I Was a Court Reporter… Then I Went to Prison | Becky Calderon

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 745 Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2025

⏱️ 101 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Becky Calderon seemed to have the perfect life — adopted into a loving family, building a stable career, and working as a respected court reporter in California. But after being diagnosed with cancer, everything started to fall apart. What began as financial struggle and desperation turned into a life-altering mistake: stealing over $400,000 from her employer. #PrisonStories #TrueCrimeInterviews #JusticeSystem #CourtReporter #RedemptionStory #BehindBars #LockedInPodcast #RealLifeStories Thank you to PRIZEPICKS for sponsoring this episode: Prizepicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/IANBICK and use code IANBICK and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Connect with Becky Calderon: Instagram: @pelipostapp TikTok: @pelipost (TikTok) Facebook: @pelipost X: @pelipostapp Website: https://www.pelipost.com/ PROMO CODE: Try out the Pelipost app and send your first order FREE with the code IANBICK. 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 – Introduction & Becky’s Breaking Point 00:51 – How a Court Reporter Ended Up Behind Bars 01:51 – Prison Life & Holding a Family Together From Inside 03:18 – The Photo App That Changed Her Life After Prison 06:46 – Building a Business With Purpose & Second Chances 09:28 – How Becky Sends Hope Into Correctional Facilities 10:47 – Adopted Into a Good Home & Early Childhood Memories 14:11 – Family Secrets & Finding Her Biological Parents 17:34 – Growing Up With High Expectations & Hidden Pain 21:11 – Pressure, Trauma & The Need to Be Perfect 23:54 – Facing Abuse & The Long-Term Emotional Damage 25:08 – Dreams, Coping & Fighting Through Adversity 29:19 – Career Beginnings & Becoming a Court Reporter 32:59 – Inside the Courtroom: Triumphs and Challenges 35:40 – Cancer Diagnosis & The Fight That Changed Everything 43:02 – Loss, Resilience & Life After Illness 45:01 – Crossing the Line: Stealing $400K From Her Employer 49:26 – Addiction, Gambling & The Breaking Point 53:53 – The Moment Everything Collapsed: Arrest and Shame 56:28 – Facing Prison Time & The Fallout With Family 01:00:27 – Sentencing Day & Preparing for Prison 01:03:04 – Detox, Jail Intake & First Shock of Incarceration 01:10:40 – Learning to Survive in a California Max-Security Prison 01:14:41 – A Mother’s Love: Staying Connected From Prison 01:16:04 – Eye-Opening Moments From Life Behind Bars 01:19:01 – Finding Purpose & Unexpected Hope in Prison 01:21:01 – Rehabilitation Programs & Breaking the Cycle 01:22:40 – Health Struggles & Spiritual Awakening Inside 01:25:03 – Staying Sober & Rebuilding After Release 01:29:32 – Unforgettable Prison Stories That Changed Her Perspective 01:31:01 – Compassion, Forgiveness & Helping Others 01:33:00 – Relapse, Recovery & The Journey to Healing 01:35:43 – Self-Discovery & Turning Pain Into Purpose 01:37:14 – What I’d Tell My Younger Self After Everything 01:39:42 – Final Reflections & Finding True Freedom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	And he said, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't see you living to see your child turn five.
0:07.6	When you're a court reporter, did you ever picture yourself sitting in a courtroom on the other end of it?
0:12.5	And don't you know that when they handcuffed me and took me into custody, it was in the same
0:18.9	courtrooms I worked in. Tell us how you went from court reporter to prison.
0:22.8	And she looks at me and she says, so they want to give you three years.
0:25.8	What was the most eye-opening thing for you about prison?
0:28.8	Becky Calderon was a respected court reporter until cancer changed everything.
0:33.6	In a moment of desperation, she stole $400,000 from her employer and ended up serving three years in a maximum security prison.
0:41.3	This is how her life completely unraveled and how she's rebuilding it today in a very interesting way.
0:50.4	Becky, welcome to Lockton. Thanks so much for coming today.
0:53.2	Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, straight from Tampa, Florida.
0:56.9	Tampa. Originally from San Diego. Okay. I left the warm to come be in the cooler air, but you came at the perfect time of year.
1:04.2	It's really beautiful. Yeah. It's beautiful. I didn't expect this. I didn't, I had no clue, but it's beautiful.
1:11.3	Yeah, so at the top of this episode,
1:12.8	I want you to tell the audience about your business
1:14.5	because it's so fascinating and so cool,
1:17.2	and I want you guys to plug it in there.
1:18.7	Okay, most definitely.
1:20.7	Yeah, tell us all about it.
1:21.9	Okay.
1:23.8	I will be as brief as possible,
1:25.9	but when I was incarcerated,
	...

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