Gateway Church founding pastor Robert Morris has been indicted by a grand jury in Oklahoma for five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child.

Last year, Cindy Clemishire came forward with accusations that Morris had sexually abused her in the 1980s, starting when she was 12 years old. Morris was allegedly a 21-year-old visiting evangelist. He was married, and he and his wife had a young child.

On June 18, 2024, after Clemishire’s story was published by The Wartburg Watch, Morris resigned as pastor of his Texas megachurch.

In reaction to the indictment this week, Clemishire said, “After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child. Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable. My family and I are deeply grateful to the authorities who have worked tirelessly to make this day possible and remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.”

Clemishire is represented by Boz Tchividjian, an attorney who helps represent sexual abuse survivors across the country.

According to Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, no statute of limitations — a limit of time in which a criminal case can be brought — is applicable because Morris has not been a resident of Oklahoma at any time.

“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Drummond said in a press release. “This case is all the more despicable because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for justice to be done.”

The multi-county grand jury (MCGJ) returned indictments on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. The “highly confidential” MCGJ is “composed of jurors from across the state who, pursuant to law, have jurisdiction to investigate suspected criminal activity in the State of Oklahoma.”

Morris, 63, could face between three and 20 years in prison if he is convicted.

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In a statement to the New York Times, Gateway Church said, “We are aware of the actions being taken by the legal authorities in Oklahoma and are grateful for the work of the justice system in holding abusers accountable for their actions. We continue to pray for Cindy Clemishire and her family, for the members and staff of Gateway Church, and for all of those impacted by this terrible situation.”

Morris faced another lawsuit for accusations that he misused tithe funds. Former church members filed the federal lawsuit in late February, claiming the church misrepresented how money was used and are seeking transparency. In response, Morris filed a motion asking the court to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the court lacks jurisdiction over the case because all of the parties reside in the same state so there is no “diversity of citizenship” required under the statutes for a federal court to hear the case.

Morris also argues that the “ecclesiastical abstention doctrine” prevents the court from interfering in “matters of religious doctrine and internal church governance.”

He also claims the plaintiffs did not show that a contract existed that could be breached nor any misstatement of fact upon which the plaintiffs relied.

The federal court has not yet ruled on the motion to dismiss the tithe-related lawsuit.

Morris founded Gateway Church in 2000, and before his resignation it had grown to be one of the largest megachurches in the country. After Clemishire’s allegations surfaced, the church hired law firm Haynes and Boone to conduct an independent and comprehensive inquiry related to the recent events. Some of the results of that investigation were provided in November 2024. It found that all but three Gateway elders were aware of Morris’ history with Clemishire and her age at the time of the alleged abuse.

Also in November, a Gateway elder said the church’s tithes had dropped by 35-40%.

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