Falling to Freedom

What if everything we think we know about crime prevention is backwards? In this compelling episode of Falling to Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with retired police sergeant and decorated Air Force veteran Michael Sugrue to uncover a hard truth from the front lines: most crime has a root; it’s fueled by addiction.

From covert narcotics operations in California to the deadly realities of today’s fentanyl crisis, Sgt. Sugrue shar...

Join host Chad LaComb for an inspiring conversation with Mary Beth O’Connor, retired federal judge and author of 'From Junkie to Judge: One woman's triumph over trauma and addiction' as they explore her incredible journey from childhood trauma and methamphetamine addiction to lasting recovery. Mary Beth shares how she crafted a personalized recovery plan, rejecting one-size-fits-all models, and emphasizes the power of addressing tr...

What if a single story could light a spark for someone lost in the grip of addiction? That’s where we start.

Hey there, I’m Chad LaComb, and I’m excited to share The Falling to Freedom Podcast. In this episode, I’m laying it all bare, my messy, real journey. Picture this: I was using drugs by 12, landed in prison, and hit rock bottom before finding redemption through Christ. It wasn’t pretty, but it’s my truth, and it’s the heartbea...

Join host Chad LaComb for a powerful conversation with Dr. Glenn Potts, a clinical psychologist with over a decade at Patton State Hospital, as they dive into the psychology of addiction, mental health, and the transformative power of faith. Dr. Potts, who has worked with veterans and criminally insane patients, reveals how addiction, whether to substances, smartphones, pornography, or social media, intertwines with mental health c...

In this gripping episode of Falling to Freedom, retired Oakland firefighter Jason Sautel sits down with host Chad LaComb to expose the silent suffering behind the badge. From a chaotic and abusive childhood in Hemet, California, to the front lines of life-and-death emergencies, Jason’s journey is one of unimaginable pain, spiritual transformation, and ultimate redemption.

Learn how childhood trauma and firefighting stress created th...

Join host Chad LaComb for a powerful episode of Falling to Freedom as Matt Capelouto shares his heart-wrenching story of loss and relentless fight for justice. After his daughter Alexandra died from a single fentanyl-laced counterfeit pill she believed was Percocet, Matt turned grief into action. He spearheaded Alexandra’s Law to hold drug dealers accountable and is now a leading voice in the battle against the fentanyl crisis. Lea...

In this powerful episode of Falling To Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with Devin O’Day, Chief Development Officer at First Responder-Wellness in Newport Beach, to explore the unseen struggles of first responders, police, firefighters, EMS, and military. With addiction and trauma affecting these heroes at twice the rate of the general population, Devin, 15 years sober, shares his transformative journey from addiction’s depths t...

Can you rise above a past that includes gangs, addiction, and prison? Host

Chad LaComb sits down with DeShun Wooten, owner of The Press Espresso’s

five Southwest Riverside coffee shops, in the vibrant cigar-lounge

ambiance of their Old Town Murrieta location. DeShun shares his journey

from a fatherless youth and seven years in prison to building a thriving

business through faith, southern hospitality, and persistence. Discover

how ...

What role does community play in transforming addiction into redemption? In

this moving episode of Falling to Freedom, Doug Whiteman, Executive

Director of The River’s Edge Ranch, shares his journey from drug use to

leading a faith-based recovery program. Discover how accountability,

purpose, and the “wrap-around” model at River’s Edge Ranch transforms

lives with insights on tough love, animal-assisted therapy, and the

dignity of w...

In Episode 8 of Falling to Freedom, host Chad LaComb sits down with

Karen Streeter for a deeply moving conversation about her son Kai, who

tragically lost his life to a fentanyl overdose at 21 on June 6, 2024.

Falling to Freedom is the weekly podcast that confronts addiction

head-on, unpacking its root causes, devastating effects, and potential

solutions with raw honesty and hope.

Karen shares Kai’s vibrant legacy, a funny, bright, ...

The wait is over.. Black and White: The Al Aceves Story is LIVE today,

on Falling to Freedom! Addiction turned an East LA kid into a beast.

Faith painted a new picture. ‘Big Al’ Aceves, co-founder of the Mongols

Nation, spent 35 years as a heroin addict. He started robbing at 15,

forged a biker legend with his silhouette on every patch, and thrived on

Vietnam’s violence. He served the devil until God delivered him. Now a

prayer war...

Join host Chad LaComb and Jessica Alexander, Director of Birth Choice

Centers in Temecula, Mayor Pro Temp for the city of Temecula, former

Marine, and NYPD motorcycle officer for a raw look at the collision of

addiction, unplanned pregnancy, and trauma. A mother of five from a

family touched by alcoholism, Jessica’s on the front lines, supporting

parents in crisis.

Key takeaways: 64% of women defer to fathers in unplanned pregnancy

...

Join host Chad LaComb and Nicole Clear, a Riverside County coroner since

2000, for a chilling, eye-opening dive into addiction’s deadly endgame.

Handling 15,000 cases a year, over 50% tied to drugs and

alcohol—Nicole, a Riverside County Sheriff, shares what she sees is the

final chapter of addiction.

From fentanyl-laced “dirty” pills flooding schools to methamphetamine

silently wrecking hearts, she exposes the toll: enlarged organs,...

In this gripping episode, host Chad LaComb sits down with Rachel Tucker, a powerhouse with 27 years in ministry and the director of Cherish Young Moms in Fontana. Rachel shares her profound insights from decades of working with juvenile offenders and pregnant teens as young as 13, revealing the devastating intersection of addiction, intimate partner violence (IPV), and sexual abuse. She paints a stark picture: 40-60% of IPV cases i...

In this episode, hosts Chad and Victor sit down with Pastor Micah Tucker, Senior Director of

Local Outreach, Water of Life Community Church, to unpack the tangled web of addiction and

homelessness. Micah drops hard-hitting truth, like how 80% of unhoused individuals are locked

in long-term homelessness, often wrestling with addiction’s grip. But there’s a way out. We hear

Victor’s raw story, a father who landed in a San Bernardino shel...

In this powerful episode, host Chad LaComb sits down with Tim Torres, a 39-year-old who

shares his unfiltered and inspiring story. At just 16, Tim was prescribed Percocet for an injury.

Within weeks, he was chasing the euphoric high, and in just months, he was physically hooked.

When doctors started tapering him off, Tim turned to illicit opiates, first OxyContin, then heroin

by age 18. Years later, he faced the even deadlier grip of f...

Addiction is a whole of society problem that is often under discussed and hidden. This initial episode introduces the vision behind starting the Falling to Freedom podcast, the background of the hosts and the expectation for future episodes. These will be real, eye opening and often raw topics discussed by the very individuals most involved with them. Join us on this journey as we expose the truths about addiction and collectively ...