252: Former Prison Gang Leader Becomes Dr. Jesse De La Cruz - a podcast by Michael Santos is an advocate, author, speaker, and consultant. Through Earning Freedom, Michael shares strategies that empowered him through struggle and he interviews others who overcame struggle and went on to success.
from 2016-03-22T15:35:37
So proud to feature Dr. Jesse De La Cruz, a formerly incarcerated prisoner who emerged incredibly successfully--as a doctor of education and judicial expert. Check out his resume. Listen and watch his amazing two-part story on Earning Freedom, at MichaelSantos.com
Dr. Jesse De La Cruz
JSD Consultations
P.O. Box 1993 Stockton, CA 95201
Cell: 209-423-4794
Email: jesse.delacruz588@gmail.com
www.jsdconsultations.com
Education:
Ed.D: California State University, Stanislaus Turlock, CA 2014
Concentration: Gangs
Dissertation: Mexican American/Chicano gang members’ voice on social control in the context of school and community: A critical ethnographic case study in Stockton, California
Masters of Social Work: California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA 2003
Concentration: Deviant behavior
Thesis: An evaluation of a substance-abuse treatment program for criminal offenders
Bachelors: Sociology, California State University, Turlock, CA 2001
______________________________________________________________________________ Teaching Experience:
Instructor 2010–2012
Heald College
Taught Courses in: Police Procedures Theory and Practice; Corrections; Juvenile Delinquency; Victimology; Introduction into Criminology; Criminology; Organized Crime, Street Gangs & Terrorism.
Teaching Assistant (TA)
California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA 2011 2012
___________________________________________________________________________
Personal Experience:
My involvement with gangs spans 50 years, beginning with my initiation into a street gang at age 13. In 1973, at age 21, I became a member of the Nuestra Familia prison gang while serving time at Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI). I left the NF once I was released from prison in 1976. After my defection from the gang, I maintained a high degree of respect from my street gang homeboys simply because I never testified against any of my former Homeboys. In the course of my criminal career and going in and out of prison for twenty-eight years, I witnessed the proliferation of gangs. Mostly, I observed all the superficial, and few substantial changes between old and modern gangs. In 1996, I was released from prison for the last time and have turned my life completely around. However, as a result of my multiple gang involvement (street and prison), and my many years in different jails and prisons throughout the state of California, Texas and Washington, I have developed a unique and thorough insight into the gang phenomena that neither law enforcement nor academics can ever achieve because they have never been on the inside of a gang or served time in jail or prison.
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Academic & Professional Experience:
Since leaving prison for the last time on April 2, 1996, I have earned three University degrees and each of my degrees has been primarily the study and research of gangs. It is due to these distinct achievements, coupled with my personal experience, that I have been qualified on many occasions to testify as an expert witness.
- In my very first case as a gang expert, I testified in Siskiyou County on a Death Penalty case involving an alleged White Supremacy gang. The gang allegations were dismissed after my testimony at preliminary hearing.
- In October, 2013, I testified in Stanislaus County on an alleged Norteño gang murder case involving one adult and two juveniles who were prosecuted as adults. All three defendants in that case were found not guilty of gang enhancements. My client was found innocent of all charges as a direct result of my testimony.
- I again testified in Stanislaus County in November, 2014 where a defendant had been charged with being a gang member under a gang injunction. The defendant was found not guilty as a direct result of my testimony.
- In December, 2014, I testified on a homicide case in Stanislaus County where gang allegations were filed. The jury was unable to reach a verdict due to my testimony. The case is currently set for trial later this year (2016).
- Recently, (January, 2015) I submitted a report on a robbery case in Marin County where the defendants had been charged with 186.22 and the gang allegation was dismissed as a result of my report.
- I also testified in Tulare County on December 2014 on an Asian Blood gang case. All three defendants were found guilty of the gang allegation filed against them.
