Texas Megachurch Founder Robert Morris Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Abuse
Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Texas, has pleaded guilty to charges of indecent conduct with a child stemming from abuse that occurred more than 40 years ago in Oklahoma. The megachurch leader was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but six months suspended and will be required to register as a sex offender. The case involves Cindy Clemishire, who was 12 when the abuse began in 1982, and has led to significant fallout including Morris's resignation from Gateway Church and multiple ongoing legal disputes.
Robert Morris, the founding pastor of Gateway Church—one of Texas's largest megachurches—has pleaded guilty to charges of indecent conduct with a child, bringing resolution to a decades-old case involving sexual abuse allegations in Oklahoma. The plea was entered during a hearing in Osage County, where Morris received a 10-year prison sentence with all but six months suspended, followed by nine and a half years of probation in Texas and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
Case Background and Sentencing
According to the Oklahoma attorney general's office, the abuse began in 1982 when Morris was a traveling evangelist staying with the victim's family in Hominy, Oklahoma. The abuse continued for four years against Cindy Clemishire, who was 12 years old when it began. Morris had previously acknowledged in a 2014 sermon that he was "sexually immoral" as a young man and admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a young woman, but never publicly revealed the victim's age at the time of the abuse.
Victim Response and Justice Served
In a statement following the plea, Cindy Clemishire expressed that justice had finally been served after decades of waiting. "Today justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed, and abused me as a 12-year-old innocent girl is finally going to be behind bars," Clemishire said. She hopes her case will inspire other victims to come forward and help change laws to better protect children and victims' rights.
Legal and Institutional Fallout
The case has triggered significant consequences beyond the criminal proceedings. When allegations surfaced in 2024, Gateway Church initially denied that Morris had engaged in sexual relations with a minor, but church elders later reversed course, leading to Morris's resignation on June 18, 2024. Clemishire and her father have filed a civil lawsuit against Morris, his wife Debbie, Gateway Church, and several current and former church leaders seeking $1 million in damages, alleging they knew about Morris's actions and concealed them.
Additional legal disputes include a federal class-action lawsuit filed by former Gateway members accusing the church and Morris of failing to honor promises regarding donation allocations and misleading congregants about refunds. The church has also faced financial challenges, including staff layoffs amid declining tithes following the scandal.
Broader Implications
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, "There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children. This case is all the more despicable because the perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position of trust and authority." Texas state Representative Jeff Leach, who attended the hearing, praised Clemishire as "a real-life superhero" who had conquered an "evil villain" through her perseverance in seeking justice.
The resolution of this case highlights the importance of accountability for religious leaders and institutions when abuse occurs, particularly when positions of trust are violated. It also demonstrates the long-lasting impact such cases have on victims, institutions, and communities, even decades after the abuse occurred.
