Former Lubbock Youth Pastor Reindicted on 16 Counts of Child Sexual Assault

A grand jury in Lubbock County has reindicted a former youth pastor, already under scrutiny for allegations of child sexual assault, on 16 charges related to incidents that occurred between 2017 and 2019.

Luke Cunningham, a former member of churches in Fort Worth, Granbury, and Lubbock’s Turning Point Community Church, faced indictment over a year ago on allegations concerning two separate children spanning a three-year timeframe. According to prosecutors, the latest indictment does not introduce new victims; rather, it arises from the same purported assaults.

Court documents reveal that the assaults took place from 2017 to 2019, while prosecutors have indicated in previous hearings that the allegations against Cunningham may extend back to 2013.

At a bond hearing held last year, prosecutors characterized Cunningham as a “violent offender” and expressed their opposition to any reduction of his bail. He is currently held at the Lubbock County Detention Center, with a bond set at nearly $500,000.

KCBD’s Investigates Team was the first to bring the case to light, uncovering details of the initial indictment and the breadth of the allegations involved. In court, testimony unfolded detailing a series of allegations regarding misconduct that extended throughout Cunningham's tenure at various churches across Texas cities.

The reindictment brings together the charges as the case progresses. Cunningham remains without a plea, and the timeline for trial proceedings is still to be determined.

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