Samuel E. Harris went from serving his country in the U.S. Army to battling addiction and receiving a 60-year prison sentence. More than 24 years later, a rare gubernatorial pardon gave him a second chance at freedom.Sam joins Brent Cassity on Nightmare Success In and Out to share the military trauma that changed his life, the choices that led to prison, and the transformation that began behind bars. He opens up about founding an inmate-led recovery group, helping others pursue clemency, surviving the denial of his own pardon, and the emotional journey of returning home after nearly 25 years.Now an author, speaker, veteran advocate, and co-founder of the Reentry and Recovery Alliance, Sam is using his experience to help others navigate recovery, reentry, and the legal system.A powerful conversation about accountability, faith, perseverance, and the belief that no one should be defined solely by their worst day.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

Addiction cost Ryan Moser his marriage, his freedom, and precious years with his son. After cycling through juvenile detention and prison, he received a 10-year Florida sentence for a crime committed while addicted to pain pills.Behind the walls, Ryan picked up a pen—and discovered the purpose he had been searching for his entire life. With little formal education and no journalism background, he became an award-winning writer, published approximately 250 pieces while incarcerated, and emerged from prison as a professional journalist.Today, Ryan’s work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Marshall Project, Slate, Condé Nast Traveler, and other national publications. Now 12 years sober, he shares how writing saved his life, how he rebuilt his relationship with his son, and why lasting change requires going all in every single day.This is a powerful conversation about addiction, incarceration, fatherhood, purpose, redemption, and turning the worst chapter of your life into the beginning of something extraordinary.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

Jennifer Michele Helm built a successful career designing luxury homes and believed she had finally made it. But behind the beautiful interiors and public image, her business and personal life were unraveling.Jennifer had already survived one extraordinary nightmare. At 29, a devastating stroke caused by three holes in her heart took away her ability to speak and write. She fought her way back, recovered her voice, and rebuilt her design career.Years later, financial mismanagement, denial, alcohol, and decisions she now accepts responsibility for led to federal charges. Jennifer pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and received a 51-month federal prison sentence.In this candid conversation, Jennifer recounts the FBI investigation, her unexpected arrest, 13 months in county jail, Con Air, federal prison, and the painful separation from her children. She also explains how treatment, faith, meditation, radical accountability, and teaching yoga and Pilates to other incarcerated women helped her discover a new purpose.Now the founder of ARCI Wellness, Jennifer is rebuilding her life only months after leaving prison. The woman who once designed homes for others is learning how to redesign herself.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

At 24 years old, Chad Marks received a 40-year federal prison sentence. Facing the possibility of spending most of his life behind bars, he began teaching himself the law and became a respected jailhouse lawyer—helping other incarcerated men pursue sentence reductions and compassionate release.Chad eventually turned that knowledge toward his own case. After the First Step Act changed the sentencing laws used against him, his sentence was reduced from 40 years to 20 years. In 2020, after serving approximately 17 years, he walked free.Today, Chad is the author of Blood on the Razor Wire, a paralegal, prison consultant, podcast host and criminal justice advocate. He joins Brent Cassity to discuss surviving dangerous federal prisons, enduring solitary confinement, discovering purpose behind the wall and helping write his own path to freedom.This is the remarkable reinvention of Chad Marks.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

Imagine being 23 years old and suddenly facing the possibility that you may never come home.Bruce Bryan wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He would spend more than 29 years inside maximum-security prisons across New York State, including Sing Sing, for a crime he did not commit.In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, Bruce joins Brent Cassity to share how he survived nearly three decades behind bars without allowing bitterness to define him. Through education, personal development and mentoring others, Bruce transformed his mindset from victim, to survivor, to “thriver.”Remarkably, while still incarcerated at Sing Sing, Bruce competed against approximately 200 other incarcerated men and was selected to deliver a TEDx talk, using his voice to address the often-overlooked impact incarceration has on children and families.His clemency application ultimately grew to nearly 500 pages documenting his case, education and accomplishments. After receiving clemency and finally walking free, Bruce turned his experience into purpose. Today, he is a human justice advocate and change strategist using his voice to fight wrongful convictions and advocate for criminal justice reform.This is an unforgettable conversation about wrongful conviction, prison, resilience, mindset, clemency, freedom and what it means to go from victim—to survivor—to thriver.Your circumstances may imprison your body. They don't have to imprison your mind.🎙️ Nightmare Success In and Out with Brent CassitySubscribe for powerful conversations about incarceration, wrongful conviction, redemption, second chances, resilience and what happens when people survive their worst nightmare—and find a way to thrive.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

