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Freed pastor begins drug rehab

Star-Telegram, USA
May 16, 2005
Anthony Spangler
www.dfw.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Monday May 16, 2005

FORT WORTH _ Bishop Terry Hornbuckle, who is accused of sexually assaulting three female parishioners, entered a drug-treatment program Monday after he was released from jail, court officials said.

Hornbuckle, 43, was arrested last week after failing a drug test while he was free on $405,000 bail. On Friday, 371st District Court Judge James Wilson increased the bail to $655,000 but would not allow him to be released until Monday.

A judge cannot order a person to go into drug treatment as a condition of bail, court officials said.

Hornbuckle was indicted in March on four charges of sexual assault. In two of the cases, the women say he used date-rape drugs to overpower them. After his initial arrest in March, authorities said they found a small amount of methamphetamine inside his Cadillac Escalade.

The women are also suing him in civil court.

Hornbuckle, senior pastor of Agape Christian Fellowship in Arlington, has denied all the allegations.

Hornbuckle’s civil and criminal attorneys did not return telephone calls after messages were left with their secretaries Monday.

While under the supervision of the Tarrant County probation department, Hornbuckle reportedly failed a weekly urinalysis test May 4. Probation Director Tom Plumlee could not say what substance was discovered in Hornbuckle’s system.

The probation department monitors people who are released on bail.

Plumlee said Hornbuckle “was ordered to report to us again after his drug treatment.”

Hornbuckle’s conditions for release also include electronic monitoring, random testing for alcohol and drugs, and suspension of his driver’s license.