OKLAHOMA CITY — A former pastor from a prominent Texas megachurch is set to turn himself in to Oklahoma authorities on charges of child sexual abuse.
Robert Preston Morris, 63, is scheduled to surrender to officials in Osage County following charges filed last week, which include five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child.
His attorney has indicated that they plan to enter a not guilty plea on Morris’ behalf.
Court documents reveal that an Osage County judge has set a bond of $50,000 and mandated that Morris surrender his passport.
Morris resigned from his position at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, last year after allegations surfaced involving sexual abuse dating back to the 1980s.
The accusations detail incidents beginning in 1982, when the victim, identified as C.C., was just 12 years old, during Morris’ time as a traveling evangelist in Hominy, Oklahoma. The reported abuse continued for four years.
The accuser has expressed gratitude towards law enforcement for their role in the indictment and is optimistic that justice will be served.
“After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” stated the victim, now 55 years old. “It’s now time for the legal system to hold him accountable.”
Morris, who has been active in political circles, previously hosted high-profile events, including a discussion with a former president regarding race relations and economic issues.
If convicted, Morris faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, according to the Oklahoma attorney general’s office.
