The founder of a prominent Texas megachurch has been indicted on charges of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s, according to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office. Robert Morris, 63, the founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, was indicted Wednesday on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. The allegations date back to incidents that occurred between 1982 and 1986.
Morris, who stepped down from his role as senior pastor in June after the allegations surfaced, was accused of sexually abusing the girl during visits to her family in Hominy, Oklahoma. Prosecutors stated that the abuse began over Christmas in 1982 and continued for four years. Morris was a traveling evangelist at the time.
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“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement. “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.”
The victim, Cindy Clemishire, publicly accused Morris of molesting her for years. Morris has acknowledged engaging in “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” decades ago. Gateway Church previously stated that Morris had been “open and forthright about a moral failure” and underwent a two-year “restoration process” in the late 1980s.
According to the indictment, cited by The New York Times, Morris used his hands and body to touch the girl’s private parts. The indictment refers to the victim as C.C. Clemishire, who expressed relief at the indictment, stating, “After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me.”
She added, “My family and I are deeply grateful to the authorities who have worked tirelessly to make this day possible and remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.”
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Morris, an influential figure in evangelical circles, previously served on a faith advisory council during former President Donald Trump’s first term. He also hosted Trump at Gateway Church in 2020. A Trump campaign spokesman told The New York Times that Morris was not involved in the former president’s 2024 campaign.
Gateway Church, one of the largest megachurches in the U.S., has faced scrutiny over its handling of the allegations. The indictment marks a significant step in a case that has drawn national attention and raised questions about accountability within religious institutions.
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