Robert Morris, the 64-year-old founder of one of the largest megachurch congregations in the United States, pleaded guilty on Thursday to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in Oklahoma during the 1980s. The former leader of Gateway Church admitted to felony charges of lewd or indecent acts with a child during a hearing in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. As part of a plea agreement, Morris was sentenced to 10 years but will serve only six months in jail, with the remainder on probation. He must also register as a sex offender and pay $250,000 in restitution. The victim, Cindy Clemishire, now 55, emotionally addressed Morris in court, stating that the abuse had profoundly impacted every aspect of her life. The abuse occurred over four years while Morris was living with Clemishire’s family in Hominy, Oklahoma, and working as a traveling evangelist. Clemishire first publicly accused Morris in 2024, prompting his resignation from Gateway Church. Morris, who founded the church in 2000 and once served as a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, acknowledged his actions as a ‘moral failure’ in a public statement. The case highlights systemic failures, as Clemishire revealed she had reported the abuse to her parents and church leaders in 1987, but no legal action was taken at the time.