Gateway Church Founder Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse
Robert Morris, founder of Gateway Church in Texas, pleaded guilty on Friday to five felony counts of sexually abusing Cindy Clemishire in the 1980s. The abuse began when Clemishire was just 12 years old. Morris, now 64, received a 10-year sentence but will serve only six months in county jail under a plea deal. He must also register as a sex offender and pay $270,000 in restitution. Immediately after the court hearing, Morris was taken into custody.
Clemishire Breaks Silence After Decades of Silence
Clemishire, now 55, attended the hearing with family. She called the guilty plea a long-awaited moment of justice. “I leave this courtroom today not as a victim, but a survivor,” she said. The abuse began in 1982 during Morris’ visit to her Oklahoma home and continued for years, she testified. Clemishire first reported the abuse to church leaders in 1987, but law enforcement was never involved until recently.
Morris’ Rise and Fall from Evangelical Power
Morris founded Gateway Church in 2000, building it into a megachurch with over 25,000 attendees. He gained national attention through books, sermons, and as an adviser to President Donald Trump. He also oversaw Church of the Highlands, part of the controversial Association of Related Churches. Allegations surfaced in 2024 through The Wartburg Watch blog, leading to Morris’s resignation from both churches.
Legal Pathway Opened by Oklahoma Prosecutors
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond secured the indictment earlier this year, arguing the statute of limitations did not apply since Morris was never a resident of the state. Drummond condemned Morris’s abuse, stating, “There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children.”
Critics and Supporters Clash Over Accountability
Supporters of Clemishire say the case highlights how religious institutions often protect abusers. Critics of the light sentence argue that a six-month jail term is insufficient for such crimes. Meanwhile, Morris’s lawyer stated that his client had accepted legal guilt and asked for forgiveness, claiming that Morris had already taken spiritual responsibility.
Source:
BREAKING: Robert Morris Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Cindy Clemishire
Photo by Matthew Ansley on Unsplash
About Post Author
