Former megachurch pastor pleads guilty to child sex‑abuse charges
Robert Preston Morris, 64, founder and former senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2025 in Osage County, Oklahoma to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child stemming from abuse that began in 1982. Under a plea agreement announced by the Oklahoma attorney general’s office, Morris received a 10‑year suspended sentence with the first six months to be served in the Osage County Jail, must register as a sex offender, will be supervised via interstate compact, and was ordered to pay restitution and incarceration costs.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Robert Preston Morris (64) entered guilty pleas to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child in Osage County, Oklahoma on Oct. 2, 2025.
- Plea deal includes a 10‑year suspended sentence with the first six months in county jail; Morris must register as a sex offender and is subject to interstate supervision and restitution.
- Victim Cindy Clemishire said the abuse began in 1982 when she was 12 and lasted about four years; Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a statement condemning the abuse and Morris' exploitation of his pastoral position.