He’s a Grammy-nominated gospel artist, but on Friday, James Fortune was arrested and booked on charges of aggravated assault of a family member, according to MyFoxHouston.com. The name of the family member involved was not revealed, but Fortune was released from the Fort Bend County, Texas, jail on a $20,000 bond.
This isn’t Fortune’s first run-in with the law. According to the Examiner, in 2012 Fortune was sued by his stepson’s biological father regarding an incident that occurred in 2001. In 2001 Fortune burned his then 4-year-old stepson, leaving him with second- and third-degree burns. During the criminal trial, Fortune pleaded guilty to felony injury to a child and received six years’ deferred adjudication. The now 17-year-old’s biological father is seeking $5 million in the civil lawsuit.
In a statement released to AlwaysAList.com, Fortune did not divulge any details about his recent run-in with the law. “I am truly sorry for the negative attention this situation has brought my wife, family, friends and business partners. Because it is a pending legal matter, I cannot comment on what has been reported. However, I understand the seriousness of this matter and ask that you respect the privacy of my family as we address this together,” Fortune told the site this weekend. He also thanked his fans for their love and support.
Fortune is currently the host of the syndicated radio show The James Fortune Show, but there is no word as to whether these new charges will affect his show.