Texas megachurch founder and ex-spiritual adviser to Trump indicted in child sex abuse case

Who is Robert Morris?

Morris founded Gateway Church in 2000 in the Dallas suburb of Southlake. Under his leadership, the church grew into one of the largest megachurches in the United States, with multiple locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Morris became a prominent figure in the evangelical community and was known for his political ties. In 2020, Gateway Church hosted then-President Donald Trump for a discussion on race relations and the economy.

Why did Morris resign?

Morris resigned from his position as senior pastor at Gateway Church in 2024 after Morris’ accuser publicly accused him of sexually abusing her as a child in the 1980s. The victim, now 55, claims the abuse began when Morris was staying at her family’s home in 1982 while preaching at her church in Oklahoma. Morris’ accuser, said in a statement that she is very grateful to the authorities who have worked to make the indictment possible and is hopeful “justice will ultimately prevail.”

“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” the victim said. The allegations were first reported on the religious watchdog blog The Wartburg Watch and later confirmed by The Dallas Morning News.

Allegations against Morris

According to the indictment, Morris is accused of inappropriately touching the victim’s intimate areas between the ages of 12 and 14. The victim has expressed gratitude to the authorities for pursuing the case, saying, “After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child.”

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond condemned the alleged abuse, saying, ““There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children.” “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,” attorney said. Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the five charges. As of Wednesday, he had not been taken into custody, as per Associated Press reports.

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