i jit you know and uh

they're like look at it man super jit look at that dude he fucking heard it So everyone's like expecting now, I'm here this. So I go to confinement. And first you go to AC, which is administrative confinement or, yeah, administrative confinement where you go to the kangaroo court. And they go, all right, you know what you did? And basically, you know, they have like a captain as the judge. And right. So he goes, we're charging you with battery on an inmate.

And we're going to sentence you to four months in confinement. Boom. Right. And I go, all right, cool. And I get back to the cell before they take me and my cell. He's like, oh, you're fogged, dude. For months, dude. So I didn't really understand what he was saying.

I get to my unit and it's on the other side. And in confinement, it's like a butterfly. It's an H dorm. And it's set up like a like the letter H where you got the catwalk there and you got cells all the way through. And you're locked down 24-7 in Florida. Like you might shower maybe two times a week if you're lucky. Right. Obviously, there's no air conditioning.

and you could go to yard, but they might call the little dog cage maybe once a month. So it's 24-7, and you're not getting any can't even have a book. You don't get shit. And it's like the hardest time I had to do, and not so much because of those situations. I mean, the toilet paper, I ended up having to wipe my ass with my bed sheet. And I ended up, for real, washing all your clothes in the toilet because, dude, they go, and they have like maybe like a handful of toilet paper one roll for 96 men up there to last one roll so like you have one little piece so by the end of the when you got to turn in your linen

whenever they come collected i have like a it looks like a baby's blanket it's like this big but yeah it's it's wild dudes are themselves back there ceos are thrown inmates off the top tier now in uh disciplinary confinement you have other unmanageable inmates in that unit some are like cm control management one two three some are tro-mo that are housed alone because they've been and hurt and you got disciplinary, unmanageable inmates like I was at the time. And what they were doing is basically, I don't know if they were getting hits on these people or what was happening,

but, you know, a CEO would come and talk to you and say, hey, I talk to such and such and, you know, showers, we're going to accidentally put you in that cell over there. Or sometimes they would just put someone in your cell and they would gamble on it knowing it would come. cause issues. So the first situation that I got caught up with was there was a chomo, a piece of shit, chomo. And he had some very, very heinous fucking charges. And he would always be fucking talking shit through the thing to everybody like, motherfucker, like I do what I want.

Like you can't all you like, like almost like come on, bro, you're self-warier. So the COs, he kept writing up the COs and I had got a like a kite, a letter from another inmate that I was very close with and he wrote it in piss he urine and for people that don't know that's you know once you dry it out you can hold a little bit of heat to it and it'll the soot will turn into what it says flush it and it basically said it's okay basically assume the guy that's going to talk to me is okay CO comes to me he's like what's up Viking he's like listen you're gonna accidentally be put in that cell he has to go you know we got you you talked to what's his name yeah we're good so they all right pack it up you know and it's CM so you're you're

your, your, uh, celly has to go against the wall, face down, face the wall, while you cuff up through the sally port. And I never forget it.

I'm going in there. And this dude has hit, like I said, I never regret anything I did to people who hurt women and children. And he's definitely hurt. He checks all the boxes as the worst of the worst. And as I'm going in there,

he's like, you can't put him in here. I can't have a salvee. Like all that tough shit went out real quick. And I get in there and, you know, I beat the shit out of him.

Just dog him out. And they, they don't come back for 15 minutes. and they come in there and they got i didn't know they had a whole put a whole show on and they come in there and they spray me beat my ass a little bit rough me up throw me in the burning showers and they put me in the cell add four months to my time i'm in confinement on top of it but somehow i got blessed with a little bit of money and whatever and uh but in my mind at that age i'm that dude you can't tell me no i just yeah i just did that you know what i mean and and i felt proud i got rid of

one of these chomo piece of shits. And on top of it, like I'm showing not knowing like how deep I'm getting into this world. So then, um, I would say three, four weeks go by and, you know, you're seeing it's insane back there. It's like they almost put the most like demonic officers back there on purpose, I believe. And a lot of cell extractions where like they'll come in with the 1950 cam. I mean, it's just horrific. The seals are throwing inmates off the tier like I was saying, It was a seizure. They're beating them to death. And it was just nonstop chaos.

And you got guys in there that are gunners. I don't know. Yeah, we know. I've explained. Yeah, so you guys know what Gunners is to watch. And it's so bad in there that they'll put a magnet on these guys' cells window because they just can't stop. Yeah. And you'll look through the ground and the little bit of space between the cell and the floor, you just see a shadow like that.

Like, you're like, what? So they end up putting a dude in my cell. right who is uh i guess there for one reason and one reason only they were gam they gamble on us at the time you know that they're like it's fucked up back there and he comes in there and immediately we just start getting after it and we fought for 15 fucking minutes dude and i didn't know that this was i thought this dude was just like like trying to like me up and whatever for whatever reason i didn't know what it was but i later found out that the officers the gED teachers that they gamble on us it is insane and 15 minutes of fighting

blood, sweat, and it's not, you know, it's violence. It's not fighting, you know, so, you know. No, no, 15 minutes should fight. Like a minute long, what I realized in prison was if you fight for a minute, that's a fucking eternity. It's eternity. So, you know, when you see when, you know, five or 10 minutes, like that's, that's, that's like both guys have to stop and breathe for a little bit and then go back out.

You're right. And it was like, yeah. And like you said, there's no, like, ring. You're not like moving around. and it's just head it's just straight like just you just know where to go it's just set forward and we fought it was just sweat and we're slipping in it just boom boom boom boom boom the ceo's come in there and they grab us both beat the shit out of us and they ended up my fucking i had like scar tissue still here and it busts open they fucking hold the pepper spray in my head and they're spraying it

in my head dude like it not my head but right in the cut on my eye my eyebrow and they're just squeezing and squeak and they're kicking his ass you know and It's probably five seconds each can kicking the shit out of us. And then they bring us in the hot scolding shower and it's burning on us again. And it's like, boom, put us back in the cell. So I ended up staying back in confinement going through that situation. And I probably had about four incidents where I gladly will admit I fucked up some chomos. And I fought one other dude that they sent at me.

But a lot of it was always going after chomos. From what I heard, allegedly they were taking money to go after these dudes from family's victims. or whatever it was. And that I gladly would raise my hand to do every single time. Well, I know in California that this was fucking 20 years before I got locked up, that like something like 15 or 20 officers in California state prisons got arrested. Yeah. Because they were putting gang members into, you know, and they had the controlled

where they're not walking anybody. Their one door is open, another door. And then they'd just tell you, go into this cell or go in here. They'd open another hallway. So you and they could arrange it without being there to where suddenly boom two rival gang members are in the same that's that's that's what they lock it and then they just bet like I'm telling you he's got it and they had him on film and everything. Oh dude. So that's that's that's you're 100% right. That's very similar to what was going on there except the way they got caught was was was so fucked up.

So I got out of confinement after almost about eight months basically and it was like, you know, it was like holy shit like I you know and I'm back on the comp. People are like, dude, I thought you left. So I'm like, oh, I'm here. So I'm back on there. And, you know, a little situation pops off. And it's basically like a comic cop. The officers are so brutal back there. And it's in this camp, dude.

Like they're just, and it turns into like a kamikaze mission where we know it's a losing fight. We know, but all we have is the fight. So we just kind of just all snapped in the dorm. They're just constantly fucking with us, ripping our pictures up. And we turned in, flip the dorm upside down. And, you know, I went to confinement for this little riot thing that happened in there. And now I'm prepared for confinement. It's fucked up.

And I go to a new, like a unit. I'm going to confine. Confinement now straight there. And they sends me like, I want to say 30 days or 20, something around 30 days, about a month. And I already know what to expect in confinement. And because I wasn't the initiator of the riot, but I participated in it. So I got something like disobeying a verbal order or some dumb shit. But anyway, they sent me there.

But I know how it goes. I'm not going to get out of confinement. And I remember like this is where I cut off every single person in my family. I stopped writing them. The girl that was riding with me for a little while, I just cut off everybody, return to sender because I didn't think I'd ever go home. Like I saw what was going on here and I was like, I'm never going to go home. And we're back here and they're doing like you said,

like they're putting members like certain organizations that they know will fight or they're making it happen. It's constantly violence and chaos. And then the chomos are just getting the shit beat out of them. like left and right, throwing off tears, just just kicked their heads in. But like you said, a lot of gang members or rivals are getting putting this cell together and they're just going at it, you know, 15 minutes. And then they'll come back, pepper spray them and redo it.

