Alonzo Diego Fuller
Introduction
Alonzo Diego Fuller Jr. is the 40-year-old founding pastor of Journey Fort Worth Church in Texas, which he co-pastors with his wife, who was arrested in August 2025 on a sexual assault charge, indicted in March 2026 on counts of sexual assault and child enticement, and jailed three separate times over the case. He has denied the allegations and stepped back from public preaching.
Background Information
Fuller built Journey Fort Worth Church, also called Journey House, as its founding and lead pastor, sharing the pulpit with his wife. He was known for a charismatic preaching style and a willingness to discuss his past from the stage, telling his congregation he had once been homeless and “sleeping in the back of a church.”
The allegations that ended his pulpit run came from a former parishioner. The church’s Board of Elders released a statement after the first arrest saying in part: “Pastor Diego fully supports and welcomes a thorough investigation by the criminal justice system and looks forward to the opportunity to clear his name.”
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Charged, not convicted. Fuller has been indicted but has not been tried, and he denies the allegations. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Fort Worth Police arrested Fuller on August 31, 2025, at his Journey Fort Worth Church. Speaking to his congregation in a September 8 sermon, Fuller attributed the allegations to the devil and said: “If you’re looking for a perfect pastor, I am not your boy. I am human. I am flawed … But I will say again, the allegations made towards me in this case are absolutely not true.” The church’s media team displayed his mugshot on the monitor behind him during that sermon.
A Tarrant County grand jury indicted Fuller on two counts in early March 2026. Count one alleges Fuller used his position as a clergyman and spiritual adviser to exploit the emotional dependency of a female and sexually touched her without her consent. The second count alleges he enticed and lured a person younger than 18 into conduct involving sexual activity. His attorney, Bret E. Martin, told CBS News Texas the alleged victim is an adult, not a child. Fuller was arrested again in early May 2026 and has been held in the Tarrant County jail since May 5.
Court records reviewed by CBS News Texas show a plea has been offered in the case — a 10-year deferred adjudication and a fine not to exceed $10,000 — which Martin said the defense is not interested in. On September 17, 2026, Fuller was jailed a third time in connection with the case, which his attorney described as a bond violation stemming from a GPS issue.
Public Reaction and Consequences
Fuller addressed the case repeatedly to his congregation in a 25-minute June 14 video, saying “I never imagined that I’ll be making a video like this,” and describing 34 days spent away from his family, church, and life after his first jailing. He told viewers he prayed with other inmates and found religious purpose in custody.
Three arrests in the case produced a decision about his public role. “I’ve decided that I’m going to step back from public preaching for a season,” Fuller said. “Journey House was never built around one preacher. It was built around one Savior, and his name is Jesus, not Diego.”
Current Status
Fuller remains charged on the two-count indictment and was back in the Tarrant County jail as of mid-September 2026 after the alleged bond violation. He has not been convicted of any charge, and the plea offer on the table — 10 years of deferred adjudication — remains unaccepted.
The case has not yet been scheduled for trial in the available reporting, and CBS News Texas has not been able to locate the alleged victim for comment.
Impact on Their Career/Life
A pastor who built a church around his own story is now a defendant whose story is told mostly through bond hearings, and his public preaching career is paused indefinitely by his own decision. The third arrest in September 2026 for an alleged GPS bond violation signaled how constrained his freedom already is, and the rejected deferred-adjudication offer sets the case on a path toward either trial or a negotiated conviction. The church he founded continues under its elders’ stewardship while its founding pastor awaits court.