I Was a DEA Undercover Cop — Then Got 11 Years in Prison for Working With the Cartel | Javier Guzman

Javier Guzman became a Tampa police officer at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks into vice and undercover work before earning a spot on a DEA task force. He went from chasing drug dealers and running dangerous undercover operations to crossing a line that would completely change his life — working with the cartel and helping launder money. After someone flipped, the feds closed in, Javier was arrested, pled guilty, and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. Now, he tells the full story of going from cop to DEA undercover officer to federal inmate, what really happened behind the scenes, how he survived prison as a former police officer, and how he rebuilt his life after getting out. _____________________________________________ Thank you to AG1 & HUNGRYROOT for sponsoring this episode: AG1: Go to https://drinkag1.com/lockedin.com and for a limited time, get a free Immune Support Bundle, including a bottle of Omega-3 fish oil and a bottle of Vitamin D3K2, with your first subscription order of AG1 Next Gen or AG1 Pro. _____________________________________________ Hungryroot: Explore my digital cookbook on Hungryroot today and find recipes that are right for you. Go to https://www.hungryroot.com/lockedin to access my cookbook: The Commissary Upgrade. _____________________________________________ Want more Locked In? Get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, exclusive content + a FREE welcome box. Subscribe here: https://lockedin.supportingcast.fm/ _____________________________________________ Buy Javier's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GPNK3SX8?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 The Cop Who Crossed the Line 00:53 Growing Up Poor in Puerto Rico 03:14 Moving to the Bronx 06:38 Life in Fort Apache 09:06 A Nerd in Disguise 10:04 Dreaming of the FBI 13:36 A New Life in Florida 15:00 Becoming a Tampa Cop 17:24 First Day on Patrol 27:38 The Pitbull and the Shootout 33:20 Finding His First Homicide 35:52 Forced into the Tactical Division 38:29 Undercover in Vice 41:51 The Buck Knife Close Call 49:24 Joining the DEA Task Force 56:54 The 250-Kilo Deal Gone Wrong 01:06:40 Meeting Edwin, the Trafficker 01:13:07 Setting Up the Wiretap 01:17:03 The Shrimp Boat Sting 01:26:38 The Arrest That Broke Him 01:29:51 Working with the Infiltrator 01:33:57 Infiltrating the Cali Cartel 01:38:30 Running Money for the Cartel 01:43:30 The Houston Disaster 01:50:59 Louise's Kidnapping 01:54:45 Going AWOL from the Force 02:01:00 The Impulsive Call to Louise 02:05:15 Facing the Truth with Louise 02:07:28 The Christmas Package 02:10:10 Suicidal Thoughts and Rock Bottom 02:14:54 Arrested by His Own 02:21:20 The Informants Flip on Him 02:24:33 Getting Rid of the Guilt Money 02:28:45 Sentenced to 11 Years 02:31:47 Finding Faith in the Hole 02:39:00 Transfer to Atlanta 02:43:12 Arriving at Butner FCI 02:46:05 Settling into Prison Life 02:52:00 Release and the Halfway House 02:56:20 The Divine Job Interview 02:58:45 Lessons for Felons 03:01:05 The Cracked Vessel Story 03:03:35 Closing Thoughts _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka