DALLAS, Texas — Robert Morris, a former megachurch pastor and one-time spiritual adviser to Donald Trump, has been released from an Oklahoma jail after serving six months for child sexual abuse charges dating back to the 1980s.
Morris, founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, pleaded guilty in October to five counts of lewd or indecent acts involving a 12-year-old girl. Under a plea agreement, he received a 10-year sentence, with all but six months suspended. He is now required to register as a sex offender, pay $270,000 in restitution, and serve roughly nine and a half years on probation.
The case stems from abuse that began in 1982, when Morris was a traveling preacher staying with the victim’s family in Oklahoma. The victim, Cindy Clemishire, said in court that she was a child and could not have consented, rejecting earlier characterizations of the relationship.
Morris resigned as senior pastor of Gateway Church in 2024 after the allegations became public. He was indicted in 2025 and later entered a guilty plea.
Beyond his role in one of the nation’s largest megachurches, Morris served on an evangelical advisory board during Trump’s first presidency and participated in White House-related events, reflecting his influence in religious and political circles.
His release follows completion of the custodial portion of his sentence, with supervision conditions now in place.
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