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The head of one of the largest large congregations in the US, Robert Morris, has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in Oklahoma during the 1980s period.

Morris, sixty-four, pleaded guilty on Thursday in the local court on five criminal counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. He was given a sentence to a decade in custody, but as part of a plea deal will serve only six months in local jail.

He will register as a registered offender and be required to pay a quarter million dollars in restitution.

Background of the Case

The disgraced pastor established the church in the city of Southlake, Texas. He grew it into among the ten biggest megachurches in the United States, with more than 25,000 visitors weekly.

Cindy Clemishire, 55, the woman who came forward as the victim of Morris’s sexual abuse, was present in the courtroom as he admitted his guilt. In a written declaration she stated: “There is no such thing as consent from a child of twelve. We were not involved in any improper relationship. I was not a young woman but a minor. You performed a criminal act against me.”

Her sister a family member also made a declaration, stating: “You pretended to be holy, speaking from big pulpits. As you concealed your true self, we’ve been aware you are nothing but a predator.”

Morris resigned from the congregation last year after Clemishire made her story known. She had devoted many years seeking justice for the abuse.

Specifics of the Incidents

The abuse started in 1982 when Morris, at age twenty-one, was a travelling evangelist. He stayed with Clemishire’s family in their home, where he invited the girl into his room.

The molestation persisted for the next four-year period.

A leaked transcript of a conversation revealed that in 2005, Morris attempted to pay off Clemishire into not speaking out, telling her to “name your price”.

Fall from Grace and Connections

The guilty verdict marks a remarkable fall for the pastor. At his height, he authored multiple popular books and his teachings were broadcast globally.

He also became a religious counselor to the former president. He was part of the White House spiritual advisory committee during the first Trump presidency and was involved in an effort to organize evangelical voters for him in last year’s presidential campaign.

Trump also visited Gateway church in 2020 where he commended the pastor and his senior team as “wonderful individuals with a great reputation”.