It's like rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. Except this is where they f*** up is there was a dude named Ricky Martin, not the singer. That was just his name. And he was also a little bit more confused than a Billy Goat on Ashford Turf. He didn't know really, he was 22 doing maybe two or three years. and there was some drug-related charges, and he didn't know how to do time, and he wanted to be cool,

but he wasn't tough, but it was just a young kid mixed up, you know, so he would mouth off to the officers. But this was a place where, you know, this was like, like Clanland, man. Like, they didn't like me because I was from South Florida. You know what I mean? Just because of that, dude.

And he would be real, like, reckless just talking shit. So instead of them just giving him a little ass-wopin, they bring him to confinement. I'm in confinement. Everyone's there, and there's a notorious, and, you know, anybody can check this out on Google. I mean, there's a notorious, you know, booty bandit, an inmate guy who takes their manhood. Just, he's killed two people in place.

He's a savage. He's known for that. He can't house with anybody. And their idea of teaching this young kid a lesson who's about to go home in six months is put him in the cell with that dude. So you could see Ricky, he's begging not to go in there, begging, begging, and we're all looking like, oh, shit. And then, you know, and like, this is where I was like, man, I'm never going to make.

get home. Like, this is like that moment where I realized I was like, this is my life forever. And so they put him in the cell with him and he's begging and screaming and pleading. And you hear the dude saying, shut the fuck up, dude. And the officers are laughing, just pushing him in there. And he gets in there. And, you know, we all can't really see what's going on because he covers the window up with toilet paper. But you hear the beating. You hear him getting assaulted in the worst way possible. You know, he's getting his manhood taken just and you hear the beatings. And every time he's saying some type of uh some some racial injustice that happened and he's saying that name of the person that was killed by a police whatever whatever it was i don't know exactly what he was saying

but he was saying a name like say like malcolm x or whatever as he kicked his face in and like just beating him and it's went on for 15 minutes and you know they come in there and he was brutally beaten and you know rape right right to death you know and uh they took the other guy out and he just got I think life sentence maybe. I don't even know. He was already doing life. So, you know, whatever it was. But, you know, but whatever it was.

He was never going home anyway. So that was just another, whatever. And it was an obvious hit, you know, that, I mean, the guy was not supposed to be in there. And the family is calling. Like, what's going on? Like, where's my brother? He's supposed to be, you know, they find out finally he's dead. And they're like, what the fuck?

They go. And they're like, how the fuck could this happen? And so now the. the FDLE come in and they're investigating. And they start shipping everybody out of confinement, putting people on the compound. Basically, like, they don't want anybody to be there, you know? Right.

And they're shutting it down to. Like half of the wing got shut down. People shipped to other camps. And, you know, it was fucked up. And I ended up being one of those that were shipped to another camp. And, like, because they didn't want the people that were in confinement to ever say what happened because they were being investigated. Right.

two of the officers were arrested. One committed suicide, and I think the other one just resigned. You know, they don't, you know. Nothing happens to me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just unreal. But that, that's, that was the real deal.

So I was like, okay, this is getting serious here. So I go to another prison, and it's called Washington, which is a brutal spot. Washington correctional institution. It's in Pensacola. And I'm still in confinement. I get out of confinement. And I meet some people that I know from where I grew up and, you know,

we're talking and they're telling me about what's going on here, the politics, because every prison in Florida, it's not like how it is in Cali or other places. It's like a different country every time. Like, this might be, this gang's, you know, this race or you just never know. There's no set thing. There are rules and things that are unwritten, but as far as who runs what or who's got this, you just never know what you're getting into. So they're kind of giving me the rundown and what's up. And okay, so we're working out, going about our business. And this is where I run into one I talked to my friend to this day he's locked up his name is spawn I gave him the nickname like a little hell spawn he was doing three years for dealing and stolen property and he's like

hey man can I work out with you guys man you know and he seemed all right he was a little closer to my age so and I kind of I had like knew what he probably was going through as I had went through the system and I know I had been now a couple years and uh I was like yeah man we run his as long as you got good paperwork and we run him make sure he's good yeah stolen property cool so he's working out with us and, you know, one day he pulls me to the side and he's like, listen, dude, he's like, there's a dude in the dorm and, you know, he put his finger in my ass. Like, like, I'm like, what? I, this is prison though.

Like, nothing ceases to ever amaze you, dude. And I go, what? He goes, yeah, man. He goes, I'm going, I'm going to kill him, though. I'm going to fucking kill him. So I'm like, you don't want to just whoop his ass, man? He goes, nah, how can I do that, bro? What?

Then what? What if I lose the fight, bro? You know? I was like, all right. So, we had talked. about it and he told me the story the dude tried him in the shower like a little bit a little fucking swipe on him like tried the fuck out of him and dude was a notorious like what he does is he goes after a weaker inmates and spom was a little short skinny dude who you look like Harry Potter

basically right and uh he was like man I'm not doing it and I at that I couldn't resonate with it because I never went through that but being jumped and everything I went through hit with locks and you know everything I went through in confinement I know never I told him I will never be a victim. I don't care if I have to do a life sense or whatever happens I will never be a victim again. So I understood what he felt that rage, that pain, the violation. And plus, you have to live here. Right. You know, so we would talk more. And a lot of inmates would say, uh, um, that, uh, you know, like, oh, man, you know, you'd be home soon, home. But I explained, this is home, dude. This is home now. Like, this is where we eat.

This is where we sleep. This where we shit. Like, you know, what are you going to do? Get abused for the next years and, and say, oh, when I get home, and then go live with that shame of what happened to you, you know? And I'm like, you guys got to stop thinking like that, man. This is home. You have to accept. This is reality, dude. It's not like you're doing, you know, you got years to do.

This man has been tried and, you know, it is what it is. If this was anybody else. So they're kind of like, yeah, you're right. So we were like coming together with a plan. And like, you know, this is a long time ago and it's done with and everything. But he wanted to get him in the chow hall. And he wanted everybody to see it. And this is a little skinny kid doing three years, right?

And yeah, you know, three years, dude. And I want to, you know, and I got it because like if you lose the fight, then what? You're screwed, literally. Or it's a riot. It's like there's a catch 22 or you don't do anything. And then the worst happen. It's you lose or you lose, dude. So, you know, he took it like, dude, I'd rather be in the way he described as a warrior than, you know, nothing hurts worse than being a coward.

You can lose a fight. You can get tried. being a coward dude that that is the worst feeling that never goes away and you know he's met he had a pregnant or she just had a baby and so so like it was sad to see this but at the same time i i get it you know this is the world that they create for us so um in order to get any type of weapon into the chow hall you can't really get through you have to go through a metal detector they strips our trust it's a higher level security prison and we reach out to somebody that works into the chow hall another inmate and have him put a knife with a magnet on it underneath the um like where you get your

your juice or whatever from right and the plan is you know because i was like brother that you have to do your own work here you know like i'm not you know you know i got your back if anything jumps off but this is only you and he's like no i know and he was like i never like you would never expect somebody to be this to term but that's why in prison you never know who you're fucking with you know It could be the most quiet, chill guy that'll cut your throat in your sleep. And we, you know, the day arrives and it's like, whole shit, man. Like my adrenaline's pumping and we get through there. And I was like, I got the green light that the knife was there.

We see the guy. And there's like four of us that are on like backup duty in case something happens, you know, he fumbles or whatever. So he doesn't get jumped or anything. So we make sure we walk to the juice. I walk with him. The knife's there. I tell him, like I give him the sign that is there. He grabs the knife.

He's walking up, like he's got his thing. He just immediately, like, the rage and anger just explodes in him. And he starts hitting the dude. And dudes are trying to, like, get up. And I'm kind of there just, like, causing, like, a little, like, back, you know, to that. But he's hitting the dude. Like, like, you can hear it. You could smell the blood.

I smell the blood to this day. Like, it was just everywhere. People are slipping footprints. It's just everywhere. And this dude's, like, intestines or whatever. Guts are, like, kind of coming out. And the CEOs immediately jump on it. And he kind of, like, was like, what?

