Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church — a Texas-based megachurch with one of many largest congregations within the nation — pleaded responsible Thursday to expenses of indecent conduct with a toddler. The costs stem from an investigation into allegations that he sexually abused a younger lady in Oklahoma greater than 40 years in the past.
The plea was entered throughout a scheduled listening to in Osage County. He had beforehand entered a not responsible plea.
He was sentenced to 10 years in jail, with all however six months suspended. Morris will serve his time in Osage County after which be positioned on probation for 9 and a half years in Texas. He’s additionally required to register as a intercourse offender.
Morris entered the courthouse in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, flanked by his spouse, his grownup kids, and a number of other of their spouses.
Texas State Rep. Jeff Leach, who authored the Texas Home model of the brand new state legislation banning non-disclosure agreements in instances of kid sexual abuse, went to X minutes earlier than the listening to.
“Roll the stone away,” Leach posted. “Let the responsible pay. It is Independence Day.”
Gateway Church declined to touch upon Morris’ responsible plea.
Survivor and lawyer common reply
In a press release, Cindy Clemishire, who was 12 when the abuse towards her started, stated she hopes her case will function an inspiration for others.
“At the moment justice has lastly been served, and the person who manipulated, groomed, and abused me as a 12-year-old harmless lady is lastly going to be behind bars,” Clemishire stated. “My hope is that many victims hear my story, and it may possibly assist raise their disgrace and permit them to talk up. I hope that legal guidelines proceed to vary and new ones are written so kids and victims’ rights are higher protected. I hope that individuals perceive the one approach to cease little one sexual abuse is to talk up when it occurs or is suspected.”
In a information launch, Oklahoma Legal professional Normal Gentner Drummond stated this present day was lengthy in coming.
“There could be no tolerance for individuals who sexually prey on kids,” Drummond stated. “This case is all of the extra despicable as a result of the perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his place of belief and authority. The sufferer has waited far too a few years for this present day.”
The case towards Robert Morris
In response to the Oklahoma lawyer common’s workplace, the abuse started in 1982. On the time, Morris was a touring evangelist staying together with her household in Hominy, Oklahoma. The abuse continued for 4 years, Clemishire has stated.
Morris had acknowledged in a 2014 sermon that he was “sexually immoral” as a younger man and later admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a younger lady. Nonetheless, he by no means publicly revealed Clemishire’s age on the time.
Fallout from the Robert Morris case
When the allegations surfaced in 2024, Southlake-based Gateway Church initially denied that Morris had engaged in sexual relations with a minor. Church elders later reversed course, and Morris resigned on June 18, 2024.
Clemishire later stated she believed she was not the one sufferer.
“Although I’m grateful that he’s not a pastor at Gateway, I’m disenchanted that the Board of Elders allowed him to resign,” she wrote in a press release on the time. “He ought to have been terminated.”
The fallout has prolonged far past the prison case.
Clemishire and her father filed a civil lawsuit towards Morris, his spouse Debbie, Gateway Church, and a number of other present and former church leaders in search of $1 million in civil damages. The lawsuit alleged the defendants knew about Morris’ actions, hid them, and profited from his “ethical failures and rape of Plaintiff, Cindy Clemishire.”
Robert Morris sues Gateway Church
Morris and Gateway are additionally entangled in a separate authorized dispute over hundreds of thousands of {dollars} Morris claims he’s owed from his retirement bundle.
In Sherman, a federal class-action lawsuit filed by former members accuses Gateway and Morris of failing to honor guarantees to offer 15% of donations to international missions and deceptive congregants with false assurances of refunds.
The church has additionally suffered financially within the wake of the scandal.
Earlier this yr, Gateway laid off employees members amid declining tithes. In September, the church put in new lead pastor Daniel Floyd, who pledged to steer Gateway “with integrity.”
