US megachurch pastor released from jail after pleading guilty to child sex abuse

The Guardian US News
by Anna Betts
March 31, 2026
8 views
3 min read

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Megachurch founder Robert Morris released from jail after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse in the 1980s.

AI Summary

Robert Morris, the 64-year-old founder of Gateway Church in Texas and a former White House spiritual adviser during Trump's first presidency, has been released from an Oklahoma jail six months after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s. Morris pleaded guilty in October to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child in Osage County District Court. His release marks the conclusion of the criminal case against one of the nation's most prominent megachurch leaders, whose abuse of the victim occurred decades ago but only recently resulted in legal action. Gateway Church is among the largest churches in the United States, and Morris's guilty plea and incarceration represented a significant fall from his position of religious and political influence.

What's Being Done

Morris pleaded guilty in October to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child and completed his jail sentence.

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