Gateway Church Founder Robert Morris Pleads Guilty
Robert Morris, the founding pastor of Gateway Church, pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2025 in Osage County, Oklahoma to indecent conduct with a child stemming from alleged abuse that began in 1982. At the Pawhuska hearing he was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but six months suspended, ordered to serve six months in Osage County, then to serve nine and a half years on probation in Texas, and must register as a sex offender; the victim, Cindy Clemishire, and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued statements following the plea. The case also intersects with civil suits against Morris and Gateway Church and a separate dispute over Morris’s claimed retirement benefits.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Robert Morris pleaded guilty to indecent conduct with a child in Osage County, Oklahoma on Oct. 2, 2025 and was sentenced to 10 years with all but six months suspended.
- The alleged abuse reportedly began in 1982 and continued for four years; the victim, Cindy Clemishire, was 12 when it began and gave a public statement after the plea.
- Morris will serve six months in Osage County, be placed on probation for 9.5 years in Texas, and is required to register as a sex offender; related civil litigation and disputes over retirement payments remain pending.