Texas megachurch pastor pleads guilty to child abuse

October 3, 2025

Robert Morris, the 64-year-old founder of Gateway Church, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing Cindy Clemishere when she was 12 years old in Oklahoma during the 1980s. As part of his plea agreement, Morris received a 10-year sentence but will only serve six months in jail followed by probation, must register as a sex offender, and pay $250,000 in restitution. The victim, now 55, stated in court that Morris's abuse had impacted every aspect of her life and clarified she was a child, not a "young lady" in an "inappropriate relationship" as Morris had previously characterized the situation.

Who is affected

Cindy Clemishere, the victim who was abused at age 12 and is now 55 years old
Robert Morris, the 64-year-old pastor and founder of Gateway Church
Gateway Church congregation, which had 100,000 active attendees across nine locations
Morris's family, including his wife, adult children, and their spouses who attended the hearing

What action is being taken

Robert Morris is serving a six-month jail sentence followed by probation as part of a 10-year sentence
Morris is paying $250,000 in restitution to the victim
Morris is registering as a sex offender
The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office conducted an investigation into the allegations
Gateway Church has removed Morris from his leadership position

Why it matters

The case involves the founder of one of the largest megachurch congregations in the country
Morris was a prominent religious figure who served as spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump
The abuse was first reported to church leaders in 1987 but no police report was filed, highlighting institutional failures in addressing abuse allegations
The case demonstrates the long-term impact of childhood sexual abuse, as the victim described how the abuse "rippled into every part of her life"

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC