Episode 396: They Never Stop

Episode 396: They Never Stop

From The First Degree by Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek

April 1, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

Episode 396 explores the crimes of officer Jorge Cruz and teacher James Hooker in Turlock, California, highlighting patterns of grooming and manipulation over the years.

In February 2008, two trusted members of the Turlock, California community - a police officer and a teacher - are both accused of exploiting their positions to prey on a 17-year-old student. As the cases unfold, shocking details emerge about how the abuse began and how it was hidden. Years later, another respected educator from the same town is exposed for an inappropriate relationship with a student, setting off a chain of events that will eventually lead to a Dr. Phil appearance and a criminal investigation that stretches across decades. In episode 396, Jac and Alexis explore the crimes of officer Jorge Cruz and teacher James Hooker, and how patterns of grooming, manipulation, and abuse continued long after the first warning signs appeared. 🎟 Catch up to FOUR bonus episodes per month plus full video episodes over on Patreon: patreon.com/thefirstdegree 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/thefirstdegree 🕺 TikTok: tiktok.com/@thefirstdegreee 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/thefirstdegree 📓 Substack: http://thefirstdegree.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Hosts: Alexis Linkletter, Jac Vanek

Topics covered

  • abuse
  • grooming
  • manipulation
  • education
  • crime
  • investigation

Keywords

  • Turlock
  • California
  • abuse
  • grooming
  • teacher
  • police officer
  • investigation
  • James Hooker
  • Jorge Cruz

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Dr. Phil

Places: Turlock, California

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