I Robbed a Movie Theater & Did 15 Years in NY & NJ Prisons | Dr. Joseph Williams

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 745 Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2026

⏱️ 114 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Dr. Joseph Williams was raised in Brooklyn by his mother and grandmother, but the allure of the streets quickly led him into fighting, selling crack, and a 4-year bid in New Jersey. After returning home and falling back into the lifestyle, Joe committed a brazen movie theater robbery that resulted in a stiff 11-year sentence in New York State prison. In this episode, we dive into how Joe survived the New York prison system, earned his college degree behind bars, and turned his life around to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker dedicated to breaking the cycle of recidivism. _____________________________________________ #IanBick #rikersisland #jailstory #NewYorkPrison #PrisonStories #Robbery #Brooklyn #redemptionstory _____________________________________________ Thank you to LUCY for sponsoring this episode: Go to HTTP://LUCY.CO/IANBICK and use promo code IANBICK to get 20% off your first order. _____________________________________________ Connect with Dr. Joseph Williams: Website Link: lyfechessynk.com Email: lyfechess.ynk@gmail.com Instagram: @Dr.4joegi LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-joseph-joe-williams-dsw-lcsw-88b41584 https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1100758 https://secure.helloalma.com/providers/joseph-williams/#More-info _____________________________________________ 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 Movie Theater Heist Gone Wrong 01:01 Dr. Joseph Williams: Streets to Social Work 01:18 Growing Up in Brooklyn 02:33 Raised by Mom & Grandma 05:07 First Fights & School Trouble 09:31 Identity, Anger & Violence 13:13 Arrests & No Father at Home 18:53 Meeting the Crew & Street Life 23:20 First Real Hustles for Money 27:29 Guns, Power & Respect 31:01 Losing Friends to the Streets 39:20 Getting Shot in 90s Brooklyn 45:57 Rikers Island on Gun Charges 52:20 Prison Survival & Hustle Mindset 57:59 Out of Prison, Back to the Hustle 01:05:07 The Heist That Changed Everything 01:10:00 Living With the Consequences 01:16:03 Clinton Prison Changes My Mindset 01:26:01 Education That Saved My Life 01:33:02 From Prison to Social Work 01:40:00 Healing Trauma & Therapy 01:45:02 Buried vs. Planted: My Life 01:46:01 New Mission & Community Work 01:48:38 Advice to My Younger Self 01:48:54 Final Reflections & Farewell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Premier League is exciting.
0:04.0	It's exhilarating.
0:08.0	And sometimes it's...
0:11.0	So when you need something to help you ride the highest and loads of all that action,
0:17.0	grab a Coke to keep you in the game.
0:20.0	Time to refresh. Time for a Coke.
0:23.6	Coca-Cola, official partner of the Premier League.
0:28.6	When was the last time you had space to feel?
0:34.6	With the National Trust, you might just find life standing still under towering trees.
0:40.3	Maybe you'll find connection among the stories of the past.
0:45.3	Or a moment to disconnect from it all on a mountainside.
0:49.3	Whatever you're feeling, wherever you are, with the National Trust, you can make space to feel.
0:59.8	I walked up to, it was about eight employees that were at work, all males.
1:03.8	I walked up to the main manager.
1:06.1	I pulled the AR out, and I was like, I put on the Mickey Mouse voice and I was like this is a robbery everybody
1:12.9	oh this is my voice hold on and look if anybody's listening I was dead I was a victim I'm not making light of the
1:21.2	situation please forgive me that was however many years ago but I am telling my story in full transparency and authenticity
1:29.8	and sincerity. So forgive me if it offends. But I was like, um, this is a robbery. Nobody be a
1:37.7	hero. I want you to make it to home to your girlfriend, your wife, or your boyfriend if you
1:41.5	have them. So if I touch touch you I'm talking to you like
1:44.6	face down eyes flat palms face down eyes closed palms flat if I touch you I'm talking to you
1:49.8	and so when I first stepped to him he thought I was playing he was like this is a joke you want to go
	...

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