And he kind of, like, was like, what? and he cuts us a CO's arm. Yeah. Yeah. And so they detain everybody and the dude's guts were out and he ends up getting a staff infection. Almost goes into a coma. He lives, you know. But since he had cut the CO's arms and did a brutal stabbing in front of the whole unit,

dude got 27 years onto his sentence when he came back. For a three-year sentence turned into 30. Yeah. And that's the fucked up thing about Florida is like, the COs are they put you in a lot of bad spots now obviously you know this he had really you know he this really wasn't on the COs but they put you in spots where they know what had happened to spawn right and they put that man in the cell the unit with him so it you know what I mean like to almost add insult to injury not say it would have happened regardless so you know he's he gets 27 years

and he never flinched he never flinched at all and the main uh reason he got to got it was for slicing the officers. Those were the main things for the, uh, because of that. And obviously the stabbing, but they gave him the most amount of time for the officers, which is, you know, yeah, you know, crazy. But so I talked to him pretty regularly and, uh, he doesn't regret it one bit. He's actually, he's a soldier with it. You know, he's, he's, he's in lockdown CM. He's, you know, he's behind that wall for the rest of his sentence, probably. And, uh, from there, I did a little time in confinement, but nothing really, I mean, I hadn't, you know, I was just there, you know. And, um, I get shipped down.

south to a bell glade prison and martin and belglaid it was fucking crazy over there but not crazy in a way that uh like it was like i was like i was coming back from like i was shell shocked dude like i just couldn't believe this and i go there and i walk into the unit i'm now transferred down south you know this almost by miami so it's like a whole different vibe you know and this is the first time i saw like pounds of drugs cell phones dude's got PlayStation portables you can you got COs that are that are in there fucking inmates for money. I mean it dudes are making thousands and thousands of dollars. The officer lieutenants will come in there and drop whatever you want in there. I'm like holy shit. It was just it was like and I saw a lot of fist fights there but it was it was

the corruption that it was just unbelievable. Every teacher everybody was just making money and there be fights over who controls what but for the most part it was a only situation because there was so much money to be made that unless you really have an issue, with somebody, you know, and that's what that kind of was. And it was the easiest time I did, even though it was the most corrupt place, but I was able to kind of decompress from everything I had went through up there in the panhandle. And I got real, you know, I always read, I always was disciplined, always worked out, and I just kept getting a little bit deeper into knowledge. I didn't have to worry about, like, where I was at. I mean, always worry, but dudes were chasing the high and so much money

and so much drugs that, like, my biggest thing was I was sneaking sandbag. of to do weighted pull-ups on the stairs and shit. Like, I was really just getting into maturing now, you know? And we're in there, and things are going good, and I end up causing a hunger strike because I was in a unit, and something happened where they were going to give a guy an award for what he was doing as far as a re-entry,

and they were going to bring pizza for us, and the inmates stole our pizza, and we did a whole hunger strike, and had us not go there for like the chow hall and it was a whole thing with the news and and they ended up shipping me back up to the panhandle now and i'm like fuck man it was like going back to prison is what it felt like and uh so i get to uh homes homes correctional and i'm on the main the main line the main unit and right here is where i run into my friend he's a he's a he's a a gangster disciple white dude and you know it's florida's like as far as the gang politics like

there. There is racial stuff, and there's a lot of, but it's, it's like you have white crips, white bloods, white GDs, you know, you got white Latin kings, but you have the gangs, and they're much, they're much more organized where I was at here, but it's all different races in these different organizations, which it was very, like, eye-opening to me. I never knew that. And I saw my friend I grew up when he's like the high-ranking GD here, and he's telling me, like, listen, you know, there's an organization called the Cutthroats, and they're from Jacksonville and they're they're known for extorting people that's their whole thing they they'll you up they don't they don't say hey give me this they cut you and take all your shit

and they they'll extort your family at home i mean there there's some bad dudes and uh a friend of mine flex um who i became very close with he passed away recently but anyway he uh picture a six foot five uh you ever seen dustled dawn with george cluny he's got the the tribal the negative like that across his arm six five 250 pounds from Polk County and uh so he was like him and I we hit it off instantly and my friend had gave me the rundown who's the GD's like dude they're extorting all dudes that aren't affiliated and you know beyond you know be on you know be on point so I'm like all right so immediately I'm in the dorm and he's we're talking to flex and we you know he's telling me he's like yeah man it's fucking bad here dude he's like they're stealing robbing everything like this

and, you know, I'm like, all right, so it is what it is. So the first thing that I notice is that there's a dude named Inki. He's a tattoo artist. And Inky is probably the softest dude I ever met in my life. And these dudes are just slapping around, getting tattoos, taking all this money that people are paying for tattoos, all the gangs, right? And I remember him asking me, like, hey, man, how are you? I was like, dude, why are you letting these dudes fucking try you, right? What the fuck is wrong with you?

He goes, don't you see what's going on here, brother? And I go, what do you mean? He goes, these are the stupidest motherfuckers you ever see. They think they're bullying me, but I'm putting ink in their body. He goes, you see this? This is hepatitis blood. This is fucking shit. Piss, this, this, this, this, and this.

And he's just inking these dudes up left and right. And it's like the old like Sun Tzu, like, be weak when you're strong and strong when you're weak type of saying. Like, he's pretending. Like, he's like, I'm not a fighter like you, dude. I don't want to do all that bullshit. So I'll just pretend like they're extorting me and I'm giving them every single one of them. I'm like, holy shit. He said, I call it the Black Widow.

And I'm like, fuck, man. And CEOs were getting tattoos and I was just like, wow. But that also made me think, wow, this group, this organization is pretty crazy. Like, they're willing, they don't get fuck. Like, they're willing to extort somebody that's putting shit in their body. So they'll do anything. So I would say there's probably about 50 people, probably they walked around that probably found out they had some shit later on in life for that. But I mean, you're bullying the tattoo artist, and it is what it is.

So he ends up getting shipped out, whatever. Dudes were getting massive infection. It was crazy. Like seeing all that, like that was some real treachery. You know, I have a whole story about that. But to get into this situation, he, Flex and I were like, dude, like, can you believe this shit, man? We got a tattoo guy poisoning all these people, the CEOs.

You got people, like, starting. You got another friend that just stab somebody. And like for over, over. We're like doing 27. It's crazy shit, dude. And we're like, dude, we knew the day would come, you know, but we were just trying to work out and hope they, you know, they mind our business. But, and leave us alone.

But they come up and they're like, listen, y'all are going to have to start paying rent. And it was one of those moments we're like, who, me? Like, who are you talking to, dude? And he's like, he pulls out his, like, knife. And the shit was a fucking lawnmower blade. And he's like, oh. And one thing I'll say about my friend Flex, you know, he was as solid as, gets, dude. If he was your friend, it didn't matter what it was, dude, he'll, he'll, you know, a lot of

people talk that shit, but he was, had your back to the end. And the dude, he's like, y'all run that shit right now. And I guess flex told me later, he's like, the fact that he didn't you, dude, he wasn't going to, so flex hits him, boom, and immediately a whole thing pops off and we're getting jumped, boom, boom, boom, I get hit right here, a little like, uh, it was, I found out later. I didn't know, I thought it was a punch. And I feel like the, the, like, the, the warm and cold at the same time coming down. I'm like, oh, shit. And I'm, like, panicking, but it's a whole chaos going on right now.

And it's all over some freaking oodles and noodles and Raymond noodle soups and honey buns. Right. But it's the principal, you know. And like they say, and Flex is over there fighting. They're all hitting him like little beast things. He's getting hit, locked on his face. And, you know, I got stabbed. And me and this dude and I are fighting.

And it's just getting crazy. And the COs come in there. They come in with their little squad and pepper sprays. put us all down and like, boom, they take us away, go to confinement. And I go in confinement, I have a cellmate, he leaves. I heal up, stitches, everything my stab. I get like 20 days, whatever, in confinement. And guess they put in my cell.

Literally one of the dudes that was in part of the fight. Him and I immediately, it was like literally as soon as the seal walked away and he uncuffed, we just went right after it. Another 15-minute fight of just pure, just and this and that. And this dude's another one. another situation, but now I'm a little older and mature and I understand like, oh, I could end up spending the rest of my life in here over, over these COs entertainment. And we're, but I have no choice. You know what I mean? This is where where I started to say to myself, like, I need to break

this cycle, man, but I, you know, it was like, how, though? You know, I've built up all this bullshit already to where I have so many enemies, so much of a reputation that I have to withhold. So anyway, we're in there fighting and I just remember thinking that like, fuck, man, this might be it where I spend the rest. We're going. at it, do-d-d-d-do-and-he's getting the better of me. But like that, he runs out of his wind, dude. He has no endurance. And I'm hitting burpees by the thousands of day, like just ready for this moment in confinement.

I live right. I know what's going on back here. So he gassed out, thank God, because if not, I would have got the shit beat out of me. And I end up like double-leg taking him down and just beating the shit out of him. C-O's come in, take us out. And, you know, another situation. I'm back there in confinement for about a few months. Get out.

