Former Megachurch Pastor Robert Morris Indicted on Child Sexual Abuse Charges

Former Texas megachurch pastor Robert Preston Morris, the founder of Gateway Church, has been indicted in Oklahoma on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, the state's attorney general announced Wednesday.

The charges stem from allegations by Cindy Clemishire, who says Morris sexually abused her beginning in 1982 when she was just 12 years old. At the time, Morris was a traveling evangelist staying with Clemishire's family in Hominy, Oklahoma. The abuse allegedly continued for four years.

"After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child," Clemishire, now 55, said in a statement. "Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable."

Morris, 63, resigned from Gateway Church last year, two days after admitting to "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady." However, Clemishire rejects that characterization.

"It was a crime," she said. "I was a little girl."

Clemishire, who is now a mom and grandma, told CBN News it took years for her to fully grasp what she endured. "I was 12," she said. "I was not a teenager yet. And I told when I was 17 — and it did go all the way through ... the full year of being 16."

Morris's accuser said she spent years sharing her story with friends, family, and those willing to listen, despite facing inner conflict. 

"Like most believers, you don't want to do anything that's going to tarnish the name of God," she said. "You don't want to tarnish the church. You don't want to hurt other believers. You don't want to, you know, cause another person to not come to Jesus. And so I never wanted it to be a big deal, exposing ... I just wanted someone in leadership, somewhere, {to} take him out of the pulpit because we did not feel as a family that that's where he should be."

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Clemishire also spent decades sharing her story with church leaders, hoping someone would take action.

"Anytime he would speak in a church that we were associated with, either I would, or my parents, or my sister would go and confront leadership," she said. "And not once has any leadership stood up and said, 'This isn't biblical. You should not be in leadership.'"

That changed when her story gained national attention through the religious watchdog blog The Wartburg Watch. The backlash led to Morris' resignation and, ultimately, his indictment.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond condemned Morris' alleged crimes.

"There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children," Drummond said. "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."

The church has since stated it is cooperating with authorities and praying for "all those impacted by this terrible situation."

Clemishire says her faith has carried her through the trauma.

"I have never stopped praying," she said. "I've never stopped reading my Bible. It truly has been about my relationship with Jesus. I don't know how anybody could get through any of this without that."

She hopes her story will empower other survivors and inspire legislative change. "We need to change the statute of limitations across the country, not just in my state or Texas," she said. "I want to be active in any way I can to protect victims and not predators."

Elizabeth Good, founder of the advocacy group Foundation United, says churches must do more to prevent abuse and support survivors. "We are the one system with all the power to change everything," Good said. "We have to take the lead in this narrative."

If convicted, Morris faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge. As of Wednesday, he had not been taken into custody, and it was unclear whether he had legal representation.

Gateway Church has hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations.

While Morris has remained silent since resigning, Clemishire is determined to ensure justice is served—not just for herself but for others. "I do know I want to help other victims," she said. "I want people to be free of shame … It's a lifelong journey."

***Much of Cindy Clemishire's account in this story comes from a 2024 interview by CBN's Billy Hallowell. You can read that full story here.