Texas jury convicts former Luling priest of sexual assault
Jurors found Anthony Odiong guilty after hearing testimony, DNA evidence and accounts from two women who said he used spiritual direction to pursue sex.
- On Friday, a Waco jury found former priest Anthony Odiong guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault involving women under his spiritual care.
- Investigations began after The Guardian reported in February 2024 on allegations from women including Mary Doe and Jane Doe, who accused Odiong of sexual coercion and abusive financial control during his pastoral care.
- DNA evidence confirmed Odiong fathered a child with parishioner Presley Jones while serving at St. Anthony of Padua in Luling, Louisiana; prosecutors presented this to demonstrate a pattern of targeting vulnerable women.
- Sentencing proceedings begin Monday, where Odiong could face life imprisonment on the first-degree charge; the Diocese of Austin confirmed he lacks permission to engage in priestly ministry while detained.
- This conviction highlights ongoing debates within the Catholic Church regarding the definition of "vulnerable adults" in pastoral relationships, as Texas and Georgia have criminalized such conduct, though Rebecca Dodge of Awake said "legislation alone cannot address the full depth of the harm survivors experience.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Nigerian-born Catholic priest convicted in US for sexually assaulting women
The convicted priest, a naturalised US citizen, was ordained in Nigeria in 1993 and later served in Catholic parishes in Texas and Louisiana, two neighbouring states in the US. The post Nigerian-born Catholic priest convicted in US for sexually assaulting women appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Former priest Anthony Odiong found guilty on all counts
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — UPDATE: Former Catholic priest Anthony Odiong has been found guilty on all counts. The jury found him guilty of one count of Sexual Assault and one count of Bigamy against Jane Doe and two counts of Sexual Assault against Mary Doe. The punishment phase will be on Monday. Friday's portion [...]
Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest has been convicted in Texas, United States, for sexually assaulting women under his spiritual care
A Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest, Anthony Odiong, has been convicted by a jury in Texas, United States, for sexually assaulting women under his spiritual care, The Guardian reports. Odiong, 57, was found guilty on one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault after a trial in Waco, Texas. The jury, […] The post Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest has been convicted in Texas, United States, for sexua…
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