Go on the main line. Back at it again. So now I'm out of confinement and it was like in my mind, I'm really like starting to mature. But at the same time when prison, the second you start to say, I'm not like, you're looked at it is weak or he thinks he's better. You know, if you go into religion or you're soft or you're checking in, you know. So it's like I'm trying to manifest a new life for myself and swerve away from all this evil that I've been groomed to live. but yet it's it's all I know you know so I'm slowly trying to manifest into to a better person you know and how much more time do you have I think I have at this time about two and a half years left

yeah so I know yeah and and uh this was a a blessing in disguise I guess this situation again dude so I'm like really just like manifesting a vision of I want to get out and I want to get into training kickboxing I want to compete I want to put honor back of my name. I want to have a family. I want to have a, like, so I'm making these, this mind. And I ended up, you know, competing in 11 amateur fights, and we'll get to that. But so I'm putting together, I'm manifesting like a vision of a business, getting into a gym and training and just like getting into it.

But I'm also having to politic here and deal with the consequences that I've already created over the years of being state raised and enemies and just people that I've friend, you know. So as time goes on, I'm thinking like, oh, shit, man, I might be able to just get up out of here, man, get a transfer down south again and just chill, man, and make it home and get certified as a trainer maybe, like sending some, some corresponding shit. It's like a, it's like a prison ask and you will not receive, you know? And the thing about prison, especially in Florida, is time doesn't exist, only opportunity, you know. Dude, to wait years, dude, to get it, motherfuckers.

And whether, however it is, you know, they don't see the time, as you know. And this incident was really like, I was blessed here and got, I actually got to get away from this prison. So we're on the main line going to yard. And a friend of ours, mutual friend, it's Flex. And a few of us are there. And he's telling us about this dude who, I guess, did some real bad shit to his sister out there. and he's part of, he's in a, he's in a, not, he's in a, a fucking gang. I don't know, he's in a, but he's a blood.

That's what he is. He's a white dude. He's a blood. And I guess, uh, my friend, his sister, the white blood had did something, like, beat the shit out of his sister. And they happen to be at the same unit at the same time. So he's like, I'm, I'm gonna get at him, right? And, uh, this dude's a Mexican dude who is that, the, the, the white guy who hurt this man's

sister is a Mexican dude. So all his brother. and all, like, you know, a lot of the Mexicans, they stick together. You know, they're tight, tight, you know, as you know. Yeah. And when they found out, they're like, whatever you want to do. And this was, like, my friend and also, like, uh, like, bunky, like area, like in the same dorm, basically.

And I'm like, all right, whatever you need, bro, I ride what you do. So we go out there to yard and they're coming up an entire strategy and they're like, look, bro, it's, it's going to go down. And on the yard, you know, you got the gun tower, but you know when something's going to pop off but it's like uh you just see this group over here this race over here this you know everyone's everywhere and uh so you know the ceos are waiting they got their guns in the tower and we're over here and it was like they had them by the racquetball court and he's and he asked for the one-on-one i guess they arranged it between the southern the mexican dude and the the blood however they rate and

they start going at it but it soon starts to get closer and closer and turns into a full-on like little mini just brawl everyone's fighting and get hit with law and slicing and within I'd say 10 minutes the CEOs are shooting you know they got the gun tower and they got us all laying down on the ground get on the ground yeah yeah exactly dude and i'll never forget this man the mexican dude he's next it's not the dude that beat his sister up but it's one of the dudes that was involved with the fight which to him it is all the same i guess in the moment and we're all down and they're kicking up knives and they're looking and i and i'm on the like the racquetball or the handball court and it's hot as shit

half on the grass, half on the handball court, and I look over and I hear, and the Mexican dude is on the ground like this stabbing him over and over while they're on the ground, just hitting him, hit him, and he's screaming, but he's, it's like, I've never seen a dude get and scream, but he's not, he's like, and then the voice comes out later, and the is just pouring out, and like the COCs what's going on. They get him under control. They kick it away. They beat the shit out of him, and get him removed and just get everybody away. But they keep us on the ground. And while I'm on the ground,

the is just coming closer and closer to my face. But I don't know if I stand up, I'm going to get a shot or, you know, so I'm sitting there and just rolling all over my face, dude. And it was like they locked us all up, put us in confinement. And again, I'm in there. But this time I get transferred quick out of there.

I'm back down south. And at that moment, I'm going through the reception. centers and I hit South Florida reception center. And South Florida reception center is in Miami. And that's like, so the way Florida is designed is, so say you're going to go to a prison in South Florida, you got to go to the reception center first, you know, or if you're going to go in central Florida, region one, two, three, you have a panhandle. You got to go to a one. You got to go to a reception center first. And what makes it so bad is now I'm short timing. You know, I got less than

maybe 14 months now and it's like uh you're in there with guys that are just getting in there that have 30 40 life sentences you know guys that are just straight and everything and then you got guys with a year and a day so you don't know who's who or what's what and it's like a dungeon in there you got to reach it there's rats this big you got to reach into the wall to turn on the shower there's no like you're in the like the cells or there's no COs that are coming to save you like if you're in a fucked up spot dude you'll get found in the morning like it's it's it's It's bad back there. And this is when I just, I get into my cell and I'm putting my stuff down.

And there's a Latin King dude that I knew, well, real respected dude, solid dude. And he's like, oh, man, you got fucking Freddie Kruger as your fuck or Kroger, whatever. The horror dude. Freddie Krueger. Yeah. Or Jason, Voorhees or whatever. Yeah. He's like, that's your cellie, bro.

And I go, what? He's like, oh, yeah, dude. He's like, he's like, that motherfucker there, bro. And in my mind, I should be going home. man but this is the energy you put out you put it out there you're going to get what you're looking for and i've been putting it out there for over a decade and you know i can't be surprised that i keep falling in these situations that i put put myself in and who knows if it's a hit from an officer who knows if this is a situation i just you just never know in florida it's it's it's the ceos are

worse than the inmates and i was like what what do you mean he's like yeah dude in broward he's like he woke his roommate up he he's like it's time for breakfast and he's slicing his face and he's like He's psych. He takes psych meds. But in Florida, there is no more like institutions where, you know, there's no mental institutions. You just go to the camp where they give you medicine. And he's a psych, you know, and that's South Florida.

It's a psych camp. And he's just getting. It's like, not everybody there has psych problems, but since it's a reception center, so he's there. And what he did in the jail was to get the nickname was his cellmate while he was sleeping saying, it's breakfast time, bro. It's breakfast time, bro. Hence, you know, Freddie Krueger waking him up with a nightmare.

So this Latin King tells me he was a good friend of mine about everything about Freddie Kruger and what he's doing and he's psych and he's slicing people when they're sleeping and which is scary. And he turns out to be my new cellmate in South Florida where you can literally be in the cell and they won't come find it to the next day. So I understand adversity builds character. And I had a lot of character building time in there. And, you know, nothing grows in a comfort zone, as they say. So I had a lot. You know what I mean? I had a lot of character building time in there. And, you know, nothing grows in a comfort zone, as they say. So I. So I definitely had a lot of growth. I feel like none of this applies. You still don't get to stick me in a cell with a guy. No, I agree. I agree. Oh, I wouldn't sleep. Oh, so like it was sleeping was out of the question.

It was, especially from what I knew, what I've been through before, there was no way we're going to, this is going to go down. There's no way it's not going to go down. Excuse me. And I basically just talk to the Latin King a little more. And, you know, I like, Like we talked about earlier, like the laws of the universe, when you are raising your hand to do this fights and stabbings and constant chaos and robbing and drug dealers and doing all this. You can't be surprised when this is in your life now. You know, so I was not shocked.

I was like, I don't know how to say. Like, it wasn't scared. It was like, I got to survive. But I was like, here we go again. You know, so I talked to the Latin King and he helps me get a knife. And I'm only passing through. It's reception. So I'm not trying to be there too long.

And unfortunately, I'm like, oh, here we go. I'm going to be stuck in South Florida now forever. And I get in there. And, you know, it's very, you can't tell an officer because then you're, there's snitch, you're done. You're so, and you can't not go in the cell because then you look like you're checking in and that. But then it's like, it's either that or you're going there with a maniac with people's face. Or you see him and then risk the life. So it's a catch 22, you know, regardless.

