Robert Rodriguez went from enforcing prison rules… to running the prison from the inside. After serving in the military, Robert became a correctional officer in Georgia — stepping into what he describes as one of the most corrupt prison systems in America. As a young officer, he quickly got swept into a brutal culture of violence, cover-ups, and unchecked power. He participated in beatings, witnessed extreme abuse, and says officers were rewarded for silence. Promoted to sergeant, Robert was rising through the system — until one tragic night. A fatal drunk driving accident led to a 14-year prison sentence… and everything flipped. The former sergeant entered the very world he once controlled — now wearing shackles instead of a badge. Inside, Robert didn’t just survive — he became a high-ranking gang member, involved in smuggling contraband, controlling prison politics, and even having illicit relationships with staff. He eventually helped run operations behind bars. #PrisonStories #TrueCrimePodcast #DirtyCop #CorrectionalOfficer #WentToPrison #LawEnforcementTruth #RedemptionStory #LockedInPodcast Thank you to BLUECHEW & GLD for sponsoring this episode: BlueChew: Visit https://bluechew.com/ and use promo code LOCKEDIN at checkout to get your first month of BlueChew & pay five bucks for shipping. GLD: New customers get 50% Off AND a FREE chain with code LOCKEDIN at https://www.gld.com/ Connect with Robert Rodriguez: TikTok @RoyalRodriguez824 Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop Timestamps: 00:00 From Guard to Criminal: The Dark Side of Corrections 03:00 Growing Up Rough & Joining the Military 06:00 Why He Joined Corrections After the Streets 10:00 Inside Prison Culture: Violence, Cover-Ups & Lawsuits 17:00 Dirty Officer Tactics & Getting Promoted Anyway 22:00 Corruption Stories They Never Wanted Exposed 29:00 The DUI That Turned a Sergeant Into an Inmate 36:00 Legal Fight, Conviction & Entering Prison as Former Staff 41:00 Fearing for His Life: Protective Custody vs Yard Politics 47:00 How He Gained Respect & Built a Network Inside 53:00 Becoming a High-Ranking Prison Gang Member 01:00:00 Contraband, Paid-Off Guards & Running the System 01:09:00 Sleeping With Staff & Abusing Power Behind Bars 01:16:00 Insane Prison Stories: Survival, Violence & Fear 01:27:00 Losing It All: How Prison Broke His Ego 01:38:00 Life After Prison: Trying to Rebuild & Find Redemption 01:47:00 Final Lessons: What Prison Taught Him About Power Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices