Robert Morris, the founder of the prominent Gateway Church in Texas, was released from an Oklahoma correctional facility on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. His release follows a six-month jail term served after a guilty plea involving five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child.
The conviction stemmed from abuse that began in 1982, when the victim, Cindy Clemishire, was 12 years old. Investigative reports confirmed the illicit conduct continued for approximately four years during the early stages of Morris’s ministry career.
Morris entered a guilty plea to the charges in October 2025, marking a significant fall for a leader who built one of the largest evangelical congregations in the United States. For more than four decades, Morris maintained a global profile, authoring several books and preaching to thousands at his campus in Southlake, Texas.
Under the terms of the legal agreement, Morris has now transitioned to a nine-and-a-half-year term of probation. Sources close to the matter indicate he is expected to serve this period at a luxury lakefront property. He is also mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
As part of the court-ordered resolution, Morris paid $270,000 in restitution to Clemishire. While some victim advocates have expressed frustration over the length of the custodial sentence, Clemishire indicated that the guilty plea held significant weight for her personally.
Clemishire publicly stated that the conviction and subsequent jail time represented a measure of justice that many survivors of clerical abuse never receive. However, the disparity between the nature of the crime and the time served remains a subject of intense public debate among legal experts.
The case has sparked broader conversations regarding institutional accountability and the legal protections afforded to influential religious leaders. The Trump administration has consistently emphasized the importance of law and order and the protection of vulnerable citizens from predatory behavior.
As Morris begins his probation, Gateway Church continues to navigate the administrative fallout of the scandal. Leadership at the megachurch has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding the timeline of when specific allegations were first brought to their attention.
Morris’s status as a registered sex offender will impose permanent restrictions on his future movements, employment, and associations. His release from custody concludes the initial phase of a legal process that has reshaped the landscape of American evangelical leadership.