I have testified in:
- Los Angeles County (2)
- Contra Costa County (1)
- Santa Barbara County (1)
- Santa Clara County (4)
- San Joaquin County (1)
- San Mateo County (1)
- Sacramento County (1)
- Siskiyou County (1)
- Stanislaus County (4)
- Placer County (1)
- Tulare County (2)
- Hillsborough, Oregon (1)
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (1)
I have also participated in aiding lawyers in preparation of testimony and given opinions on approximately 95 gang cases. Currently, I am working one death penalty case in Tulare County and a post conviction death case with the Habeas Corpus Resource Center in San Francisco CA. I have also worked with the Federal Public Defenders Office on a case out of Sacramento, CA on a post conviction case and two other post conviction cases in Oregon. I am also currently working on four R.I.C.O. cases and expected to testify late October or early November on one R.I.C.O. case in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Consultant & Mentor for Fathers & Families of San Joaquin: I currently work with and mentor gang members who are interested in leaving their gang. I provide the gang member guidance and resource information that will facilitate their transition from the gang lifestyle into mainstream society. On-Going
Founder of Criminals & Gang members Anonymous: A 12-Step program for gang members and criminals alike that addresses problems pertaining to gang & criminal involvement. Group membership is constantly evolving. As a result, new members bring with them a wealth of current information, which keeps me abreast of gang trends, both locally and on a state level. 1998-On-Going
Founder Of Jonah Foundation: A sober living facility that provided counseling and sustenance for ex-offenders. It was through the group counseling and rap sessions that I developed meaningful contacts with the participants, all who had just been released from prison or jail. These men were attempting to disassociate themselves from the gang/criminal lifestyle. To date, many of them continue to share with me valuable gang and other crimino-genic trends. 2006-2008
Program Director of a Day Reporting Center: In 2008, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation awarded BI, Inc. a contract to operate a facility targeting high-risk offenders. The intent of this program was to alter the behavior of the offender by using evidence-based practices. I was the day-to-day operations manager in charge of insuring that the safety and security of my employees, and the clients, was assured. In the process of my daily interactions with clients who were just recently released from California State Prison and out of state prisons as well, I was fortunate to gather intelligence concerning not only state gang trends, but national gang trends too. 2008-2010
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Publications:
Detoured: My Journey from Darkness to Light. Barking Rooster Publications: Los Angeles, CA (My Memoir)
Journal of Prisoners on Prisons: Volume 21, Number 1 & 2, 2012
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Presentations:
Gang Involvement: A Look at Why Minors Join Gangs and How WE Can Reach Our Youth. The 41st National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), Dallas, Texas 2012
Seeing Ourselves Emancipating Our Dialogue: Research as Hope From Incarceration Today And Tomorrow. Presented at the 2nd Annual Alliance for Multilingual Multicultural Education Conference: San Antonio, Texas 2011
Facilitated Gang Awareness Workshops:
Merced Unified School District: Merced,
Stockton Unified School District: Stockton, CA
Roseville School District: Roseville, CA
Parks & Recreation Department: Stockton, CA
Monterey County Juvenile Hall: Salinas, CA
San Francisco County Juvenile Hall: San Francisco, CA
Alameda Juvenile Hall: Oakland, CA
San Joaquin Delta College: Stockton, CA
CSU Stanislaus: Turlock, CA
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Some cases I have testified on and/or participated as a gang expert/consultant:
People vs. Arturo Manzanero
Rancho San Pedro Sureño Gang Case
