Robert Morris, the founder of the Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, has been indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, stemming from alleged abuse that began in 1982 when Morris was 21 and the victim was 12. The abuse continued for four years. Morris resigned as senior pastor of the church in 2024 after admitting to inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady, not disclosing the victim’s age or the length of the abuse to the church’s Board of Elders.
The indictment against Morris was returned by a multicounty grand jury, and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office emphasized that there can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children. The victim, identified only as C.C., has waited almost 43 years for justice to be done. Cindy Clemishire, who came forward with the allegations, expressed gratitude to authorities for pursuing the case and stated that it is time for Morris to be held accountable for the crimes he committed against her as a child.
Clemishire had attempted to seek restitution from Morris in 2007 for the cost of her counseling, but negotiations broke down when she refused to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Morris, who also served on President Donald Trump’s spiritual advisory committee, is not currently in custody, but charges will be entered in Osage County and he will be expected to surrender himself. The charge of lewd or indecent acts on a child is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
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