Gateway Church Founder Robert Morris Released from Custody

Robert Morris, the founder of Gateway Church, has been released from an Oklahoma jail facility. Morris served a six-month sentence stemming from child sex abuse charges related to incidents that occurred in the 1980s.

He was incarcerated in the Osage County jail. Court records confirm that Morris was released on Monday after fulfilling his time and paying required fines as part of his sentencing agreement.

Plea Agreement and Ongoing Supervision

Morris had previously entered a guilty plea to five separate charges in October. As conditions of his release, he is now required to register as a sex offender.

Furthermore, he will remain under probation for the remaining duration of his 10-year suspended sentence. This supervision period follows his time served in the county jail.

Details of the Abuse and Victim Testimony

The victim, identified as Cindy Clemishire, stated that the abuse began when she was just 12 years old. She reported that the inappropriate conduct continued for approximately four and a half years.

At the time of the abuse, Morris was serving as a traveling preacher. He was staying at the victim's Oklahoma home after being invited by her parents. Clemishire disclosed the situation to her parents when she reached the age of 17.

Morris's Previous Statements and Church Response

Morris officially resigned as the senior pastor of Gateway Church in June of 2024. Last year, the church released a statement acknowledging Morris's admission regarding a past inappropriate relationship.

Morris told an online publication, and later The Christian Post, that the relationship involved "kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong." He admitted this occurred when he was in his early twenties.

Gateway Church stated that after the initial allegations surfaced 35 years ago, Morris stepped away from ministry for two years to seek counseling. The church added that it was previously unaware that the individual involved was only 12 years old at the time of the abuse.