Infamous America

State police and city police SWAT teams enter Penitentiary New Mexico to retake the facility. The destruction is shocking. Multiple fires burn out of control, and everything is trashed. Then they start finding dead bodies. All experienced extreme trauma. Some will take weeks to identify. The Santa Fe city police SWAT team is the first to see the horror of Cellblock 4. In the aftermath, prison officials and state legislators struggle to improve and reform a system that is badly broken. In the ensuing years, there are no riots, but few significant changes. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barre l+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

By the afternoon of Saturday, February 2, 1980, the worst of the carnage at Penitentiary New Mexico has ebbed. An unknown number of inmates are dead or wounded. Many more suffer drug overdoses. Prison officials organize a news conference for rioters, and the rioters continue to release hostages. On Sunday morning, hundreds of inmates stream out of the prison. And by Sunday afternoon, the final hostages have been released and the riot is done. SWAT teams enter the prison and receive their first taste of the destruction. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WARNING: LISTENER DISCRETION ADVISED. MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. Rioters use three acetylene cutting torches to break into Cellblock 4, the unit which houses inmates who are considered snitches. A group of 10 to 20 of the most savage rioters systematically torture and murder inmates who were trapped in their cells in Cellblock 4. The killers will later be known as “death squads.” Elsewhere at Penitentiary New Mexico, the violence and destruction reaches its peak, even as some rioters negotiate with prison officials and release hostages. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rioters capture four more guards at Penitentiary New Mexico. They light fires throughout the prison. They gorge themselves on prescription drugs from the Hospital Unit. And when the prisoners in the notorious Cellblock 3 are released, they unite with the rioters and begin killing. But not every inmate participates in the riot. Many barricade themselves in their units for protection. Meanwhile, prison officials and members of every law enforcement agency in New Mexico converge on the facility to try to manage the crisis. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The riot at Penitentiary New Mexico rapidly spreads out of Dormitory E2 and consumes the south wing of the prison. Rioters take seven guards hostage and smash into the Control Center. From the Control Center, rioters rush into the Administration Wing and unlock the gate to North Wing. In just 22 minutes, inmates have taken control of the entire prison. While some rioters start destroying the facility, others unlock the cells of the maximum security inmates and settle grudges. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rumors of violence at the Penitentiary of New Mexico escalate throughout January of 1980. On January 31, Intelligence Officer Larry Flood calls a high-profile meeting to discuss the rising chatter about a hostage takeover of the prison. Efforts to uncover a plot have come up empty. Attendees vow to remain vigilant. Then, less than 36 hours later, inmates in a medium security dormitory attack four guards in the middle of the night and begin the most violent prison riot in American history. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1934, time runs out for all the high-profile outlaws of the era. The Barker-Karpis Gang commits two more violent robberies – one disastrous – and their most lucrative kidnapping to date, but the FBI is closing in. The gang suffers major losses during a shootout in Florida. One by one, gang members fall until only Alvin Karpis remains. When his time runs out, he becomes one of the celebrity inmates at notorious Alcatraz prison. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When two violent robberies lead to three murders and a loss of a gang member, Ma Barker begins to wonder if there might be a better way to make money. Along comes a nightclub owner in St. Paul with an idea to kidnap the president of a bank, and he convinces the Barker-Karpis gang to embark on the first high-profile kidnapping of 1933. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After fleeing Missouri, Ma, Fred, and Alvin Karpis run to the criminal sanctuary of St. Paul, Minnesota. But shortly after they arrive, they are betrayed by an insider. After the betrayal, they suffer a litany of problems during robberies for the first time in the gang’s existence. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Herman Barker gone, and Lloyd Barker and Doc Barker in prison, Fred Barker restarts the Barker Gang with the help of his friend, Alvin Karpis. The Barker clan creates a safe house in southern Missouri, but they are forced to flee after Fred commits two notorious murders similar to those of his older brother, Herman. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Herman Barker, the eldest son, returns home from prison, he assumes leadership of a new gang. He gets married, despite Ma’s protests, and his crimes turn him and his wife into fugitives. While on the run, Herman commits two headline grabbing murders to stay free. But the murders only buy him a little time before the end. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Missouri and Oklahoma, Ma Barker raises four sons to be outlaws like her idol Jesse James. They begin with petty crimes, and when they get caught, Ma runs to the rescue and talks them out of trouble. But in June of 1921, her son Arthur commits a crime so serious that Ma can’t help. And by the end of the year, three of the four Barker boys are in prison serving lengthy sentences. It’s a rough beginning to one of the most infamous gangs in American history. