Robert Morris indicted on child sex charges, Oklahoma Attorney General says

A Multi-County Grand Jury has indicted Robert Preston Morris, the founder of Gateway Church, on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced Wednesday.

Morris, 63, stepped down last summer as senior pastor of the Southlake, Texas-based megachurch, one of the largest in the nation. The charges stem from incidents dating back to the 1980s.

According to the indictment, Morris was a traveling evangelist in December 1982 when he visited Hominy, Oklahoma, and stayed with the family of a 12-year-old girl. Prosecutors allege Morris began abusing the girl that Christmas and the abuse continued over the next four years.

“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children,” Drummond said. “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.”

Morris’ indictment was made possible by an exception in Oklahoma law that pauses the statute of limitations when an alleged perpetrator is not a state resident.

Gateway Church acknowledged the charges in a statement, saying, “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.”

Cindy Clemishire, the alleged victim, also released a statement through her attorney, Boz Tchividjian.

“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” Clemishire said. “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.”

A week before Morris' resignation last year, Clemishire shared her story on the church watchdog site The Wartburg Watch.

“My hope is that, again, it goes to help other victims find courage and come forward and get help. To find predators and remove them, no matter where it is, schools, churches, whatever organization it is, homes. And ultimately, you know, people learn and understand what grooming is and the types of people who do this," she told NBC 5 at the time.

Criminal defense attorney Mike Howard, who isn't associated with the case, said there can be challenges in trying decades-old events.

“Generally speaking, when a case happened a long time ago, that’s going to result in a number of difficulties for the prosecution," said Howard.

But as stories like Clemishire's become more prevalent, he said a shifting public perception could play a big role.

“I think people are much more aware that an abuser can wear, you know, any clothing. They can wear any title," he said.

Morris is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.