The Prison Pen Pal Podcast with Big Steve

Yes, it's a podcast about prison pen pals! Many believe prison inmates are undeserving of a pen pal, and shouldn't be allowed to find love or friendships. Big Steve, host of the Prison Pen Pal Podcast, disagrees. He discusses the value of having a pen pal, both for the inmate and for the free-world individual. Hear insightful interviews and stories from people who write prisoners, prison staff, and the inmates themselves.

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Oct. 12, 2026

He Confessed to Murder — Then Found Love Through a Prison Pen Pal Website

In this eye-opening episode of the Prison Pen Pal Podcast, Big Steve shares the story of William Leverett, who confessed to killing Melissa Millan, a 54‑year‑old senior vice president at MassMutual, while she was jogging at night in Simsbury, Connecticut. William had gotten away with the crime for four years, but ultimately confessed to the crime. Once he got to prison, he wondered whether anyone would ever be willing to write to him. We first heard from Mr. Leverett on episode 16 of our podcast

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Oct. 8, 2026

Which States Are Best For Prison Pen Pals?

Thinking about writing to a prison pen pal? Before you choose an inmate, you might want to think about what state they’re incarcerated in. In this quick-hit episode, Big Steve breaks down which states and messaging services can make communicating with an inmate easy—and which ones can turn it into a frustrating nightmare. He covers Corrlinks, JPay, Securus, Getting Out, Smart Inmate, and Corrlinks Text Chat, along with the best and worst states for traditional snail mail. He also explains why fe

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Sept. 26, 2026

"This Is My Birthday Gift" -- Robert's Incredible Prison Pen Pal Update

Robert from Illinois is back on the Prison Pen Pal Podcast—and this time, he has some incredible news to share. After first appearing on the podcast earlier in 2026, Robert has continued building friendships with people he met through PenPals.Buzz. One of those pen pals is Lenora Mcelwee, a 69-year-old woman who spent 34 years in prison. After years of being denied parole, Lenora finally went before the parole board in August and was granted parole, with her release expected later this year. Rob

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Sept. 20, 2026

How Many Prison Pen Pals is Too Many?

How many prison pen pals is too many? Is it okay to write to more than one person? What about 10? Is 100 too many? In this first Quick Hit episode of the Prison Pen Pal Podcast, Big Steve shares his perspective based on more than a decade of experience as a pen pal and years of running PenPals.Buzz, one of the largest prison pen pal websites. Steve explores what happens when a friendship with a pen pal turns romantic, what it might tell you when a pen pal insists that you write only to the

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Sept. 1, 2026

From St. Peter, Minnesota: Checking in with Ben Alverson

Ben Alverson returns to the Prison Pen Pal Podcast for his third appearance, and a lot has changed since we last checked in with him at the Civil Commitment Center in St. Peter, Minnesota. Ben discusses the changes he’s seen in the program, the possibility of moving more quickly toward life outside the facility, and his upcoming court proceedings. He also explains how some people are now making it through the system faster than before—including one friend who went from the facility to having his

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Aug. 19, 2026

What If Your Worst Mistake at 16 Meant Life in Prison? The Nicco Plowden Interview

On this episode of the Prison Pen Pal Podcast, Big Steve is joined by Nicco Plowden from the Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, New York. Nicco, incarcerated for well over three decades, shares his journey from growing up in Brooklyn in the 1980s, getting caught up in street life, and eventually being sentenced to 55 years to life for crimes committed as a teenager. He talks about the realities of life on the run, the differences between federal and state prisons, and how he stays out

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About the Host

Big Steve

Founder of PenPals.Buzz, Podcast Host

The founder of PenPals.Buzz and a former radio personality in San Francisco, Big Steve has extensive first-hand experience with both the prison system and a microphone. In 2014, he met his European wife, Anya, on a prison pen pal website. They married in his front yard in 2022. Big Steve worked for many years in corporate America, both as founder of a successful online retail business at the turn of the millennium, and as Marketing Director for a Fortune 500 company. Now that he's older and wiser, he hopes to make a difference in the lives of incarcerated men and women, and their loved ones. During the few minutes a day when he’s not working or sleeping, Steve enjoys chess, poker, football, wine tasting, carnitas nachos, reality TV shows, and sitting in his hot tub while thinking of ways to give incarcerated men and women a sense of hope and purpose, thereby reducing the recidivism rate. Big Steve lives in Northern California and has hosted the Prison Pen Pal Podcast since March, 2024. Email him at podcast@penpals.buzz

Reviews

This guy really knows his stuff

"Love how he can relate to the inmate guests so well. Great podcast and it really makes you think about how we judge others."

Breanne | March 9, 2026

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