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: [email protected]

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

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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.

I have testified in:

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