So I made the decision that I have. have to go in there and I'm going to hold this knife and just sit up and just maybe this guy changed his ways. Maybe he had enough adversity and group character or something, dude. Obviously, the mindset was I'm going to stay up all night with a knife in my hand and make it to chow and see what happens. Or I'm just going to punch him in front of the officer and get moved out of there. Something I said, but I'm going to figure it out when it happens. I'm going to read the room because people say a lot of things also. You know, and over the course of me being in prison, I've known that people will say something about somebody,

get them attacked or hit up, and then you find out it was just their own personal vendetta. Right. But no, this motherfucker was crazy. Okay. And, yeah, so we go in there, and I remember I'm sitting on my bunk. He's sitting there,

and it's like I'm in there, and I'm just like sitting up, sitting up, and he's like, and he starts saying things like to himself and like kind of going off, off. And I'm like, huh? And he's like, what the fuck, man? You ain't going to eat the food? Or he's just saying something to me like that.

And I immediately, I'm like, fuck, I should have just punched him right when we got in here on the officers. But you know what? Here we go. It's too late for all that regret. So I get on the wall and he's kind of by the door. And, you know, it's like a cell. So you only have like this much space, you know, and it's just straight collision.

And he's got a freaking. And I got this little knife on me. And it's like, one's scared and the other one's glad he's scared because he's like inching at me. And I'm like, like trying to get it. But I don't want to have to this dude. But I don't want to get this dude. So it took about 30, 40 minutes, maybe longer of us, like having a verbal exchange of him saying like a lot of crazy accusations, like I'm stealing his food, that I refuse to eat. I'm poisoning him.

Like things were getting crazy. And it got to the point where, okay, here we go. So then, you know, I'm on the wall. He's by the door and we're at each other. And he's reaching at me with trying to stop me. And I'm like trying to block it. He's in my hands in my hand, you know. And like you can just see like little scars from like, oh,

over my hand just little red marks all over this one too just forever dude just little but I'm like like this and he's not like I'm so happy that he's not really trying to do it he's like almost like scared like I said and I'm glad he's scared and I'm like damn do I hit him so I'm like getting him back with the knife but not really trying to me either because I'm gonna go home soon but it is what it is so things are getting closer and closer and he's trying to you know on the face so now we're moving and I'm trying to him now and it's become now like a serious situation it was already serious But now it's like, oh, he's trying to kill me. He's not just trying to scare me.

And he's going at me slicing, and we kind of like lock up. And we're wrestling like this and his hands here. I got the underhooks over like this. And we fall, boom. And we're just going after it, going after it. And by the grace of God, we didn't get like no 15, 20 minute thing. A CEO happened to be doing their little walk by and immediately came out, pulled us both out, sprayed us, called the unit.

And, you know, they wait a little while. So, like, they have to wait for a backup to come before they can. just rush in there because obviously we have a fight, there's a weapon. So I'm like holding him kind of like half on the floor, half on the like ground or on the wall, excuse me. And it's like this and he's trying to get me with this.

And I got the night and it's like, and I'm just thinking like, where is these fucking officers? And like and like and he's like trying. He's got that like crazy strength and like we're kind of moving. He's getting up a little bit and sweats coming. My hands leaking everywhere. And so like

at that moment I'm like dude, I have a shot. to where I could just, I could hit him. And I was like, you know what? I'm just going to punch him. And I just start punching him in the face. I have the knife from my hand. I'm punching him. And he's still trying to get me.

And I got like one underhook like this. And he's trying to get me here. And we're going back and forth. And finally they come in. It felt like an eternity, but it was probably four minutes or something. That's a long-ass time to be bare hug what a dude trying to your arm.

And they come in there and they pepper spray us. And, you know, they do their whole thing. Put us in handcuffs. And I go to medical. And I ended up, like, going, getting a staff infection in my hand. and it was the worst because South Florida is just disgusting. And I didn't get any trouble though.

You know, I think maybe they put me to like AC confinement for a little while and he'll like. He has a, you're all cut up. I mean, he clearly attacked you. Yeah. But you shouldn't have the knife. Yeah, that was the whole thing. Exactly. And but they were like almost like, man, man, we would like, like they were like almost saying it.

Like we wish you would have got him out of this compound for good. Like, you know, saying. Yeah. And you ended up getting another. that's five or ten years or whatever yeah and so i was like thinking like that the fuck and so they put me there and i was in ac confinement and my hand healed from uh either the staff and i get transferred out of there to the prison down south and i'm finally like okay i'm at a re-entry a re-entry prison chilling and it's like that the more south you go it's like so much drugs and do it's unreal the corruption there

Like the corruption up north is just violence, chaos, just what, like, it's just like demonic almost. And down south, it's like dudes are on the phone with the officers. Like, like, hey, baby, come by myself later, you know? And it's like they're pimping them out. It's just wild to see that. And it's like two, like just two different worlds. But I was like, you know what? I'm not going to fuck this up this time.

So I'm in there just, just working out. And this is when I start to really like manifest and envision. And I have the time now. I'm not getting, obviously, there's, you know, in prison, unfortunately, there's rules of engagement. It's almost like your program, this is who you have to hate. This is who you cannot. So if you do this, you're weak, yourself. And, you know, as I did the time, you have to follow certain politics or to set off or you'll get hit up yourself.

I just was tired of this ideology that I didn't believe in, but I had to live a certain way on this prison and it just, it was like everything was just bottled up in me. All the violence, all the years and the youth offender, all the years of this and the confinement, the stabbing, just the violence, my friends. And it was just like, I was just so dumb with it, man. But at the same time, I couldn't be because I've, I'm here. So I tried to lay low, but, you know, the people were like, they'd see me and be like, Vike, what's up, motherfucker? Hey, he's a crazy dude. And I'm like, oh, fuck. And like, you know and so and but like so I'm working out but I'm making a plan and I was like I want to get out and at one point I wanted to join the French Foreign Legion in there but that was gone you know

I realized that's not going to happen so we interviewed a guy yeah I wrote them and they wrote me back and they were like you could come on come join but uh you know as I got closer to reality I was like and so I hadn't talked to my family in probably three four years at this time anybody and I got a visit for the first time in a long time my dad and he i'm gonna just show up well we kind of like i told him i'm like i reached out to him saying look you know how are you how you been because like i was unable to like even talk to anybody outside like i told you before like in the middle of like riots and stacc yeah it's like hey what's up yeah i'm in a traffic jam to you know i'm just like i could not like and i felt like it was a

weakness to even hold on i seen so many of those dudes just on the phone like always like living that life like where are you at girl where you have you heard me say this you you you you Remember I told you that there was the guy. I was like, you don't want to be that guy on the phone, like on Saturday. Why didn't you answer the fucking phone last night? Yeah, I have heard you say this. I was just focusing, I was listening to this. Can you hear that?

We got to stop. We got to stop. I've mentioned this before. You would see those guys on Saturday morning calling on the phone screaming at their wife or girlfriend. Why didn't you answer the fucking phone last night? What were you doing? And they're screaming. And they were just going through hell.

and I even remember when I first got locked up I had a guy that every day he was getting called up for mail call every day he's getting two or three letters on me and he'd go and he'd open up and he was my celly. He's looking at the and I've been locked up fucking two, three weeks and he's looking at the fuck he'd open the things

he'd look at the pictures of his girlfriend and he'd go and he'd tear him up in the little pieces because you don't want some weirdo get your shit, tear him up and he'd throw them out and you look at the other one he'd tear it up and then he'd just tear him up and not even look at him from the way he'd read the letter he'd fold it up

he'd tear it up. And then he'd get another letter. And this goes on. And one day I'm like, why? Well, I've said, there's none of my business, but why are you tearing up the fucking pictures? He's like, I don't want any weirdos getting up to pull the pictures. I was like, okay.

And I said, that's your girlfriend, though? And he's, isn't that, is your girl? Or, and he goes, it's my ex-girlfriend. He said, so here's what's going on. He's like, that's why she's writing me so many letters. She wants to stay together. He's, but I just pled guilty. I got three years.

He says, and I've done like four years before. And I said, okay. He said, and, you know, I met her. We've been together a couple years, but I just got three years. And he said, and it's too hard for me to have a girlfriend for three years. And she says she's going to stay with me. And I know right now she believes that. He said, but I don't want to be one of these guys and you'll see them.

They're on the phone. And he explains. They're on the phone screaming. Yeah. The what are you doing? And he said, like, that relationship's over. Yeah, it's nice. He said, so it's better.