Stuart Anderson spent more than two decades building a successful career in law and business. Then federal investigators knocked on his door and said they only wanted to talk. Believing he had nothing to hide, Stuart invited them inside—a decision that marked the beginning of a nightmare he never imagined.After becoming involved in a federal investment fraud investigation connected to escrow transactions, Stuart pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He received a 48-month federal prison sentence and lost the law license and professional identity he had spent years building.Stuart joins Brent Cassity to discuss the FBI interview, the pressure of the federal plea-bargaining system, hearing a judge sentence him to four years, and entering prison during the isolation of COVID. He also describes the punishment that continued after his release, including applying for more than 600 professional positions while facing the stigma of a fraud conviction.Today, Stuart serves as Vice President of Research, Education & Programs at the Justice Restoration Foundation. He is using his legal education, business experience, and firsthand knowledge of incarceration to advance justice reform, government accountability, and second-chance opportunity.This is a story about losing a career, rebuilding an identity, finding faith and purpose, and learning that surrender does not mean giving up.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

Chris L. Young was only 22 years old when a federal judge sentenced him to two mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole under federal drug laws.Most believed his story was over.Instead, Chris transformed his life from inside a prison cell through education, discipline, and an unshakable belief that "Your mentality equals your reality."Then something almost unimaginable happened.The very judge who sentenced Chris—Judge Kevin Sharp—came to believe the punishment was unjust. Judge Sharp resigned from the federal bench and became one of Chris's strongest advocates, working alongside attorney Brittany K. Barnett, Kim Kardashian, and others to help secure executive clemency.In 2021, President Donald Trump granted Chris executive clemency, ending more than a decade behind bars.Today, Chris is a bestselling author of The Wound Is Where the Light Enters, an SMU graduate, entrepreneur, speaker, and nationally recognized advocate for criminal justice reform.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

In this unforgettable episode of Nightmare Success, Brent Cassity sits down with former Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Kent McGowen to hear the story that has defined more than three decades of his life.Kent shares how his dream of serving in law enforcement led to a career as a police officer before everything changed following the fatal shooting of Susan White while serving an arrest warrant. His first conviction was overturned on appeal because of legal error, but after a second trial in 2002, another jury convicted him of murder.Throughout the conversation, Kent explains why he continues to maintain his innocence, why he believes rumor and innuendo overshadowed the facts, and how he survived years of public scrutiny, prison, and the loss of his career. He also discusses his book, Reasonable Doubts: How Rumor and Innuendo Convicted Deputy Kent McGowen of Murder, and why he believes it's important for people to hear his perspective.This episode explores far more than a criminal case. It is a conversation about justice, resilience, identity, faith, perseverance, and what it takes to rebuild a life after everything you've worked for has been stripped away.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

What happens when your entire life changes overnight?Former Arkansas State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson appeared to have it all—a successful legal career, a respected position in public office, and a future in politics. Then a federal investigation changed everything.In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, host Brent Cassity sits down with Jeremy to discuss the personal journey behind the headlines. Jeremy opens up about growing up in one of Arkansas' most prominent political families, serving in the Arkansas Legislature, facing federal prosecution, making the difficult decision to plead guilty, serving time in federal prison, and eventually receiving a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump.But this conversation isn't about reliving the past.It's about what happens after it.Jeremy shares the emotional toll prison took on his family, the unexpected brotherhood he discovered behind bars, the lessons he learned about identity and purpose, and why he now dedicates his life to criminal justice reform as Director of Strategic Initiatives for Unify.US.This episode is an honest conversation about accountability, resilience, redemption, and discovering that your worst chapter doesn't have to define the rest of your story.If you've ever faced failure, loss, public judgment, or wondered whether people truly deserve a second chance, this episode is for you.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com

How does a respected university professor lose everything?Dr. Julie Howell spent decades building a successful career in higher education, earning the respect of colleagues and mentoring future educators. From the outside, she appeared to have it all.But behind the success was a lifetime of hidden trauma, overwhelming personal challenges, and a gambling addiction that quietly became an escape from reality.Eventually, those choices led to a federal conviction, a year in federal prison, and the loss of the career she had spent decades building.In this deeply honest conversation, Dr. Howell shares the story behind the headlines—including childhood trauma, raising a daughter through addiction and sex trafficking, facing the consequences of her own actions, and learning how accountability became the first step toward rebuilding her life.This isn't a conversation about excuses.It's a conversation about addiction, responsibility, forgiveness, and the possibility of redemption after public failure.If you've ever wondered how successful people can quietly struggle—or whether it's possible to rebuild after losing everything—this episode is for you.Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected at prisonist.org. Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount Visit Discoverability.co. Auto Plaza Direct "Your personal car concierge!" Let them handle every detail to find your perfect car autoplazadirect.com. Author Saffron Gustafson www.mynameissaffron.com, "My Name is Saffron." Author Nevin Shetty, "Second Chance Economics: How Hiring The Formerly Incarcerated Can Unlock $1 Trillion in GDP." www.secondchanceeconomics.com