Megachurch Founder Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse

Cindy Clemisher has accused the founder of a well-known Texas megachurch, who is now 64, of abusing her over a span of five years starting in 1982, when she was just 12 years old. On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to these charges.

Robert Morris, the pastor in question, had previously acknowledged engaging in “inappropriate sexual behavior” with young women, but denied any allegations of intercourse. However, in a recent plea deal, he has confessed to rape.

It’s particularly disturbing, as the Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond noted, because the perpetrator was a pastor who took advantage of his position. Drummond remarked that the victim had waited far too long for justice.

The plea agreement entails a somewhat lenient sentence, with Morris expected to serve just six months of a 10-year prison term, although he faced a felony count involving indecent behavior with children.

In the legal proceedings, Morris is also required to pay $250,000 in reparations and to register as a sex offender. It’s worth mentioning that he was reportedly a traveling evangelical who began living with the Clemisher family after they met at a youth revival in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Clemisher recounted that she was a victim of abuse during that time but felt pressured to keep silent, which allowed Morris to avoid accountability for two years.

After Clemisher came forward with her accusations in June 2024, Morris resigned from the church. In March, he was charged with five felony counts by a judge in Oklahoma.

While the charges carried a potential maximum sentence of 20 years for each count, the outcome of this case has sparked outrage among many. Drummond’s statement emphasizes that “tolerance is impossible” for those who prey on children.

Clemisher has also filed a lawsuit against the church and its officials, claiming they concealed the abuse when she first went public. She expressed frustration that for nearly 40 years, Morris and the church leadership blamed her rather than recognizing the severity of her experience.

Reflecting on her traumatic past, she remarked, “My childhood died that day in 1982.” She hopes her case will raise awareness and provide courage for other victims to come forward.

Clemisher suspects she is not alone and that there may be other survivors still in silence about their experiences.