Former megachurch pastor Robert Morris, who was once a campaign spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually abusing a child.
Morris, a founding pastor of the Dallas-based Gateway megachurch — one of the country’s largest — was accused by an Oklahoma woman, Cindy Clemishire, of sexual abuse in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12 and continuing until the age of 16.
Morris, 64, pleaded guilty in Osage County District Court to five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. He was given a 10-year suspended sentence but was ordered to serve six months in the Oklahoma county’s jail.
As part of his plea deal, Morris must register as a sex offender and pay $250,000 in restitution, NBC News reported.
Justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed and abused me as a 12-year-old innocent girl is finally going to be behind bars.
Cindy Clemishire
“Justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed and abused me as a 12-year-old innocent girl is finally going to be behind bars,” Clemishire, who was present in the courtroom, said in a statement. “My hope is that many victims hear my story, and it can help lift their shame and allow them to speak up.”
Morris admitted to some of the allegations against him to the Christian Post in 2024 and resigned from the church soon after. “When I was in my early 20s, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying,” he said, referring to the child.
“There is no such thing as consent from a 12-year-old child,” Clemishire told the court, reading from a prepared victim statement. “We were never in an ‘inappropriate relationship.’ I was not a ‘young lady’ but a child. You committed a crime against me.” In 2016, Morris was appointed to Trump’s evangelical advisory board during his presidential campaign. At a 2020 roundtable discussion with faith leaders in Texas, Trump thanked two pastors, one of whom was Morris, for attending, saying, “They’re great people. Great people with a great reputation. I have to say that. Great reputation. And Gateway Church — the team has been incredible in hosting us.” Gateway Church declined to comment to MSNBC on Friday. As part of his plea deal, Morris must register as a sex offender and pay $250,000 in restitution, NBC News reported.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter and producer for MS NOW. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.
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