Pastor David Rocha From Prison to the Pulpit

From Prison to the church pulpit David Marmolejo Rocha changed his life. Pastor David, formerly known as Sir Dyno, a Central California Norteno rapper, is now preaching in his Non-Denominational church, House of Rest, in Modesto, California.

David grew up in a Christian home in Tracy, California. He loved rap music growing up. One day he decided he also wanted to be a rapper after he found out Too Short was from Oakland, close to Tracy.

Rap music led him to a life of crime and in Federal prison.

Before he surrendered his life to Jesus, he was a gang member affiliated with a Northern California gang known as the “Nortenos.” In 1998 he released an album titled G.U.N Generations Of United Nortenos -XIV Till Eternity. This album sparked many controversies and also influenced a lot of young kids.

David’s vision with the album was to unite all the central valley gangsters. In the late 90s, there was so much division between the Norteno gangs and so much Norte on Norte violence. Also, David was a big-time drug dealer.

The FBI was looking to infiltrate a Gang called Nuestra Familia. Nuestra Familia is a criminal organization of Mexican American prison gangs from Northern California. David was not part of this Organization, but some of the people he affiliated with were. So the FBI did their investigation, and David got indicted under the Racketeer and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

The investigation was named Operation Black Widow.

David spent eight years in prison doing his time. While he was in jail, he decided he was going to change. In 2011 he opened House Of Rest in Modesto, California. He currently reaches out to about 100 inmates through the mail with his sermons every week. He is living his best life with his wife and children.