I just told her, look, we're going to break up. And in three years, if I get out and you're available, we'll be together. That's the best way to do it. He was, but do what you got to do in the meantime. And if you get married and you have kids, he's like, I want that for you. Yeah. He said, so, you know, he is, but she's not okay with it. It's been months.

And she's, every fucking day, she's sending me letters and pictures and this. And he's like, but, you know, she'll figure it out eventually. And it's for the best. And he was in, you just got locked up. You don't know. He's what you'll see. He said, he was like, the sooner you forget about the outside of. world, the better you're going to be.

It's so true. And listen, I absolutely remember thinking, you fuck. In the beginning. I'm not going to do that. Why would you do that? What do you mean? Forget about the, no, I'm going to get out of here. I don't want.

And he was like, bro, like, if you get two, three years, he's like, I mean, you'll be sick. He's, you get 10 years. He said, you're just making your time worse. Yeah. If you're trying to maintain a relationship or may or, he said, or be a dad to your kids or he's like, I mean, you can make phone calls. He's like, but there are guys. who were trying to run their whole family's life from inside of prison.

He's like, you're a fucking voice on the phone every two days. Who the fuck are you? So true, dude. You can provide, you can provide nothing. Yeah. He said, you become, and I remember he told me this too, his first time I heard this, he said, being in a relationship with a prisoner, he is, is, even friendship. He is, it's a one-way relationship.

He is because all I can do is ask you for things. Yeah, that's so true, dude. I can provide nothing for you. Yeah. And he said, bro, it's better. Just, just forget it. Come out in three years. He's all come out in three years.

And maybe she's available. maybe we're together. Maybe she's married and he said, you know, that's fine too. No, it's so true, dude. I mean, that's right on. But he had the right frame of right. I didn't. Well, no, you just came in thinking.

And everybody goes through that. And then you realize like, oh, yeah, now I see what's going on. Like those dudes are sick on the phone yelling at the girl. And I'm like thinking, oh, but I had a girl, you know, short story. She wrote me when I was in confinement for a while. And I remember writing her back and said, listen, don't ever write me again. You know, if you're out, like I said, if I see you when I get out, you know, we could talk. but you're going to make me mentally unstable.

I have a good life. And she wrote back like, is it because I'm ugly? I just said, I just never wrote her back. I just couldn't believe it. But I just completely cut off everybody, my family. And especially when I was at that place and then confinement over at HCI, it was like, you have to go insane to remain sane. You know what I mean?

And it's just so after I got to where I was at and I finally reached out to my dad, I wrote him and said, hey, I want to see you know, how are you? He told me he's like, you know, son, I would love to see you. How you've been? You know, he's like I want to talk to you. So he comes up. And it sounded like he wanted to talk to me more than just about just regular thing. And he's like, listen, I got about four years left to live.

He's like, I need a kidney transplant. And I was like, I'll give you a kidney. He's like, maybe, but, you know, we'll see what happens. But I'm going to probably die within four years. And it was from when he was in the military, when he was younger, he went down and did some operation in, I want to say Guatemala. And he drank some water that really caused a major infection. and his kidney and as he got older they just you know they stopped working and one worked and the

other one grew it's called hyper filtration and it's a whole thing so he told me that I said wow like that was like some heavy stuff but I was also grateful that I could you know spent spend some time with him and see him when you know hopefully you know he doesn't die before I get out so I'm down here and it's wild as far as drugs and and just these officers are fucking everybody it's just but I'd rather it be that than what I was up there because there it was like walking on like landmines. You just don't know where you're going to walk. And I was doing good time and just started programming, working out, and just getting right, getting ready to go home soon.

And the really something that changed everything was I had a friend named Trent. And, you know, this place was wild, like I said, and that could be a good thing if you want to lay low and do you. It's not really any stabbings except over drug debts or whatever. and if you want any help or care, medical, you're not going to get anything. It's like, it's, you know, you get the freedom without any type of, they're not going to do any medical. And a friend of mine, Trent, he was doing three years. He was from West Palm and he converted.

He got real religious. He was about to marry his girlfriend. He was about to go home in like six months, dude. Like, we were so close to the door. And we were walking on the yard. We all used to work out together. And he's walking and all of a sudden he collapsed like that. And his friend was there and we're all like, what the fuck?

So he's like, help, help. And they had a controlled movement here. And like they had to open up the gate every 15 minutes and you can go to the canteen. You know, it's a lot more chill here. And so he's like, my friend. And she's like, the lady's like, so then one officer comes running over there, looks at him. And we hear him on the walkie-talkie say, go get the defibrillator. So then she runs back, gets a defibrillator.

and they're like, actually, don't do anything. They might hold you liable. We're hearing this on the walkie talkie. And we're like, wow, everyone's screaming. What the fuck? And what the fuck? Help the man. So she's just standing there like this.

And she leaves, literally leaves a defibrillator there and walks away. The man's on the yard. And you can see he's having convulsions. There's no medical coming. Finally, 10 minutes later, this other officer comes running out. And she starts trying to do life-saving procedures on it. But it was too late. He was already dead.

And like, she's trying to do everything. And it was like they just waited for him to die. And we look over and the nurse from the medical is walking like this, just leisurely taking their time. Everyone's screaming, going crazy. And they have us like start to put us on the ground. Everybody on the ground now. And they get my friend Trent off the yard. And literally he's dead.

And they're trying to act like he's alive. They like pick him up and he's like this. And they fold his legs over in the wheelchair like a dolly. And they wheel him out like trash. And that really got under my stuff. Like that pissed me off. I ended up having some words with some guards. And I was used to where I was at from before.

And I was expecting everyone to just pop off from this situation. But no, they were all like, nah, enjoy. So I took a little too far, yelling at the guard, just going crazy. I wasn't having it, man. You just let my friend die. And then what really pushed me over the edge was like K2 and like it was real prevalent. He didn't smoke any KT. He didn't do any drug.

He was going home. He was living a clean life working out. They were like, yeah. We found out why he died. He had a whole thing of K2 in there. We knew he planted it, and I just snapped, and they ended up shipping me to another prison because of that, and this is where I ended up EOSing from. And I get there, and I had already put together my plan.

And I said, I want to get out and get in, because, you know, like, my passion was always, like, kickboxing, wrestling, I grew up, you know, doing that, and training, personal training. And I started just seeing, you know, just like calling, getting close with my pops. And, you know, he was like, what the fuck? I just saw you. You're already gone already. Right. But he understood.

And so, you know, he was helping me find, like, gigs that I could do. And I get out. And my mind was, okay, I'm going to do what I have to do. And I started working regular jobs. I was even sleeping in a car right by, I got a job at a kickboxing gym. It was like a fitness gym. And I would sleep in the car, go to work 5 a.m. to one. Go back in the car.

That was my whole life. And then I met a coach. And I said, I want to fight. I want to fight. Because, like, it wasn't that I wanted the violence and this and that. It was that I love. the atmosphere of being around just constantly training and around guys that are better in themselves, the camaraderie. And also, I wanted to put some honor on my name, man. I felt like I changed so

much from that first little kid that went to the youth defender to now that I was like disgusted at myself. And I wanted to become like something that people could say, look at him. Like look at that man right there. He's a fighter. So I got into kickboxing and MMA, did 11 amateur fights, you know, And then my son was born in between that time. And, you know, I kept fighting to show him, like, he was a baby still. But I wanted him to see that's who your dad is, you know, not who that guy was, you know, kicking in doors and stuff. And during one of my fights, a famous kickboxer from the 80s, you know, I'm there just my friend and I, and I'm covered with ink. My friend, like everyone else was like the karate kid schools.

They're all like training for, and we're just us two convicts like there. And he's like, I need to know, man. Who are you? I got to the championship amateur fight in South Carolina. It was an amazing fight. I lost by decision, but it could have been one of those fights. It was just badass. And he did an interview with me, and he's like, who are you?

Like, who are you, too? I've never seen just two guys come in here and just do, like, I was like, and I explained it to him. It went viral, and that's how I got into it. And I kept fighting for a while, and as my business, my brand took off with social media and other things I was doing with my training. I really just took a break from fighting because I felt like I've been fighting my whole life. And I came back for one more fight, hurt my knee, did a charity fight, hurt my knee.

But like, I accomplished, I got where I wanted to be through literal blood, sweat, and tears. And I, and like the connections I made, I was able to become a GM at a gym. But I kept, I had a vision, man, that I knew that I could do this social media stuff. I knew that if I got and told my story after the first video went viral from just that interview with the fight of the kickboxer or the old school kickboxer who ran the promotion, just my story. And that's when I started to crank up and ultimately got to a million followers on TikTok, cranking up now on YouTube. And it's, I guess, one of those things where, like I said, that adversity, that pain, that suffering.

