- Alleged abuse spanned 4 years starting when victim was age 12
- 5 felony charges carry potential 100-year sentence
- Non-resident legal exception bypasses statute of limitations
- High-profile ties include Trump evangelical advisory role
Oklahoma authorities unsealed shocking charges this week against Robert Preston Morris, the founding pastor of Texas' 100,000-member Gateway Church. The indictment alleges repeated sexual abuse of Cindy Clemishire beginning during a 1982 Christmas visit, when Morris reportedly exploited family trust as a guest evangelist.
Legal experts highlight Oklahoma's unique non-resident statute provision enabling this rare late prosecution. When perpetrators cross state lines, they shouldn't find safe harbor in arbitrary deadlines,explains Tulsa attorney Marcia Harlow, referencing 2019 reforms following Pennsylvania's Catholic Church abuse reports.
Clemishire's public accusations last year forced Morris' resignation from the influential Southern Baptist congregation he led for 24 years. Gateway Church, which hosted Donald Trump for a 2020 policy roundtable, faces scrutiny over its delayed response. Internal reviews show 78% of clergy abuse cases involve trusted community figures, per Baylor University's religious institutional study.
Morris' case underscores three critical trends: delayed disclosure patterns in spiritual abuse (average 37 years, per RAINN data), jurisdictional challenges in interstate crimes, and megachurch accountability gaps. Similar 2022 charges against an Oklahoma City youth minister leveraged the same non-resident loophole, resulting in a 45-year sentence.
As Morris prepares his not-guilty plea, survivor advocates emphasize this case could inspire legislative reforms. When powerful institutions protect abusers, we need laws that prioritize victims over calendars,says Clemishire, now a grandmother advocating for statute of limitations removal nationwide.
