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.

Recent Episodes

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July 28, 2026

He Wrote to a Woman Serving 40 Years in Prison...Then Married Her

Erik Beller had a Master's degree in Education, a professional career, and a seemingly good life. But just as things were really starting to fall into place, his brother died of an overdose. Then, on Erik's birthday, his best friend, John, also passed away. These tragic events set Erik on a downward spiral of addiction, homelessness, and ultimately jail. While incarcerated, Erik was beaten, almost to death, by a guard (who was later convicted and served prison time for the assault). Erik spen

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July 21, 2026

Pen, Paint, and a Lifelong Friendship: Anya Blakeley and Mike Tran

When Baltimore artist Anya Blakeley walked away from a high-stress job in the criminal legal system, she knew it was time for a change. Anya began searching for meaning and healing in a world that suddenly felt broken. Her journey led her to the Justice Arts Coalition, a group that didn’t just talk about change, but created it by matching incarcerated artists with creative allies on the outside. Enter Cuong Tran, better known as Mike, a self-taught artist behind bars in California, whose raw

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July 8, 2026

From Survival to Second Chances: Anjel Ocegueda's Journey Toward a Better Future

Growing up near Chicago, Illinois, Anjel Ocegueda learned by age 13 that the environment around you can shape the course of your life. "The streets take a toll on you. Whether it's your environment, the people around you, or something that happens to your friends or family, you feel like you have to choose a side." As a sixth and seventh grader, Anjel excelled in school. He earned straight A's, made the honor roll, participated in sports, and envisioned a future built around higher education. H

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June 25, 2026

Miguel Cordero: Prison Pen Pal, Singer, and Artist

Before becoming a resident of one of Florida's most demanding correctional facilities, prison pen pal Miguel Cordero was immersed in the world of video games, logging countless hours on various consoles. However, following his arrest and the onset of a daunting 20-year sentence, he found himself grappling with intense emotions and a fiery temper. His notorious anger earned him the moniker "Psycho" among his fellow inmates -- a title that ultimately helped fuel his transformation. During a gruel

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June 11, 2026

Catfished Behind Bars - Could Cops Be Using the GettingOut App Pretending to be Underage?

Jason Evick is currently serving time at the Toledo Correctional Institution in Ohio for a violent crime. In Ohio and many other states, inmates have access to an app called GettingOut, which allows them to receive emails directly on their prison tablets. While this technology can significantly enhance communication with pen pals outside, it also carries potential risks. When we think about prison inmates and catfishing, the typical assumption is that the inmate is the one deceiving others—fabr

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May 7, 2026

Serial Killer Pen Pal: DeWayne Lee Harris

In the 1990s, DeWayne Lee Harris was responsible for the tragic deaths of multiple women, earning infamy in the Seattle, Washington area under chilling monikers such as Chilly Willy, The Seattle Jungle Killer, and The Seattle Shoelace Slasher. His heinous acts included tying up victims like Denise Marie Harris and Antoinette Jones with their own shoelaces, ultimately strangling them with a belt. His third known victim, Olivia Smith, met a similarly grim fate, being stabbed to death. Disturbingly

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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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