PAWHUSKA (OK)
Kera News [Dallas, TX]
May 9, 2025
By Penelope Rivera
Robert Morris, the founding pastor of Southlake-based megachurch Gateway Church, is set to make his first court appearance in front of an Oklahoma judge Friday at 10 a.m. as he faces five different counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child dating back to the 1980s.
Here’s everything you need to known about Morris’ case and what his initial hearing could mean for him.
The accusations
Morris first faced accusations nearly a year ago from Cindy Clemishire, who told religious blog The Wartburg Watch Morris abused her when she was 12 years old in 1982. The abuse lasted for more than four years when Clemishire resided in Oklahoma, she said.
Morris, 63, resigned last June after admitting to “sexual inappropriate behavior” with a child in a statement to The Christian Post.
“When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying. It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years,” Morris told the news outlet.
It’s the only public statement Morris has made amid the claims and has not responded to previous requests for comment from KERA News.
KERA News also reached out to Morris’ attorneys and will update this story with any response.
The indictments and arrest
Morris was officially indicted by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma City in March where he was charged with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child.
“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said at the time. “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 to be done.”
The disgraced pastor turned himself in to officials in Osage County shortly after. Court records show an Osage County judge set a $50,000 bond and ordered Morris to surrender his passport. Morris was in jail for about 14 minutes before being released on bond, according to CBS News.
The statute of limitations is not applicable in this case because Morris was not a resident or inhabitant of Oklahoma at any time, according to Oklahoma’s Legal Research System.
What does Friday’s hearing mean for Morris?
Morris’ pre-preliminary hearing on Friday gives him the chance to the meet with his defense attorney, prosecutor, and judge before the formal preliminary hearing. His attorneys can try and work out a plea deal, but if one isn’t offered or Morris chooses not to accept a plea offer, he will be scheduled for a preliminary hearing.
Court records show Morris has pleaded not guilty. If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each charge.