Robert Morris, a former megachurch pastor who founded Gateway Church in Texas, pleaded guilty on Thursday to child sex abuse charges. Morris, 64, resigned last year after a woman in Oklahoma accused him of sexually abusing her in the 1980s. He entered the plea before Judge Cindy Pickerill, admitting to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child. Morris will serve six months in prison in a county jail. Under a negotiated plea agreement, he was given a 10-year sentence but will serve only six months in the county jail. He must also register as a sex offender and pay $250,000 in restitution. Morris was handcuffed and taken into custody after Thursday’s hearing. Cindy Clemishire, the woman who accused Morris of molesting her at age 12, sat in the courtroom, surrounded by family, as Morris accepted responsibility—a moment she sought for decades. The plea represents a remarkable fall for Morris, who founded Gateway in 2000 in Southlake, Texas, and grew it into a megachurch with tens of thousands of weekly attendees. The abuse began in 1982 when Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Oklahoma. He was staying in Hominy, Oklahoma, with the victim’s family. The abuse continued for four years. The victim, Cindy Clemishire, who is now 55, said in a statement that “justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed and abused me as a 12-year-old innocent girl is finally going to be behind bars.” Her hope is that many victims hear her story, and it can help lift their shame and allow them to speak up. Morris must register as a sex offender and will be supervised by Texas authorities via interstate compact. He also was ordered to pay his costs of incarceration, including any medical expenses, and restitution to the victim. One of Morris’ attorneys, Bill Mateja, said Morris wanted to accept responsibility for his conduct and bring the legal matter to an end for the sake of him and his family and Clemishire and her family.
