Indicted Fort Worth pastor Diego Fuller can continue serving as lead pastor of his church — but only through video calling after he allegedly violated his bond conditions amid his ongoing sexual assault case.
Fuller, 40, serves as the lead pastor at Journey Fort Worth Church. He was arrested last Sept. 1 on a sexual assault charge and indicted March 26 with an additional charge of child grooming, court records show. He previously denied the charges against him during a church service, where he put his mugshot up during the sermon.
He's continued serving in his position amid his arrest and church elders said on social media at the time they were aware of the accusations.
Fuller was arrested again on May 5 over a bond violation after allegedly having contact with an individual under 17 years of age, according to court records.
During a hearing Monday, Haltom City Officer Biedra testified he was working off duty at the church April 19 to supervise Fuller for his bond conditions.
He told district Judge Ryan Hill he witnessed Fuller hug and hold at least two children that looked to be under the age of six.
Biedra claimed Fuller kissed a male child on the head before giving him back to his parent and that "didn't feel right." He filed a report a few days later.
Another Haltom City officer who worked once off duty at the church in January testified she never saw Fuller interact with children other than fist bumping and greeting families together.
"[Fuller] was aware of [his bond conditions], and he continued to violate those rules," Darren De La Cruz, an attorney for the alleged victim, said during Monday's court hearing. "Although he is greeting family members, fist bumping them, interacting with them, that, simply put, is a violation of his conditions."
Brett Martin, Fuller's attorney, played video footage from the church's security cameras which showed a man holding a child.
Rebecca Pollard, the mother of the child in the video, told Hill the man in the video holding the child was "absolutely not" Fuller but instead another church employee.
But Officer Piedra told the judge that the child shown in the video is not the child he saw Fuller hold and maintains he saw Fuller pick up a child.
Pollard, Fuller's wife Asia Fuller and another church employee, Charles Dukes, all testified they never witnessed Fuller have contact with anyone under the age of 17 during Monday's court hearing.
Hill ruled Fuller's bond could be reinstated and was set to $75,000. Fuller is also no longer allowed to lead church services in person and must preach over video chat. He is allowed contact with his own children.
Fuller was still in custody as of Monday afternoon.
Penelope Rivera is KERA's Tarrant County Accountability Reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
