OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Robert Preston Morris, the founder of a Texas megachurch, was released Tuesday after completing a six-month jail sentence for sexually abusing a child during the 1980s.
The 64-year-old Morris was released shortly after midnight according to Osage County Sheriff's Capt. Matt Clark. Morris pleaded guilty last year to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child as part of a plea agreement that handed him a 10-year suspended sentence, with the initial six months served in Osage County Jail.
The abuse started in 1982 when the victim, then only 12 years old, was subjected to Morris's misconduct while he was a traveling evangelist staying with her family in Hominy, Oklahoma. His arrest followed allegations made public, which resulted in his resignation as the senior pastor of Gateway Church, one of the largest megachurches in the U.S., in June 2024.
Morris will be required to register as a sex offender and will be supervised by Texas authorities due to the interstate nature of his case. Additionally, he must cover the costs of his incarceration and provide restitution to the victim.
Cindy Clemishire, now in her 50s, had previously expressed relief at the sentence, stating that justice has finally been served for the abuse she endured. One of Morris’s attorneys released a statement where he apologized to Clemishire and her family, acknowledging the lasting impact of his past actions.
Jeff Leach, an attorney representing Clemishire, stated that they are relieved by Morris's probation status and that Clemishire is pursuing justice through civil means. She aims to hold accountable not only Morris but also those who allegedly supported and covered for him during the abuse.
Gateway Church, which Morris established in 2000, has been influential in the evangelical community and politically active; Morris once served on President Donald Trump’s evangelical advisory board.
