How I Survived 25+ Years in Kansas’ Worst Prisons | Luis Gutierrez

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 743 Ratings

🗓️ 25 January 2026

⏱️ 116 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Luis Gutierrez got pulled into California and Kansas gangs at a young age after a rough childhood that set him on a violent path. In this episode, Luis tells the full story of how a crime that resulted in the murder of his close friend led him to turn down an 11-year plea deal and receive life in prison, sending him into some of Kansas’ most brutal and dangerous maximum-security prisons. He shares raw, uncensored stories from inside those prisons, the violence he witnessed, and the mindset required to survive decades behind bars. Luis also opens up about the redemption that changed his life in prison, the steps he took to earn a real chance at freedom, and an unexpected love story after meeting a prison staff member who ultimately lost her job over their relationship. Today, Luis runs a successful nonprofit and tattoo shop, using his past to help others avoid the same mistakes and prove that even a life sentence doesn’t have to be the end of the story. _____________________________________________ #PrisonSurvival #KansasPrison #PrisonLife #TrueCrime #LifeInPrison #PrisonStories #SurvivingPrison #incarceration _____________________________________________ Thank you to WARBY PARKER for sponsoring this episode: Our listeners get 15% off plus free shipping when they buy two or more pairs of prescription glasses at https://warbyparker.com/LOCKEDIN — using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker #ad _____________________________________________ Connect with Luis Gutierrez: http://www.redemptionanimalrescueks.com _____________________________________________ 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 First Days in Prison & Early Survival 01:11 Life After Prison: Redemption Inc, Second Chances & Animal Rescue 04:46 Childhood, Family, and the Roots of Trauma 09:30 Moving States, Gangs, and Juvenile Arrests 13:30 The Turning Point: Tragedy, Charges, and Sentencing 20:11 First Time in Prison: Violence, Fear, and Reality Setting In 28:42 Prison Politics, Gang Life, and How to Stay Alive 39:39 Solitary Confinement, Prison Mentors, and Learning to Adapt 48:47 Life in Segregation: Art, Mental Survival, and Trauma 59:39 Drugs in Prison, Relationships, and a Shift in Mindset 01:12:10 Prison Dog Programs, Redemption, and Meeting Melissa 01:23:53 Preparing for Freedom, Relapse Risks, and Setbacks 01:29:06 Facing the Parole Board and Fighting for a Second Chance 01:39:01 Life After Prison: Community Work, Business, and Giving Back 01:47:02 Family, Marriage, and Rebuilding Trust After Prison 01:51:01 Advice for At-Risk Youth and the Power of Redemption Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I remember I said, I'm going to go smash this dude.
0:03.0	He was a pretty big guy.
0:04.0	I said, but I'm going to go smash it.
0:06.0	I'm going to show him that I can do this on my own.
0:08.0	I went to a cellhouse and I snuck into his cell.
0:11.0	We lived in completely different cell houses.
0:14.0	And when I turned the corner to where his run was,
0:17.0	remember, I'm 16.
0:19.0	I had very little experiences in life, you know, and even with females
0:24.3	or anything, very little. So when I turned the corner, I seen this guy that they told me about.
0:30.8	And he was going down on another guy through the bars. And I stopped. I was like, what the
0:36.8	because the first time I'd ever
0:38.9	seen him, never had one. The first time I'd seen it was that guy, given that other guy one.
0:46.5	And it just, it just fucked me up, man. Luis Gutierrez was pulled into gangs at a young age,
0:53.8	made a decision that cost his best
0:55.7	friend's life, turned down an 11-year plea deal, and was sentenced to life in prison. This episode
1:01.5	takes you inside Kansas' most dangerous maximum security prisons and the redemption that gave him
1:07.0	a second chance. Luis, welcome to Lockton. Thanks so much for coming from Kansas, right? Yes, sir. Ah, that's incredible. It's warmer there, hopefully? No, it's pretty cold there too. Oh, it is a-oh, what's going on with the world? You think Kansas, you think, in like, kind of like desert and... Oh, no, it's... We get lots of snow man lots of snow yeah yeah it snowed a
1:29.4	lot here yesterday last two days actually uh heavy winter here in connecticut last winter we
1:34.7	barely got anything yeah no we drove through it um definitely tell the audience about uh the animal
1:41.3	facility you guys are running in the tattoo shop. It's really cool.
1:44.4	And that's your logo on your shirt, too.
	...

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