Turlock man James Hooker was arrested for alleged sex crimes with a minor a decade after national scrutiny.
The Turlock Police Department arrested a man on sexual misconduct charges after learning he began a relationship with his wife when she was just 15 years old, the department said on Wednesday. It’s not the first time the man has faced similar charges—even garnering national attention years ago.
City of Turlock – Turlock Police Department Press Release
𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙈𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 Alleged 𝙎𝙚𝙭𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙨; 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙨
James Hooker, a 54-year-old resident of Turlock, was arrested late last night by the Ceres Police Department on a felony warrant in connection with a juvenile molestation case. The arrest follows an ongoing investigation by the Turlock Police Department.
The investigation began on May 17, 2024, when the victim, now an adult, came into contact with officers during an unrelated incident. During that contact, the victim disclosed to police that her four-year relationship with Hooker began when she was a 15-year-old middle school student. She revealed that they met through social media and that their relationship continued until she turned 18, at which point they married. This disclosure prompted the Turlock Police Department to launch a thorough investigation.
Detective Navarro was assigned to this case and quickly gathered critical evidence and statements, which led to the issuance of a felony warrant for Hooker’s arrest. On November 5, 2024, Hooker was taken into custody without incident by the Ceres Police Department. He has been booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on the following charges:
▪️ 288(c)(1) PC – Lewd Acts with a Child (14-15 years old)
▪️ 311.11(a) PC – Possession of Material Depicting Sexual Conduct of a Person Under 18
𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙨
Hooker was previously involved in highly publicized relationships with young women, which sparked controversy in the community. As a result, law enforcement believes there may be other victims who have not yet come forward. Detectives are urging anyone with information about Hooker or similar incidents to contact them.
Detective Navarro expressed his gratitude for Hooker’s arrest, stating, “Getting James Hooker off the streets is a victory for the community and especially for potential victims who may have been at risk. This is an important step, but our work is far from over. We believe there could be other victims out there, and we will continue to follow every lead to ensure justice is served.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Frank Navarro at (209) 664-7319.
You may also contact the Turlock Police Department Tip Line at (209) 668-5550 extension 6780 or email at [email protected].