
Sentinel staff report–
A 44-year-old Citrus Heights light saber instructor has been sentenced to 75 years to life in prison, the maximum sentence possible, after pleading no contest last month to seven counts of sexual assault. The crimes involved lewd acts and oral sex with minors, at least one of whom was under 10 years of age.
Jason Earl Hook was arrested by Citrus Heights police last September, following an investigation. He was sentenced this week by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Jaime Roman, according to a June 24 news release from the district attorney’s office.
As previously reported, Hook plead to “one count of attempted lewd act on a child under 14, two counts of committing a lewd act on a child under 14 years old, three counts of oral copulation on a child under 10 years old, and one count of committing a lewd act on a child 14 or 15 years old.”
Authorities said Hook knew all his victims and repeatedly abused them, beginning in 2010. The victims were both boys and girls and ranged in age from 7 to 15 at the time the abuse occurred.
The DA’s Office said the abuse took place during what Hook called “garage nights” at his residence, where victims were told to “pinky swear” secrecy. The penalty for breaking the promise was to have their pinky cut off.
According to a police news release last year, Hook lived on Birdcage Street and taught light saber classes at Sunrise Community Church. He also attended a light saber club at San Juan Unified School District, but stopped when the school asked him to submit a background check, according to CBS 13.
Police previously said their investigation began Sept. 8, 2019. Hook was subsequently arrested and charged with dozens of counts of child molestation, as well as possession of child pornography.
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