From a strict Mormon upbringing in Texas to the violent world of cartel-connected crime, Tyler’s story is one of the wildest we’ve heard. In this episode, Tyler explains how he went from being a high school kid making money transporting drugs to working around human-smuggling networks along the Texas–Mexico border. He describes witnessing extreme cartel actions at a young age, moving migrants through border towns, becoming involved in violent contract work in Mexico, and later building a large drug business back home. Tyler also opens up about the side of that lifestyle people rarely talk about—the paranoia, emotional numbness, PTSD, memory problems, prison, and the difficulty of returning to a normal life after years surrounded by violence. We discuss: • Growing up in a strict Mormon household • Getting recruited into drug transportation as a teenager • Witnessing cartel violence for the first time • How human-smuggling networks operate along the border • Coyotes, safe houses, spotters, burner phones, and cartel organization • His descent into increasingly violent criminal work • Building a drug business • His 2019 arrest and prison sentence • The lasting psychological effects of the lifestyle • Therapy, family, faith, and trying to rebuild his life This conversation contains descriptions of violence, drug trafficking, and other criminal activity. It is presented for documentary, educational, and entertainment purposes and is not intended to promote or encourage illegal behavior. This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: BetterHelp! See the reviews, see what stands out, and see if BetterHelp is right for you. Visit https://betterhelp.com/connect Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6mc4qAxpztC6D20wzeS91C Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU69IWUT8m_qPT01AbelXiA/join