Texas megachurch founder jailed for child sex abuse
Robert Preston Morris, 64, the founder and former senior pastor of Gateway Church in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2025 in Osage County, Oklahoma to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child stemming from abuse beginning in 1982. Under a plea agreement he received a 10‑year suspended sentence, must serve the first six months in the Osage County Jail, register as a sex offender, pay incarceration costs and restitution, and the victim — Cindy Clemishire — issued a victim’s statement calling the outcome overdue.
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🔍 Key Facts
- Defendant: Robert Preston Morris, 64, founder and former senior pastor of Gateway Church (Dallas–Fort Worth).
- Charges and plea: pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child for abuse beginning in 1982 and lasting about four years.
- Sentence and conditions: 10‑year suspended sentence with the first six months to be served in Osage County Jail; required to register as a sex offender and pay incarceration costs and restitution.