A grand jury in Oklahoma has indicted Robert Morris, the founder of a Texas megachurch and former spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump, on five felony counts related to lewd or indecent acts involving a child. The charges against Morris, 63, pertain to alleged incidents with a 12-year-old girl that occurred over a span of four years starting in 1982, as stated by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office. Attorney General Gentner Drummond emphasized the importance of holding accountable those who sexually exploit children, particularly condemning Morris due to his position as a pastor. Morris, who resigned from Gateway Church in June, admitted to inappropriate behavior following allegations made by Cindy Clemishire. Clemishire recounted encountering Morris, then a traveling evangelist, at a youth revival in Tulsa when she was 11. She claimed that Morris sexually abused her starting from the age of 12 and continued to do so until 1987. Clemishire decided to speak out publicly to support other potential victims and urge them to share their experiences.
The statute of limitations did not apply to Morris’ charges as he was not an Oklahoma resident. The state’s multicounty grand jury issued the indictment on Wednesday following two days of testimony in closed sessions, as reported by The Oklahoman. The indictment will be presented for prosecution in Osage County District Court, where Morris is expected to surrender next week. If found guilty of all five counts, he could face a maximum of 100 years in prison.
Previously, Morris held a prominent position as a member of Trump’s spiritual advisory board during the 2016 campaign and the initial term of his presidency. However, he was not involved in the 2024 reelection campaign, according to a statement from the Trump campaign last year. Morris had a television show broadcast in over 190 countries and a radio program aired in more than 6,800 cities, as detailed in his biography on the Gateway Church website. His YouTube channel, which is no longer active, had 80,000 subscribers and featured videos with titles such as “Freedom Through Forgiveness” and “Did You Know You’re Made Perfect By God’s Grace?”
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Former Texas megachurch pastor Robert Morris indicted. Key details to understand.
