Former Gateway pastor Robert Morris’ sex offender photo features black eye
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Robert Morris pleads guilty to child sex abuse charges
Robert Morris, a founding member and former lead pastor of Gateway Church, has pleaded guilty to crimes involving sexual acts with a child. The former North Texas megachurch pastor admitted guilt on five separate charges.
DALLAS - Former North Texas megachurch pastor Rober Morris is sporting a black eye in his new photo on Texas Public Sex Offender Website.
Robert Morris Black Eye
Robert Morris
What we know:
Morris seemingly checked in for his quarterly verification appointment with law enforcement officials in Palo Pinto County on Tuesday.
His new photo dated Sept. 15, 2026, shows him with a blackened right eye and what appears to be a swollen lip.
What they're saying:
An attorney for Morris told FOX 4 the former Gateway Church pastor fell and hit a door.
"Last week, Pastor Robert was in his garage and leaned over to pick something up. When he raised up, he passed out and fell. He first hit a car door and then fell to the concrete floor. His wife, Debbie, was with him at the time," Attorney Bill Mateja said. "This was a medical incident, and Pastor Robert is recovering. We appreciate the interest in this matter and have provided this information to ensure an accurate account."
The attorney noted that Morris was treated in the ER for three broken bones in his face.
His doctors believe the incident may have been a side effect of his blood pressure medication taken on an empty stomach.
Robert Morris Sex Offender
The backstory:
This was Morris’ first check-in since being released from an Oklahoma jail in March and registering as a sex offender in April.
The former Gateway Church founder and senior pastor served a six-month sentence for child sex abuse after admitting to abusing a woman named Cindy Clemishire in the 1980s.
Gateway Church founder Robert Morris pleads guilty to child sex crimes
Morris, 64, pleaded guilty before an Osage County, Oklahoma, judge on Thursday. He was accused of sexually abusing Cindy Clemishire, the plaintiff in the case, in the 1980s.
Morris was a traveling preacher at the time and stayed in her home in Oklahoma at the invitation of her parents. She said the abuse started when she was just 12 years old and lasted for four and a half years. When she was 17, she finally told her parents what was happening.
The allegations were brought to light in 2024 after Clemishire shared her story with The Christian Post. Morris resigned from the Southlake megachurch and in 2025 pleaded guilty on five separate charges.
As part of Morris’ plea deal, he served time in the Osage County Jail and will be on probation through 2036. He will be listed as a registered sex offender for life.
The Source: The information in this story comes from the Texas Public Sex Offender Website, a statement from Robert Morris' attorney, and past news coverage.