A Texas jury has convicted Anthony Odiong, a Nigerian-born Catholic priest of sexually assaulting women who sought spiritual guidance from him, following a trial that examined allegations of abuse spanning several years.
Odiong, 57, was found guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault involving two women who testified during proceedings in Waco, Texas.
The jury, comprising eight women and four men, reached its verdict after about two hours of deliberation. The conviction leaves Odiong facing a possible life sentence on the first-degree charge, while each of the second-degree convictions carries a prison term ranging from two to 20 years. Sentencing is scheduled to begin on Monday before the same jury.
The case arose from allegations first reported in February 2024 by several women who accused the priest of sexual coercion, inappropriate touching and manipulative conduct while serving in Catholic parishes in Texas and Louisiana.
One of the complainants, identified in court as Mary Doe, testified that Odiong began a sexual relationship with her while serving as her spiritual adviser during a difficult divorce. She told jurors the relationship lasted several years and began when she was emotionally vulnerable and raising seven children.
Mary Doe further testified that one of her sons unexpectedly walked into her bedroom and found her and the priest engaged in a sexual encounter after a family gathering. The son later testified before the court.
A second complainant, identified as Jane Doe, told the court she sought spiritual counselling from Odiong while trapped in an abusive marriage. According to her testimony, the priest pressured her into engaging in sexual acts with her husband that she found distressing and later required her to recount the experiences to him. Prosecutors argued that such conduct constituted sexual assault under Texas law.
During the trial, prosecutors said police investigations revealed that Odiong frequently positioned himself as a spiritual adviser to women experiencing personal crises and then exploited those relationships.
Jurors also heard evidence that DNA testing established that Odiong fathered a child in 2023 with a woman identified as Presley Jones, whom he had counselled while serving as pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Luling, Louisiana. Although he was not charged in relation to that case, prosecutors argued that the evidence demonstrated a pattern of inappropriate relationships with women he encountered through his ministry.
Expert witnesses testified that clergy members are expected to maintain strict professional and spiritual boundaries with parishioners. The court also heard evidence regarding the Catholic Church’s requirement that priests remain celibate.
The defence called only one witness, a former parishioner, who spoke about Odiong’s character. However, under cross-examination, the witness acknowledged that the priest’s conduct did not meet expectations for a religious leader.
Odiong, who was ordained in Nigeria in 1993 and later became a naturalised United States citizen, served in the Austin Diocese beginning in 2006 before moving to Louisiana in 2015.
Church authorities in Austin reportedly suspended him from ministry in 2019 following allegations involving multiple women, although the action was not publicly disclosed at the time. Church leaders in New Orleans were later informed of the allegations, with a public suspension announced in late 2023.
Odiong denied the charges throughout the trial but was convicted on all counts presented to the jury.
