EX-PRIEST ANTHONY ODIONG FOUND GUILTY IN CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE CASE
Read Time:2 Minute, 39 Second
By: Fasasi Hammad
A Texas jury has found former Catholic priest Anthony Odiong guilty of sexually assaulting women who sought his spiritual guidance, concluding a high-profile case that centred on allegations he exploited his position of trust to engage in inappropriate sexual relationships with vulnerable parishioners.
The 57-year-old, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault involving two women who testified during the trial in Waco, Texas.
The verdict was delivered by a jury made up of eight women and four men after about two hours of deliberation. Odiong now faces a possible life sentence on the first-degree charge, while the second-degree convictions each carry prison terms ranging from two to 20 years. Sentencing is scheduled to begin on Monday.
The case originally involved allegations from a third woman, but prosecutors dropped that portion after the complainant, described as being in a highly fragile emotional state, was unable to testify in court. Prosecutors said they chose not to compel her appearance because of concerns about her wellbeing.
Courtroom reports indicated that Odiong showed little reaction as the verdict was read, maintaining a straight gaze before lowering his head as deputies escorted him out of the courtroom.
The prosecution stemmed from allegations made public in February 2024 by several women who accused the former priest of sexual coercion, inappropriate touching and financial manipulation during his ministry in Texas and later Louisiana.
One complainant, identified as Mary Doe, told investigators that Odiong sexually abused her over a three-year period beginning in 2008 while serving as her spiritual adviser during a difficult divorce and while she was raising seven children.
A second complainant, identified as Jane Doe, testified that she sought counselling from Odiong while enduring an abusive marriage. She alleged that he manipulated her into engaging in sexual acts with her husband and later required her to discuss the encounters with him, conduct prosecutors argued constituted sexual assault under Texas law.
Both women said they met Odiong while he served at St. Peter Catholic Center in Waco, where he ministered to students and staff connected to Baylor University.
Jurors also heard evidence that DNA testing established Odiong fathered a child in 2023 with a woman he had counselled spiritually while serving as pastor of a church in Louisiana. Although no criminal charges were filed in that case, prosecutors argued it demonstrated a broader pattern of inappropriate relationships with women under his pastoral care.
Expert witnesses testified about the obligation of clergy to maintain professional boundaries and the Catholic Church’s requirement of priestly celibacy.
The defence called only one witness, a former parishioner who spoke positively about Odiong’s character. However, under cross-examination, the witness acknowledged that the former priest’s conduct did not meet the standards expected of a religious leader.
Ordained in Nigeria in 1993, Odiong later served in Texas and Louisiana. Church officials in Austin suspended him from ministry in 2019 following allegations involving multiple women, though the suspension was not publicly disclosed at the time. A similar suspension in Louisiana was not publicly announced until late 2023.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0