I Was Addicted to Robbing Banks — Then Got 18 Years in New York State Prison | Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders

Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders grew up in Niagara Falls New York — and by the time he was 6 years old his mother had been killed. His father was in prison. What followed was a childhood spent in group homes juvie and living with prostitutes — and an education in the streets that taught him how to rob stores and banks before most kids had their driver's license. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Tommy tells the complete story — the childhood that shaped everything the addiction to robbing that took over his early 20s the bank and store spree that sent him on the run and the 18.5 year New York State Prison sentence that finally stopped him. He opens up about what surviving New York State Prison really looked like and what it finally took to turn his life completely around. _____________________________________________ #bankrobbery #prison #truecrimecommunity _____________________________________________ Connect with Tommy "Big Fatts" Sanders: Book: https://www.amazon.com/My-Pen-Pushes-T-Sanders-ebook/dp/B07J181DBW _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Niagara Falls Bank Robber Who Refused to Snitch — Full Story 01:32 Growing Up in Niagara Falls and the Environment That Shaped Everything 03:44 Losing His Mother and the Early Trauma That Changed the Direction of His Life 05:51 His Father's Prison Story and the Family Dynamics That Defined His Childhood 07:39 His First Steps Into Crime and What That World Really Looked Like 09:39 Life on the Streets and the Early Robberies That Started the Escalation 12:12 School Years and His Attempts to Join the Army That Could Have Changed Everything 14:29 The Cycle of the Streets and the Family Influence That Kept Pulling Him Back 17:36 Living in Group Homes and the Environment That Surrounded Him 20:07 The Transition to Robberies and What Really Motivated Those Decisions 23:13 The Robbery Spree and the Failed Attempts at a Normal Life That Followed 27:04 The Bank Robbery Details and What Life on the Run Really Looked Like 31:11 Life as a Fugitive and the Criminal Addiction That Kept Him Going 34:20 His Capture the Charges and Why He Refused to Snitch 37:37 His Prison Sentence and the Transfers Between Facilities 42:58 Adapting to Prison Life and What Surviving the Violence Really Required 48:18 Navigating Gangs and Prison Relationships From the Inside 53:32 Maintaining Family Bonds From Inside Prison and What That Required 56:41 His Personal Growth in Prison and What Writing a Book Really Meant 01:00:18 His Release From Prison and the Reentry Challenges That Followed 01:03:08 Rebuilding Family Connections After Prison and What That Process Required 01:05:49 The Addiction of Robbery and the Mental Challenges That Come With It 01:09:02 Facing Temptation and What Choosing a New Life Actually Required 01:13:02 His Reflections His Regrets and the Message He Wants Every Young Person to Hear 01:14:13 His Current Life — Music Writing and Community Work 01:16:00 The SNUG Program and What Giving Back to the Community Really Looks Like 01:18:09 His Final Thoughts and Closing Message _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices