Robert Morris Faces Allegations of Abusing 12 year-Old Girl Over Four Years
Robert Morris, the founder of Gateway Church and a prominent evangelical figure has been indicted on five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, according to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. The charges stem from allegations of sexual abuse dating back to the 1980s, marking a dramatic fall from grace for the former Texas megachurch pastor.
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Morris, 63, who resigned as senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, in June 2024, faces accusations that he abused a 12-year-old girl beginning in December 1982 while visiting her family’s home in Hominy, Oklahoma. The alleged abuse, which reportedly continued for over four years, came to light publicly last year when the victim, Cindy Clemishire, now 55, detailed her experience. The indictment alleges multiple instances of inappropriate touching and other indecent acts, with the abuse persisting until March 1987.
‘No Tolerance’
“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement announcing the indictment on Wednesday. “This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done.”
Morris, a well-known figure in evangelical circles, founded Gateway Church in 2000, growing it into one of the largest megachurches in the United States, with a weekly attendance exceeding 100,000 across multiple campuses. He also gained national attention for his ties to Donald Trump, serving as a spiritual adviser during Trump’s first presidential term and hosting the then-president at Gateway’s Dallas campus in June 2020 for a roundtable discussion.
The allegations first surfaced in June 2024 when Clemishire shared her story with The Wartburg Watch, a religious watchdog blog, prompting Morris to admit to “inappropriate sexual behavior” with a “young lady” in the 1980s. At the time, he claimed he had stepped away from ministry in 1987 to seek counseling before resuming his career. However, the church’s Board of Elders later acknowledged they were unaware of the victim’s age or the duration of the alleged abuse until Clemishire’s account became public.
43 Years Later
“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” Clemishire said in a statement following the indictment. “I am grateful to the authorities who have worked to make this possible and hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.”
Morris resigned from Gateway Church shortly after the allegations emerged, and the church launched an internal investigation conducted by the law firm Haynes & Boone. That probe, concluded in November 2024, revealed that several church elders and staff knew of the abuse but failed to act, leading to the removal of four elders from leadership roles. Gateway Church has since stated it is cooperating with an ongoing criminal investigation.
The indictment will be prosecuted in Osage County District Court in Oklahoma, where Morris is expected to surrender next week. His attorney, Mack Martin, declined to comment on the charges.
The case has sent shockwaves through the evangelical community and reignited discussions about accountability within religious institutions. Gateway Church, once a powerhouse in North Texas, has faced declining attendance and donations in the wake of the scandal, alongside a class-action lawsuit alleging financial misconduct.