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While FBI agents wait for information which might reveal the identity of one of the armed robbers they have been chasing for six months, they decide to set up a surveillance operation in South Miami. On April 11, 1986, Michael Platt and Bill Matix drive into the FBI dragnet. After a brief car chase, the robbers engage the agents in the bloodiest shootout in FBI history. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a robbery spree in October and November of 1985, Michael Platt and Bill Matix go dark until January of 1986. They return to their favorite territory in South Miami, but they run into trouble when a witness provides crucial help to the police. Platt and Matix escalate their violence, which leads to their first big mistake. FBI investigators make progress, but they still need a key piece of information in order to crack the case. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . APC first line: This episode will be available for free on … . For instant access, ad-free listening and exclusive content, join Black Barrel+ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In October of 1985, two armed robbers, Michael Platt and Bill Matix, begin targeting banks and armored cars in broad daylight in South Miami. They wear masks and army fatigues, and they have no problem opening fire in public places. Platt and Matix aren’t the most successful robbers in criminal history, but they have no fear, and they leave behind no clues for investigators. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Frank Lucas experiences a rough ride in the second half of the 1980s, and he hits rock bottom in the early 1990s. But when he is at his lowest point, one of his brothers throws him a lifeline. Frank finally leaves the heroin business, but he still struggles in the legitimate world… until he achieves worldwide fame as the subject of the Hollywood film “American Gangster,” though the movie stirs up nearly as much controversy as it does money at the box office. Check out these great books about Frank Lucas, Bumpy Johnson, and Harlem crime: “Harlem Godfather” by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller “Original Gangster” by Frank Lucas and Aliya S. King Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1975, the law finally takes down Frank Lucas. Frank faces decades in prison, and he makes a decision to work with New Jersey prosecutor Richie Roberts to reduce his sentence. When Frank returns to Harlem, his empire is in ruins, his family is scattered, and his prospects for the future are bleak. The early 1980s are a pale reflection of Frank’s heyday in the early 1970s. Check out these great books about Frank Lucas, Bumpy Johnson, and Harlem crime: “Harlem Godfather” by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller “Original Gangster” by Frank Lucas and Aliya S. King Go to Surfshark.com/infamous or use code INFAMOUS at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hard times arrive for Frank Lucas’s heroin business. In the early 1970s, Harlem gangsters start dying, disappearing, or going to prison as a DEA-NYPD task force rounds up the leading players. Frank is forced to resort to desperate – and macabre – measures to keep his heroin pipeline intact. A rival gangster named Nicky Barnes asks Frank to join a Harlem syndicate called “The Council,” but Frank stays away even as his Thailand connections crumble. Check out these great books about Frank Lucas, Bumpy Johnson, and Harlem crime: “Harlem Godfather” by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller “Original Gangster” by Frank Lucas and Aliya S. King Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After Bumpy Johnson dies, Frank Lucas travels to Bangkok, Thailand and sets up a powerful heroin operation. Frank’s new gang, nicknamed the Country Boys, makes millions selling heroin in New York and New Jersey. Frank makes multiple trips to Thailand, and he claims he survives an ambush by gunmen in the jungle when he travels to the source of his heroin. As Frank’s wealth and power grow, he shows off at the epic Muhammed Ali-Joe Frazier fight in 1971, and he soon regrets his decision to step into the spotlight. Check out these great books about Frank Lucas, Bumpy Johnson, and Harlem crime: “Harlem Godfather” by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller “Original Gangster” by Frank Lucas and Aliya S. King Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bumpy Johnson, the Godfather of Harlem, goes to prison after the betrayal by Flash Walker. While Bumpy serves time at Alcatraz, Frank Lucas commits two high-profile robberies in Harlem. When Bumpy returns home, he brings Frank into his crew, and Frank wants Bumpy to start a heroin operation. Bumpy refuses, but Frank will soon have the opportunity to start the business himself. Check out these great books about Frank Lucas, Bumpy Johnson, and Harlem crime: “Harlem Godfather” by Mayme Johnson and Karen E. Quinones Miller “Original Gangster” by Frank Lucas and Aliya S. King Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Use this link for Free Shipping and 365-day returns: Quince.com/infamousamerica Thanks to our sponsor, Mood! For 20% off of your first order, use the promo code INFAMOUS at Mood.com Join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: blackbarrel.supportingcast.fm/join Apple users join Black Barrel+ for ad-free episodes, bingeable seasons and bonus episodes. Click the Black Barrel+ banner on Apple to get started with a 3-day free trial. On YouTube, subscribe to INFAMOUS+ for ad-free episodes and bingeable seasons: hit “Join” on the Legends YouTube homepage. For more details, please visit www.blackbarrelmedia.com or @blackbarrelmedia on Instagram . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.