I was a piece of shit. I deserved to go to prison, you know, and I was raising my hand for every situation. Like, yeah, it's like, oh, Freddie, that's so crazy. How does this? No, but I was going in these situations, willingly. I was causing these violence. And I don't regret hurting any of these chomots and hurt women or kids like that. It is what it is.

Like it's a situation where you see on the news and you're like, man, if I could just be five minutes alone with that guy. But I was five minutes alone. You know, so that I never regretted. But I put myself in so many horrible situations and so much pain that I had to see why I was so angry, this misguided anger. And, you know, as I matured and had a son, I knew that I had two choices, dude. I, you know, I'm fighting. I have all this and I have a business that's about to start thriving. I got, you know, I'm a GM at a gym.

I could take everything, all the pain, all the suffering, all the, and knowing I went through that and become the best father possible or just go back and do what everybody else does. And so, oh, it's too hard. I'm going to commit a crime and go right back. And, you know, my son, I, I, everyone has their own spiritual beliefs. But I always feel like, if you have pure intentions, no matter what you do, regardless of your past, as long as you didn't, like, do no sick ass shit, you know,

like, you can have a. change and if you have that pure intentions and knowledge and you apply it and I just saw my son as like that was my second chance not getting out of prison not not everything else not getting these like lucky and not getting a life sense or whatever it was seeing my son this beautiful kid that I could guide and and you know it's like I went through this so he doesn't have to you know hopefully and I started really just getting into like my company my brand Viking mindset all that and just being a father and, you know, my dad unfortunately passed away, but I got to at least have that time with him, which was a blessing, and he got to meet, you know, his grandson.

And, you know, a lot of things happened along the road where it tests you. And a lot of times it took a lot of time to get back to reality. Like, it was so hard to go from that world to a world. I didn't know anything about touch screens. Like, when I left prison, I sell the catfish, he's like, man, take care of it. And I was like, hey, man, what's your MySpace, bro? And I'll never forget his look, dude. He looks at me and he's like, come here, young man.

Like, like, and I thought I did something wrong. He's like, let me talk to him. He goes, listen, man, I know you've been gone a long time and you've been a lot of confinement. Don't tell any women about MySpace when you get out. And I was like, I didn't know. Then I got out and I realized like, oh, shit. And it took me a while because I had this, even though I had the discipline, I was training, but the fighting wasn't because I needed the violence.

It was because it was something so hard to do that having to train and being a camp, whether it's amateur, whatever it is, you're still battling. Having that hanging over your head, you have to be the best version of yourself at all times. You know, you have to be in the best shape, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotion. You can't be out drinking. So that how I wanted to live my life. And I found other people that there weren't necessarily criminals or, you know, they all had their stories, but they didn't have like this intense prison stories, at least most of them.

And it was like, I found people that are all training for a goal to be the best version of themselves and study and train for battle, you know, essentially like like amateur fighting, but still. And that opened up doors and everything just worked out. And I just stay with pure intentions and know that, you know, through all the suffering and it gave me a purpose that no matter what happens, no matter I'm here for my son, there's nothing that can break me. Nothing on this world that can break me.

Like I went through all that, all that shit from tattoo artists, poisoning people. to getting put in cells, to fight to the death, to almost get life sentences, staves, and Freddie Cruz. It's like, I'm here. And my son's here. And, you know, with the fights and my history, it's like, let's do this, man. And how I am, just being a father and providing and just trying to hope that I could show other people. Like, look, bro, I was a fucking savage, fucking psychopath.

And here I am as a good man, teaching my son how to be a righteous man, fighting in amateur fights and just trying to help people with pure intentions, man. And I try to tell people, if my fucking psycho ass can do it, just imagine with somebody that doesn't have to even go through a quarter of that bullshit can go through, you know? And that's where I'm at today, brother. I have a couple quick questions. Of course. And I know Colby does.

So one, where did you get your tattoos? Everything was in prison. In prison? Yeah. So I'm blasted from my neck all the way down. Yeah, whole stomachs, whole chest, yeah. Also, your son, is his mother around? Are you still with her?

No, I'm not with her. But, you know, he has a mother in his life, but, like, him and I are very, very close. You know, like, we're super close. Like, you know, I'm very active in his life every day, all day. You know, that's my boy. It's my pride. What else? Anything?

I mean, I guess the first question I'd have for people, watching what is Viking mindset like what actually is that so are you like your business and then kind of like the philosophy behind it or kind of maybe you all right so that's a good question so Viking mindset was um I had got the nickname Viking when I was locked up because I was in a fight one time and the dude was beating me and I just kept coming forward and they're just like this fucking dude was a fucking Viking he just doesn't

he's ready to just go to Valley or and I just kept just going and I ended up winning because he ran out of breath so I had that nickname and it stuck with me and And I've always been very into knowledge, whether it's ancient times with Vlad, the Impel, whatever it is, history from the Egyptians, Rome, everything. I just a reread. I love historical knowledge. And I started, once that fight went viral after I interviewed and did that whole thing in my kickboxing fight, I started a page on TikTok and called Viking Mindset.

And I used my philosophy of the Viking mindset, not what prison or whatever. anything is on TV or any of that stuff. The way it was is you provide, you protect, you live with honor, you die with honor, but it's always about providing and teaching your son the next generation or your daughter, whoever, to be the best version of themselves. And there's nothing better than their philosophy and their culture than to die with honor and purpose, protecting your people. So my thing is, of course, that's heroic, but I want to live with that honor and encourage said, look, I survived that shit. And now I went through all that hell and I have that Viking mindset where I will do anything to protect and provide for my son.

But I don't have to die for him. I have to live for him. And that's the Viking mindset and all in all, you know. Okay. Nothing? Usually how? Well, he usually has five or six questions. Well, yeah.

I mean, actually, I've got some questions. They're more so stories that. Every one, brother. Yeah. Yeah, so the most evil inmate you ever met, Clark. What's the story behind that? So he was a real piece of shit, serial c-warno-be, and it's just one of those things where the CEOs basically put him in a position

and me in a position to get him hit up. And he was bragging about what he did to women and children, and the CEOs couldn't take it anymore. and I raised my hand for that one. And, you know, and it got messy, you know. It was a fight. He freaking got a toenail on my freaking face. We fought right there on the catwalk right by the shower.

It was an ugly one. But I just, one thing I just hate, you know, and this will never change. Is anybody who violates women and children like that, they got, I just, I will never stand for that ever. And that was why I raised my hand on that one. Yeah, that's one you should go check out. It's on the TikTok.

It's a brutal story. Another TikTok that I saw did really well. I didn't watch it. So I don't know if the answer is similar, but what happens to school shooters? Like, how are they treated? Okay, so that's a very good one. I talk about in that one, so Nathaniel Brazil, I don't know if you guys know that name. So when I, to go back to when I was direct filed on the 12th floor, there was a kid named Nathaniel Brazil.

and he was in there for shooting his teacher, where I'm in the county and area I was from. And I talk about our interactions with him first on how he was not viewed as the same as a regular school shooter. He shot a teacher and he was scared. And when I first met him when we were young, he was very wild and serious about that life.

And later on, when I did my adult bit, I saw him because I think I had 20, 25 years, he was almost like Johnny Cochran they called him. the Johnny Cochran in a prison. Like he became such a different person that that was wild. But then on the comparison is there was these guys from Jacksonville that shot a school and killed some kids. And, you know, they are, I saw one dude. He went from being the tough guy with all these gangster tattoos to last I saw him,

he was getting married on the yard to some guy named Debo, you know, and they did not respect him. They poisoned his food. Yeah, that one is very brutal what they did to him. and a lot of the other ones, they isolate and they do more of a mental torture to them. They poison their food. They just make them locked up. They don't give them their canteen, letters.

They almost cut them off from society, you know, because that's their thing. They want that attention. And it's like a lot of inmates where it's very corrupt, the CEOs know, okay, if we hit them up, it'll be all over the news. So what's the worst thing we can do to someone like that? Cut off the world from them, cut off everything.

