Megachurch Founder Convicted of Abuse Walks Free

0:00Robert Morris, the 64-year-old founder of a massive Texas mega-church, just walked free from an Oklahoma jail after serving six months. He pleaded guilty last year to five counts of lewd acts with a 12-year-old girl back in 1982, landing him a 10-year suspended, sentenced with that initial jail time. The abuse happened while Morris was a traveling evangelist crashing with the victim's family in hominy, Oklahoma. He ran Gateway Church in South Lake near Dallas-Ford Worth until he stepped down in June 2024 amid these allegations, right after an Ann, Oklahoma grand jury indicted him. The victim, Cindy Klimashire, now in her 50s, went public with her story and called the sentencing a win for justice after years of grooming and manipulation. Morris's church, which he started in 2000, drew big crowds and even hosted political figures like former President Trump. In a fresh statement through his lawyer, Morris owned up, saying what he did was straight wrong with no excuses and thanked the family for speaking.

1:01Out he'd sought their forgiveness years back too, officials say he now registers as a sex offender under Texas supervision via interstate deal. He also owes restitution to Klimashire, plus all his jail costs, including medical bills, wrapping this chapter, believing a long shadow over his. Legacy in Faith Circles That's your update from El Paso News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with The Story.