Winter Park Police on Friday released the affidavit of a victim accusing the Rev. Bryan Fulwider of 30 counts of sexual assault years ago when she was a minor. Fulwider was arrested earlier this week and jailed with no bond.
Fulwider’s accuser told detectives that the former senior minister at First Congregational Church of Winter Park confidentially asked for her email at the church when she was 13. From there, the relationship escalated in 2005. Over four years, she said, they engaged in sex acts in church offices, hotels and cars.
Fulwider has been a cohost of WMFE’s “Friends Talking Faith,” which has been pulled from the air.
The former pastor resigned from the church in 2012. A spokesperson said church leaders knew of no allegations.
His attorney, Jacob V. Stuart, said the charges are wrong.
“The allegations are obviously very serious and they need to be taken seriously," said Stuart.
"It’s simply too early to start passing judgment, especially when we don’t have any of the evidence that’s referenced in the report.”
Former Orlando congregational minister Kathy Schmitz appeared on a 2017 Friends Talking Faith episode about sexual abuse.
“We need to hold the incredible importance of listening to those who bring accusations forward, knowing how difficult that is and has been in our culture for a long time," said Schmitz.
WMFE has engaged an independent reporter for coverage of this story to avoid the appearance of bias or favoritism in our reporting.
