Robert Morris, former pastor of Gateway Church, surrendered to Oklahoma authorities on Monday after being charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse.
Morris, 63, turned himself in at the Osage County Sheriff’s Office following an indictment last week, as previously covered by DX. He now faces five charges related to lewd or indecent acts with a child, stemming from accusations made by a woman who claims the abuse first began in the 1980s.
The former senior pastor of the Dallas-area megachurch resigned in June of 2024 after allegations of an inappropriate relationship involving a 12-year-old. According to a prior statement from Gateway Church’s Board of Elders, they were unaware of the abuse until after June 14.
Phil Bacharach, a representative from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, confirmed to the Associated Press that Morris had turned himself in and noted that he was granted a $50,000 bond. In addition to the bond, a judge has ordered Morris to surrender his passport in anticipation of his upcoming legal proceedings.
Morris is set to appear before a judge on May 9. His attorney, Mack Martin, indicated that he plans to enter a not-guilty plea on the former pastor’s behalf.
The charges against Morris stem from an alleged four-year period of abuse starting when his accuser was allegedly just 12 years old. According to the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the abuse occurred while Morris, then a traveling evangelist, stayed with the victim’s family in Hominy, Oklahoma.
The woman behind the allegations, Cindy Clemishire, now 55, spoke publicly about the case, focusing on her gratitude and relief after the indictment against Morris.
“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” Clemishire told AP. “Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable.”
Morris resigned from his position at Gateway Church in 2024 following the public accusation. The church, which is one of the largest in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has since distanced itself from him.