Pastor Robert Morris built his reputation on preaching faith, morality, and guidance. He founded Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, and rose high enough to become a spiritual adviser to Donald Trump. But his powerful image hid one of the darkest secrets imaginable. In October 2025, Morris pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd acts with a child after admitting he sexually abused a girl starting when she was just 12 years old. The survivor, Cindy Clemishire, revealed the abuse began in 1982 when Morris was staying in her home as a traveling evangelist. She says he groomed her and molested her repeatedly over more than four years. In her emotional courtroom statement, Clemishire said:
“There is no such thing as consent from a 12-year-old child. I was not a ‘young lady’ but a child. You committed a crime against me.”
She also accused him of hiding behind the mask of faith, pretending holiness while abusing her behind closed doors. Clemishire has accused Morris of:
- Molesting and raping her during her early teens.
- Using his spiritual authority to groom and silence her.
- Threatening her to keep the abuse secret.
- Trying to minimize the crime as an “inappropriate relationship” once confronted decades later.
She says Morris even tried to buy her silence in the 2000s, long after the abuse had ended. Despite pleading guilty to multiple counts of child sex abuse, Morris’ punishment was lenient compared to the crimes.
- 10-year sentence
- Only six months in jail
- Probation for the remainder
- Mandatory sex offender registration
- $250,000 restitution to the victim
For many survivors and advocates, the sentence feels like a slap on the wrist for someone who admitted to abusing a child for years. Morris’ fall has left Gateway Church facing major backlash. Leaders previously claimed they only knew of an “inappropriate relationship with a young lady” — a phrasing that downplayed the severity. His ties to Trump also put the case under a national spotlight, raising questions about how much influence Morris held in political and evangelical circles while hiding such a dark history. Robert Morris’ guilty plea ends decades of silence, but the sentence raises questions about accountability, justice, and power.
For Clemishire, coming forward meant confronting not just her abuser, but an entire church and community that once protected him. As she told the court, her voice is proof that no matter how long it takes, truth can still break through.
