OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The founder of a Texas megachurch, Robert Preston Morris, who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a child in the 1980s, was released on Tuesday after serving six months in an Oklahoma jail.
Morris, 64, was released just after midnight, according to Osage County Sheriff’s Capt. Matt Clark.
Last year, Morris pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child as part of a plea agreement. He was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence with the first six months to be served in jail.
The abuse started in 1982 when the victim, Cindy Clemishire, was just 12 years old. At that time, Morris was a traveling evangelist who abused his position while staying in Hominy, Oklahoma.
Morris was the senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, one of the largest megachurches in the nation, until he resigned in June 2024 when faced with the allegations. He had been indicted by an Oklahoma grand jury.
As part of his sentence, Morris is required to register as a sex offender and will be supervised by Texas authorities. He must also cover his incarceration costs and pay restitution to the victim.
Cindy Clemishire released a statement expressing relief that justice has been served. Justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed, and abused me is behind bars, she stated.
Jeff Leach, Clemishire's attorney, expressed satisfaction that Morris faces nearly a decade of probation and a lifetime registration as a sex offender. He also noted Clemishire’s intent to pursue further justice through civil courts against those who aided Morris.
Morris's attorney, Bill Mateja, issued an apology on his behalf, acknowledging the wrongdoings and the burden of guilt he has carried. What I did to Cindy decades ago was wrong. I am deeply sorry, Morris stated.
Gateway Church was established by Morris in 2000, and he has been politically active, even serving on President Trump’s evangelical advisory board.