And that makes them go literally insane. So that's when that was about three different like views on, you know, one that became a boy and got, he came in there like a gangster. He thought what he did was like heroic, like kids at his school. And next thing I know, he went from gangster to, I guess, Debo and him, got had a whole wedding on the yard and everything to do a picnic. I don't know. I know you touched on a little bit, like kind of when you transitioned, like you started developing. a plan to get out. Was there like a point, there was it like a specific point that you can look back on or

what made you make that change? Or was it just because you were just tired of it or is it kind of like a point of realization? That's a very good question. So it was a little combination of both. It was, I always knew like as I like got away from everything, I knew that who I was. Like it sucks that I had to go to prison to know, man, I'm not like I, nothing's worse than wasted potential. And I felt like, man, I wasted so much.

fucking potential. And I remember, like, I would have to, like, manifest, like, I'd be writing down, like, these plans and these visions, but then, like, have to, like, like, go on and put this, like, fake, like, bravado on and be on this politics and hate this person, hate that person, and do this and that, and then go back to trying my plan. And one thing, like, that, that was going on. And, you know, I had a good friend of mine, Christopher Reith, you know, a Marine, a very good dude, told me he's like man you have so much potential dude like and it just that stuck with me because he was a very righteous dude but i remember going on to i was in confinement and i i remember how stupid i was in the highest level of confinement and they were taking us out and they're like dog cages and i'm

walking out there and i'm thinking yeah i'm around all the big dogs now i'm this young up-and-coming star and i did it like that's how stupid i was dude misguided like and i remember talking to a dude who was like highly respected and he's like oh i know you are a viking what's up man and he's like man and he's like you're fucking not disrespectful but he's like you're an idiot dude but he didn't say like like to aggressively yeah and i was like what do you mean dude and he's like dude i would for what you have bro and i was like huh he's like a fucking release date less than a decade what the fuck are you doing bro and i was like here i am literally causing all this mayhem and and and just in wars and risking like my friend spahn who got 27 years on a three years

sentence, you know what I mean? And just all that shit. And here I am talking to somebody I thought would embrace me and say, you're doing great, kid. Looks at me like, man, what the fuck is wrong with you, kid? And all that combined. And then, you know, I just knew that it, I just, I can't do this, man. I can't be one of these people. I can't be these people that come in and come in and come in nonstop. It's just, you know, I want to be able to take what I've gone through, the pain, the suffering. the good, the bad, you know, whatever I feel spiritually, and be able to give that knowledge to somebody in my life, you know, and that's what was the ultimate change. Yeah, I was just going to say that reminds me of when I got to the medium, I was complaining

about, you know, how much time I'd gotten. And my cousin had said, because I actually had a cousin in prison. Yeah. And he was like, Dad, stop doing that. He said, stop doing it. No, you said, you're not making your time easier. You're not making anybody else. the time either.

And for you to bitch because you got a bunch of time. He goes, bro, you realize most of the tables you're sitting at. These guys have fucking life sentences. Because I was the first went to the medium. All right. All right. You know, so they're like, you've got, these guys have 30 years, 45 years, 80 years, a life sentence. Like, you know, they'll get, they'll move down from the pin.

Even if you have a life, you can go to a medium. You can actually go to a low with a life. But you have to be so old. You know what I'm saying? They'll reduce it. Yeah. He's 65. He's in a pen.

He's got two life sentences, whatever. We can put, he's never been any problems, but we can put him in the medium because he's over 65. He's not really, he's harmless at this point. Although I look at Mike Hustin and I don't see harmless. Yeah, you see some dudes that are 75 years old. There was a guy that was like 80 years old and he, black guy who could jump up on the bar and I mean, just smash out. I remember seeing some old dudes and you're just like, whoa, doing muscle ups and stuff. Like you me look at you

That's true But yeah and I just remember thinking yeah you need to shut your fucking mouth bro Like some of these guys are never going home And maybe for good reason but it doesn't make it any It still sucks you know what I'm saying Like maybe you don't know I see these guys The time they hand out to these guys I just go Especially in the federal system

Well it's you know the funny thing is look If you look at the state of Florida Like the sentences are comparable They give out a shit load of time in Florida Right? Because you'll sit there and like the sentences you're getting, I've interviewed guys that they're like, you know, three home invasions, did this, did that, did that. And they're like, you know, but I was in, you know, but I was in New York. So you're like, what does that mean?

And then they get like seven years. You're like seven fucking years. I know guys that got 25 fucking years or 20 years in the federal system for one home invasion. You got four of them. And you've been in and out of prison. They're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's New York. You're like, what does that mean? Or you're in this, this, you know, this.

You know, you're in whatever, you know, Idaho or something and you find that. Right. And then they give these sentences that are like 30 years. I'm like, oh, my God. They're like, no, no, no. Listen how it works. And then they start calculating. One day.

Yeah. Yeah. You're out like, yeah. Like, yeah, like, you're out like three years. You're like, yeah, yeah. Nonviolent or no, or this. Or I didn't have a gun or this. It's like.

But so, yeah, I mean, I. It's so true, dude. It's, yeah, it's, it's funny. The guys that are the most, some of the guys that I've seen that have been the most miserable got the least amount of time. Yeah. And they just, it's like, God, you're bitching about four years. Like, I do anything for four years right now. Yeah, that's the truth, dude.

So you're still, you're still, you're working, you're working at a gym. Right. Right now I run my own personal training company. So, yeah, I took the Viking mindset and just completely went on my own. Okay. And when did that happen? Oh, it's about a year ago. Oh, cool.

That's good. Yeah. So I went because I was like, you know what? I got enough follower. I got enough traction now. You know what? I want to do it for myself now. And it took off with that.

And TikTok took a million followers now. How long did that take to get a million followers? About almost two years, I'd say. Lock. That's fast, bro. Yeah. Yeah. We've had some major problems with TikTok.

Like we started like three channels and had them all just, we just get crushed. Yeah, we've had a, I think one might have got just canceled. One was created in Canada. so we couldn't monetize it. Oh, I just can't monetize in Canada? No, we had a guy, you know, you have people, I'm sure you have people reach out and be like, they want to help you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had a Canadian guy, great guy, set up the channel. I'll run the whole channel for you. I feel like I have the algorithm down. I'm going to start it for you. I do the whole, absolutely great. I appreciate it. Start it up, but he's in Canada.

He didn't even know. We didn't know. At some point after, he built it up to 100. I mean, 100, 200. Yeah. That's devastating. Millions of views. And then he got busy at work.

He's like, look, I can't do it anymore. I'm going to hand it back to you guys. Here you can just take it over. And, of course, we get it back and we go to monetize it because now can be monetized. And you realize, nope, can't monetize it. It's Canadian. So we had to start over again. And then we just started ours here.

Yeah, we just started over. Yeah, probably at the beginning of the year. The beginning of the years, we started getting monetized. And it's doing well. And then, yeah, like we're doing with a little bit of issues we were talking about earlier. But it's, it's a struggle. You know, it's, it's hard to figure it out. And it's hard to, you know, you see, you see some people will get, even same thing with the YouTube.

I always get people will compare you like, bro, why don't you have a million subscribers? So and so does and so, and so. Well, I'm not so and so. Yeah, you know, and I'm like, and I feel like I'm doing pretty good. Like, I just started this. Like, I don't know what I'm doing. Like, I don't feel like I'm doing okay. You know, I'm not Johnny Mitchell.

You know what I'm saying? Sorry. Yeah. But your channel is definitely amazing. But a million subscribers, that's, that's, you know, on a TikTok, that's. Yeah. Oh, dude. I grind it.

But like, like you said, it's just one of those things where you got the good intentions, dude, and you just keep going and going trying to help. And things will fall into place, you know. But I'm just grateful, man. So, yeah, that's what, so I started the training and then have my social media, the brand, and do some other affiliate marketing and stuff like that. And now I'm going to get into the YouTube. I've got a decent following, like, not that big, about almost 14, 15,000 on YouTube.

but I just wanted the test of waters on there and I'm going to make some more detailed documentaries and audio books and stuff like that. You're kidding though, dude. I should be proud of yourself, right? I'm semi-proud, you know. It's badass, too. Sometimes I get proud and then, you know,

then my wife's like, you're not all that. You're not all that. Hey, you need someone like that out of there. Listen, I appreciate you making the drive. Yeah, for sure, dude. I appreciate you having me. Hey, you guys, do be a favor. Hit the subscribe button.

hit the bells and get notified of videos just like this. Also, we're going to have all the links to Viking Mindset, you know, TikTok. He's also got an Instagram and you didn't mention. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube channel, and we're going to have all the links. You just click on the link. Go straight there. Subscribe, follow, do all the stuff. Really appreciate you guys watching.

Please consider joining my Patreon. It's $10 a month and it really does help Colby and I make these videos. I appreciate you guys so much. Leave me a comment. Thank you very much. See you.