Henry Salcido Attorney at Law
Long Beach, CA
562-597-9925
Defendant found not guilty of
Gang allegation
People vs. Hernandez et. al.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
RICO Case
Michael Wiseman Attorney at Law
121 Locust Street
Philadelphia PA 19107
215-450-0903
5 defendants found guilty
7 found not guilty
People vs. Angel Rivera
Stanislaus County
Norteño Gang Case
Ben Jacob Attorney at Law
770 L Street #950
Sacramento, CA 95814
Defendant Found Not Guilty
People vs. Herrera, Pedro
Santa Clara County
Norteño Gang Case
Lindsey Dazel: Attorney at Law
93 Devine Street Suite 203
San Jose, CA 95110
408-271-2969
Jury Hung 11 to 1 for acquittal
People vs. Alvarez
San Mateo County
Norteño Gang Case
Maria Fonseca: Attorney at Law
702 Marshall Street Suite 511
Redwood City CA 94063
650-367-7727
Gang Allegations Dismissed
As a Result of my Testimony
At Preliminary Hearing
People vs. Espinoza et. al
Sacramento County
Sureño Gang Case
Keith Staten: Attorney at Law
1023 H. St. Suite A
Sacramento CA 95814
(916) 443-5600
Defendants Found Guilty
People vs. Andrew Rodríguez
Santa Clara County
Norteño Gang Case
Timothy Clancy: Attorney at Law
1290 B Street, suite 304
Hayward, CA 94541
510-409-5413
Defendant Found Not Guilty of Gang Allegation
People vs. Bustamante et. al
Santa Clara County
Norteño Gang Case
Lindsey Dazel: Attorney at Law
93 Devine Street Suite 203
San Jose, CA 95110
408-271-2969
Defendants Found Not Guilty of Gang Allegation
People vs. Sebourne et.al Homicide
Sureño Gang Case
Stanislaus County
Gregory Bentley: Attorney at Law
500 Broadway
San Francisco CA 94133
415-986-5591
Hung Jury. Set for Re-Trial
People vs. Ernesto Munguia: Gang Injunction
Norteño Gang Case
Stanislaus County
Mark Girdner: Attorney at Law
811 15th Street
Modesto, CA 95354
(209) 524-7600
Defendant Found Not Guilty
People vs. Velasco
LASC, South Central District (Compton)
Don Kelly Attorney at Law
317 Rosecrans Blvd # 2 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310-546-6700
Gang allegations: Not Guilty
People vs. Errik Roman: Attempted Homicide
Sureño Gang Case
Santa Barbara County
K.C. Williamson: Attorney at Law
Santa Barbara Public Defender
Santa Barbara, CA
Defendant Found Guilty
People vs. Rocky Riberal- Homicide
Norteño Gang Case
San Joaquin County
Ralph Cingcon: Attorney at Law
5250 Claremont Ave
Stockton, CA 95207
(209) 462-5600
Defendant Found Guilty
People vs. Niaz Mohammed Khoshnaw- Homicide
Norteño Gang Case
Hillsborough County
Edie Rogoway: Attorney at Law
6312 SW Capitol Highway # 1102
Portland, OR 97239
(503) 334-0331
Defendant Found Guilty
People vs. Jah-Kari, Phyall- Homicide
Stanislaus County
Norteño Gang Case
Frank Carson: Attorney at Law
815 15th Street
Modesto, CA 95354
(209) 549-0984
Defendant Found Not Guilty
People vs. Elizondo, Christian Orlando- Possession of Drugs/Firearm
Norteño Gang Case- Defendant Plead to Lesser Charge:
San Joaquin County
David Atkinson: Attorney at Law
343 East Main Street Suite 911
Stockton, CA 95202
Gang Enhancement Dismissed
People vs. Eady, Howard Lamont-Homicide
Sutter Street Crip Gang Case
Douglass C. Jacobsen: Attorney at Law
1811 Grand Canal Blvd., Suite 2
Stockton, CA 95207-8107
Gang Allegation Dismissed: Defendant pled guilty to 22 years.
People vs. Orozco, Josue- Homicide
Sureño Gang Case
San Mateo, County,
Ray, Buenaventura: Attorney at Law
2171 Junipero Serra Blvd.
Daly City, CA 94014
Ph. (650) 756-2000
Hung Jury: Defendant Pled to 43 Years
People vs. Gonzalez, Abel, Jr.-Drug Trafficking
Sureño Gang Case
Ted, Bastian, Jr.: Attorney at Law
600 Fourth St. P.O. Box431
Yreka, CA 96097
Ph. (530) 842-2000
Defendant Pled to Seven Years. Gang Enhancement Dismissed.
People vs. Shifflett, William Jr. Drug Possession
Arron, Williams: Attorney at Law
1721 Court St Redding, CA 96001
Ph. (530) 241-6991
Defendant Pled: Gang Allegation Dismissed
People vs. Lieffer, Donald- Homicide
Alleged Northern Peckerwood Gang Case
Charles Slote: Attorney at Law
305 N. El Dorado Suite, 301
Stockton, CA 95202
Ph. (209) 948-5711
Gang Enhancement Dismissed After My Testimony at Preliminary
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