Robert Morris, who established a major religious institution in Texas and previously advised the Trump administration on faith matters, faced child sexual abuse charges on Wednesday, according to Oklahoma’s attorney general’s office.
Morris, aged 63, stepped down from his position as senior pastor of the Dallas-based Gateway Church last summer, following Cindy Clemishire public accusations of abuse during the 1980s, when she was a child.
A grand jury issued five felony indictments against Morris for inappropriate acts towards a child, determining that he had inappropriately touched the victim’s intimate areas between the ages of 12 and 14. The legal documents identify the victim only by the initials C.C.
The victim, now 55 and residing in Oklahoma, disclosed to The Dallas Morning News that the abuse commenced when her family offered hospitality to Morris, then a travelling preacher, at their Oklahoma residence on Christmas Day in 1982. She explained that it took years before she recognised the events as criminal abuse.
She said on Wednesday, “After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me.” She continued, “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.”
Meanwhile, Morris acknowledged to The Christian Post last year that he had engaged in “inappropriate sexual behaviour with a young lady.” His church, Gateway Church, founded in 2000, reported over 100,000 attendees, making it amongst America’s largest congregations.
Gateway Church elder Tra Willbanks had addressed the allegations in November, stating, “What happened to Cindy Clemishire was heartbreaking and vile, and we denounce sexual abuse in all of its forms.” He praised Clemishire’s courage, noting that “she has impacted countless lives.”
During Trump’s first presidential term, Morris served on a faith advisory council and hosted Trump at Gateway Church in June 2020. A Trump spokesperson confirmed that Morris had no involvement in the 2024 presidential campaign.
