Episode 396: They Never Stop

The First Degree

Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek

News, Society & Culture, True Crime

4.5 • 10.4K Ratings

🗓️ 1 April 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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

Transcript

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0:22.0	Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you.
0:24.5	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
0:30.8	The first degree.
0:32.8	First degree.
0:33.7	First degree.
0:34.4	First degree.
0:35.3	First degree.
0:36.3	First degree.
0:37.4	The first degree. You see it on the news. You see it on the paper. First degree. The first degree.
0:38.3	You see it on the news.
0:39.3	You see it on the paper.
0:41.3	You see it on Facebook.
0:43.3	These things are supposed to happen in movies, not in real life. I wasn't surprised, but at the same time was just like, how the fuck is this happening again?
1:00.3	I just couldn't.
1:02.7	It was just baffling that this kind of thing would happen again with the same person.
1:08.1	It shouldn't be surprising because the predators, it's like they don't stop.
1:13.1	But at the same time, it was a little surprising because it's like, how is this still going on?
1:18.5	How is he still getting into people's lives like this?
	...

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