253: Former Prison Gang Leaders Becomes Judicial Expert, 2

Dr. Jesse De La Cruz: Prison Gangster to Community Leader, part 2 So proud to feature part two of my interview with 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 ConsultationsP.O. Box 1993 Stockton, CA  95201Cell: 209-423-4794Email: [email protected] www.jsdconsultations.com Education: Ed.D: California State University, Stanislaus Turlock, CA                                                                                     2014Concentration: GangsDissertation: 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                                              2003Concentration: Deviant behaviorThesis: An evaluation of a substance-abuse treatment program for criminal offenders Bachelors: Sociology, California State University, Turlock, CA                                                                 2001 ______________________________________________________________________________                                                                                                      Teaching Experience: Instructor                                                                                                                                 2010–2012Heald CollegeTaught 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.                                             ______________________________________________________________________________ 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   __________________________________________________________________________ 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   ___________________________________________________________________________ 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 ______________________________________________________________________________ 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 Law5250 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 911Stockton, 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