James Fortune was arrested in Stafford, Texas, on Thursday for aggravated assault of a family member, and it turns out it wasn't the Grammy-nominated gospel singer's first brush 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,"
he said in a statement to AlwaysAList.com.
"I would also like to thank my fans for their outpouring of love and support."
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s office confirmed that Fortune, 35, was released on $20,000 bond the same day of his booking.
Previously, in 2012, Fortune was sued in civil court by his then-15-year-old stepson's biological father for an incident that occurred in 2001.
In 2001, he reportedly punished his then-4-year-old stepson by putting him in scalding hot bathtub water. He was charged the following year with injury to a child, and pleaded guilty. He subsequently completed a six-year deferred adjudication.
The 2012 civil suit seeks $5 million, presumably to benefit the boy, who is now 17 years old.
Fortune's song "Live Through It" is said to be inspired by the negative press generated by the ongoing lawsuit.
It is unclear when Fortune will next appear in court for the latest aggravated assault.