The Alicia Kozak Podcast

Alicia Kozak sits down with retired Kenosha detective Pete Deates to reveal what it really takes to investigate internet crimes against children. From overwhelming cyber-tip backlogs and painstaking investigations to the emotional toll of confronting the darkest corners of human behavior. Pete shares how Alicia’s Law helped provide the resources that made these investigations possible, the creation of Kenosha’s dedicate...

Alicia Kozak sits down with Rachel, a former leader of a sex-offender supervision unit who now works in victim services. Drawing from years spent monitoring offenders and protecting communities, Rachel shares what she has learned about manipulation, risk, rehabilitation and the gaps that allow victims to fall through the system. With blunt honesty and unexpected dark humor, they examine whether meaningful change is possible, and wh...

Alicia sits down with Ray Oliver, a Special Agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Computer Crimes Unit, to explore the realities of tracking online predators and examining digital evidence. Ray shares the emotional toll of the work, the cases that have stayed with him, and how investigators balance family life while protecting children. They also confront the complicated line between entertainment and ...

In Part 2, former Detective Sergeant Chaz Balogh shares publicly how he survived childhood sexual abuse and carried that secret for more than 40 years, even while investigating crimes against children. Chaz and Alicia discuss the silence and stigma faced by male survivors, why viewing child sexual abuse material is never a victimless crime, and the devastating mental-health toll this work can take on investigators. They also reflec...

In Part 1, Alicia sits down with retired Detective Sergeant Chaz Balogh to discuss his path into law enforcement and his work investigating crimes against children. Chaz also discusses his relationship with his partner, an electronic-storage detection K-9 named Spike, and explains how these remarkable dogs uncover hidden evidence, support survivors and help change the outcome of investigations.

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In Part 2 of Alicia's conversation with investigator Rusty, they go deeper into one of the most disturbing child exploitation cases he's ever worked and the realities of tracking some of the internet's most dangerous offenders. Along the way, Rusty shares how investigators cope with the emotional weight of the job, why humor can be a survival tool, and the perspective that keeps him fighting for children every day. It's a sobering ...

What really happens on the dark web—and how do investigators find the people hiding there? Alicia sits down with investigator Rusty in Part 1 of a 2 part episode, for an eye-opening conversation about tracking child exploitation networks, exposing the growing threat of nihilistic violent extremist (NVE),  and how predators recruit vulnerable young people online. Rusty explains why offenders don't "accidentally" end up on...

How do investigators stay one step ahead of online predators? Alicia Kozak sits down with the D ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) investigator Karen O'Connor for a fascinating look inside the fight to protect children from online exploitation. Karen shares how she and her electronic storage detection dog, Bogey...

In Part 2 of The Opera Ranger, Alicia Kozak continues her conversation with child exploitation investigator and opera singer Will Britt, exploring the challenges of protecting children, confronting evil, and maintaining hope in the face of unimaginable darkness. Will shares the cases that shaped his career, the rescue that reinforced his purpose, and how music, compassion, and connection help him s...

What does it take to hunt down society’s worst offenders while protecting its most vulnerable? In part one of this compelling two-part episode, Alicia sits down with Agent Will Britt to explore his intense, high-stakes work in the Internet Crimes Against Children task force. He also opens up about his unexpected creative side that keeps him grounded. From opera singing to T...