Texas Pastor Robert Morris Admits Guilt in Oklahoma Child Sex Crimes Case

Robert Morris Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Crimes in Oklahoma

In a shocking turn of events, Robert Morris, the founder of a Texas megachurch, has pleaded guilty in Oklahoma to multiple sex crimes against a girl who was just 12 years old when the abuse began. The offenses, which started on Christmas Day in 1982, continued for several years and were recently brought to light through a legal process that culminated in a plea deal.

Morris, now 64, admitted to five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts involving a child. At the time of the first offense, he was 21 years old and working as a traveling evangelist. Despite the gravity of his actions, Morris did not offer an apology during the court proceedings.

Under the terms of the plea deal, Morris will serve six months in the Osage County jail before being placed on probation for nine years and six months. He is also required to register as a sex offender. Additionally, he agreed to pay $270,000 in restitution to the victim, Cindy Clemishire, who described him as "a pedophile, disguised as a preacher."

Morris had previously served as a spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump and was the senior pastor of Gateway Church, which he founded in Southlake, Texas, in 2000. The church expanded significantly under his leadership, with multiple locations across the country. However, Morris stepped down from his position last year after admitting to wrongdoing.

The victim's public statement about the abuse led to significant attention, especially after she spoke out on The Wartburg Watch, a blog focused on sexual abuse within religious institutions. During the court proceedings, both the victim and her sister read impact statements, while Morris remained silent, keeping his head down and eyes closed.

In previous statements, Morris acknowledged his involvement in "inappropriate sexual behavior" with a young woman during his early 20s. He claimed this behavior occurred over several years but stated that he has since lived a life of "purity and accountability."

In March, Oklahoma's multicounty grand jury indicted Morris on five counts of sexual misconduct after hearing testimony in secret sessions. The indictment covered offenses up to January 1985. In her impact statement, Clemishire expressed her pain, noting that while Morris built a megachurch and gained fame, she struggled with personal challenges such as dropping out of college, enduring divorces, and battling depression.

She criticized Morris for framing his actions as "infidelity" to protect his image, adding that her family was left to explain the truth to pastors who turned a blind eye. She also mentioned that she made poor decisions that added to her shame and that Morris tried to label their relationship as consensual.

The guilty plea took place at the courthouse in Osage County, where the crimes occurred over 40 years ago. The victim has indicated that the first incident happened during a visit to her home in Hominy. The probation Morris received is a suspended sentence, meaning he is now a convicted felon and could face prison time if he violates the conditions of his probation.

Morris faced a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison for the offenses. Osage County Special Judge Cindy Pickerill accepted the plea deal after confirming that the victim had been consulted and agreed to the punishment. The case was prosecuted by assistants to Oklahoma’s attorney general.

“This case is all the more despicable because the perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position of trust and authority,” said Attorney General Gentner Drummond in a news release following the guilty plea.

Morris is part of a long line of prominent spiritual leaders who have fallen from grace due to scandal. This includes Jimmy Swaggart, a televangelist who faced a scandal in 1988 involving a sex worker, leading to a televised apology.

Clemishire, now 55, shared her story with USA TODAY last year, expressing her desire to encourage others who may be victims to come forward. According to her account, she met Morris at a youth revival in Tulsa when he was 20 and she was 11. He was invited to conduct a youth revival in Hominy, and after that, he regularly preached at their church.

She alleged that Morris first sexually abused her on Christmas Day after asking her to come to his room. He warned her not to tell anyone, claiming it would ruin everything. She said the abuse continued until March 1987, with incidents occurring in both Texas and Oklahoma.

Morris was a pastor at Shady Grove Church in Texas at the time. He stepped away from the ministry in 1987 for two years after Clemishire informed a close friend and her parents about the abuse.

At Gateway Church, Morris had a television program that aired in over 190 countries and a radio show heard in more than 6,800 cities. His YouTube page, which is no longer online, had 80,000 subscribers and featured videos with titles like "Freedom Through Forgiveness."

Morris was on Trump’s spiritual advisory board during the 2016 campaign and the first term of his presidency. However, he did not play a role in the 2024 reelection effort.

Grand jurors alleged that Morris touched the girl "in a lewd or lascivious manner" on Dec. 25, 1982. They also claimed he looked at her private parts two days later after removing her clothing. Further allegations included lewd touches while she was 13 and 14 in a vehicle parked on an Osage County road.

Time restrictions on filing child sex crime cases did not apply to Morris because he did not live in Oklahoma at any time, according to prosecutors.

Morris pleaded guilty "for the sake of finality," according to his Texas attorney, Bill Mateja. In a media statement, Mateja noted that Morris asked him to convey his sincere apologies to Clemishire and her family.

What Comes Next for Robert Morris?

Morris still faces a civil lawsuit accusing him of defaming the victim over the years, including when he claimed she had forgiven him. Clemishire and her father filed the lawsuit in Dallas County District Court in June. They alleged that Morris described the sexual offenses as an "extramarital affair" and claimed that Clemishire seduced him.

They also accused church elders of knowing about the abuse for years but attempting to cover it up "in order to continue to profit from the church." Clemishire expressed her frustration with the ongoing efforts to shift blame and minimize her abuse, stating that she experienced similar issues in 2024.

Morris and the church are also involved in a legal dispute over his retirement benefits.