What led to the charges of the pastor's crime?

Robert Morris went to the spiritual advisory council of President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign, but did not play a role in his re -election campaign in 2024.

Before a great jury in Oklahoma The founder of the church of Gateway Robert Morris on five charges of lewd or indecent actions for a child, The resignation of the senior pastor A year ago he caused a agitation among his former congregation, while his accuser presented and detailed years of sexual abuse.

The great multi-county jury accused Morris, 63, for the alleged sexual conduct that began in December 1982 and involved a 12-year-old girl, the Oklahoma General Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday. The indictment says Morris’s actions started at Christmas and continued in the next four years.

“There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey to the children,” said Prosecutor General Gentner Drummond in a statement. “This case is even more contemptuous, because the alleged perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position. The victim in this case waited for too many years for justice to be done. “

Although alleged crimes took place for decades agoThe Attorney General said that the status of the limitations does not apply in this case, because Morris was not a resident or inhabitant of Oklahoma at any time.

Morris’s accuser Cindy Clemmonire, presented and publicly detailed the June 2024 accusations with Wartburg WatchA blog about sexual abuse within the church.

“After almost 43 years, the law eventually caught Robert Morris for the horrible crimes he committed against me as a child.” Clemishire said in a statement to Oklahoman – Part of the US Today network – after the indictment has been made public.

Morris was on President Donald Trump The Spiritual Advisory Council during his 2016 campaign and the initial presidential term. He did not play a role in the re -election effort in 2024, said Trump’s campaign last year.

Here’s what you know about the accusations against Morris and how they led to his indictment.

Cindy Clemmonire assumed that Robert Morris had sexually abused her since 1982-1987

In the post on the June blog, Clemishire said that she and her family were presented to Morris at a Tulsa Youth Renaissance, Oklahoma, when she was 20, and she was 11 years old. At that time, Morris was a traveler evangelist with his wife, Debbie.

Morris preached at the Clemheire Church on Sunday, and sometimes he, Debbie and their son will stay at his family’s house. She saw him as “safe and friendly,” she said.

Their relationship has changed forever for Christmas in 1982, when Morris asked for a 12-year-old Clemheire, to “visit his room that night,” according to the blog. She remembered that she did not think of anything at that time, but once in her room, she said she had sexually abused it and warned it: “Never tell anyone about it because it will ruin everything.”

Clemheire said the abuse continued in Oklahoma and Texas until 1987. Finally, she told a good friend and her parents about abuse, which led to Morris to give up the ministry for two years, she explained in the blog.

When he asked why he presented decades later, Clemheire told USA Today: “I always trusted that the moment of God will take it wherever you need to go. Why hide?”

The initial support of the Gateway Church for Robert Morris fades

When Clemmonire’s accusations initially came to light, the Gateway Church apparently supported their then pastor, saying in a statement for WFAA-TV that he was “open and correct about a moral failure that he had over 35 years ago” and that “there were no other moral failures”.

“This situation has been revealed and was confessed and confessed by,” Morris said in his own statement. “I subjected to the elderly of the Church Shady Grove and the father of the young lady. They asked me to stop and receive counseling and Ministry for Freedom, which I did. Since then, I went in purity and responsibility in this field.”

The elders in Texas Megachurch will release a subsequent statement after Morris’s resignation, saying: “We regret that we do not have the information we have now.”

“For the sake of the victim, we are grateful that this situation has been exposed,” the elders said. “We know that many have been affected by this, we understand that it hurts and we are very sorry. It is our prayer that, over time, healing for all affected.”

Following his up -to -date statement Gateway Church was widely disassembled by Morris, even until he recommended the resignations of the son of the pastor and the daughter -in -lawJames and Bridget Morris.

“Pastor James Morris is a man of integrity and has clearly declared that he has no knowledge of the true facts of this situation,” the church said in a Facebook post. “However, because Pastor James Morris has to do with Robert Morris, Haynes and Boone recommended that Pastor James also take a temporary leave of absence from the Old Council and Pastor James has volunteered to demonstrate his commitment to a truly independent and unpartless investigation.”

The Gateway Church removes the old people, helps to investigate criminal

In November, Gateway Church has announced the removal of several old people Following the independent investigation of a law firm on charges of sexual abuse of children against Morris. This ad came after the departures of Morris, his son, his daughter -in -law and The executive pastor Kemal Glasgow.

“What happened to Cindy Clemmonire was tearing and sorcerer,” said Tra -willbanks, an old man at Gateway Church during a Transmissive service. “We denounce sexual abuse in all its forms and feel deep sadness for those who have been victimized by such contemptible actions.”

During Haynes and Boone’s independent investigation, the law firm collected 780 data gigabyte, reviewed thousands of documents and interviewed dozens, except Morris and five who denied with them, said Willbanks.

The law firm did not learn about other charges of sexual assault against Morris, according to Willbanks. Morris made “financial requests” following the investigation, which led to the pending litigation between him and the church, which Willbanks said that she rejects.

Willbanks also confirmed that Gateway Church cooperates with an ongoing criminal investigation, but has not shared details at that time. He added that the church and its current leadership are not subject to this investigation.

What follows for Robert Morris?

The indictment was filed for pursuit on Thursday at the Osage County District Court in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Morris is expected to return Monday and teach her passport. His obligation was set at $ 50,000.

If he is convicted of all five charges, Morris could face up to 100 years in prison.

The pastor once had a television program that was broadcast in over 190 countries, and his radio program was broadcast in over 6,800 cities, according to his biography on the Gateway Church site.

Him YouTube pageWhich is no longer online, has had 80,000 subscribers and included videos entitled “Freedom through forgiveness” and “Did you know that you are perfect for God’s grace?”

Contribution: Nolan Clay and James Powel/ US Today