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A Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest, Father Anthony Odiong, has been convicted by a jury in Texas, United States, on multiple counts of sexual assault after prosecutors successfully argued that he exploited his position as a spiritual leader to manipulate and abuse vulnerable female parishioners.
The verdict, delivered on Friday by a jury made up of eight women and four men in Waco, Texas, marked the culmination of a case that has attracted widespread attention within religious and legal circles. The 57-year-old cleric 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 the trial.
According to reports from the courtroom, Odiong remained largely expressionless as District Judge Thomas West read the verdict. However, observers noted that the priest bowed his head after hearing the jury’s decision. Shortly afterward, sheriff’s deputies placed him in handcuffs and escorted him from the courtroom to a secure detention facility, where he will remain pending sentencing.
The conviction exposes what prosecutors described as a pattern of abuse in which the priest allegedly used his religious authority and the trust placed in him by parishioners to pursue inappropriate sexual relationships under the guise of spiritual guidance and counselling.
Under Texas law, sexual contact initiated by a religious leader who exploits his or her position of authority can constitute felony sexual assault. Prosecutors argued that Odiong repeatedly violated that principle by targeting women who were emotionally vulnerable and seeking spiritual support during difficult periods in their lives.
The case gained momentum following an investigative report published in February 2024, which detailed allegations that the priest had engaged in sexual coercion, inappropriate touching, and financial manipulation involving female church members in Texas and Louisiana.
Following the publication of the investigation, one of the women identified in court documents under the pseudonym “Mary Doe” approached law enforcement authorities with detailed allegations against the priest. She claimed that Odiong subjected her to a prolonged sexual relationship that began in 2008 when she was navigating a painful divorce while caring for seven children.
According to testimony presented before the court, the relationship continued for approximately three years. During the proceedings, jurors heard evidence that one of Mary Doe’s teenage sons unexpectedly entered her bedroom following a family gathering and allegedly witnessed the priest engaged in sexual activity with his mother.
The courtroom also heard testimony from another woman, identified as “Jane Doe,” who sought spiritual counselling from Odiong while dealing with challenges in her marriage. According to her testimony, the priest allegedly manipulated her religious beliefs and encouraged her to remain in a harmful relationship while demanding intimate details about her private life.
Prosecutors argued that such conduct demonstrated a deliberate abuse of power rather than genuine pastoral care.
During the trial, the prosecution presented extensive evidence intended to establish what it described as a recurring pattern of misconduct involving multiple women over several years.
One of the most significant pieces of evidence involved DNA analysis linking Odiong to a child born to another parishioner. Prosecutors said the child was conceived during a relationship between the priest and a woman identified as “Presley Jones,” whom he had also been counselling spiritually at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Louisiana.
Although Louisiana law does not contain the same provisions as Texas regarding sexual relationships between clergy and individuals under their spiritual guidance, prosecutors maintained that the existence of the child supported allegations that Odiong repeatedly used his religious position to pursue sexual relationships with women seeking pastoral assistance.
The prosecution team, led by Ryan Calvert and Liz Buice, argued that the evidence showed a consistent pattern of behaviour rather than isolated incidents.
“This was not a case of mutual romance or a relationship between equals,” prosecutors told the jury. Instead, they contended that Odiong deliberately exploited faith, trust, and emotional vulnerability to satisfy his personal desires.
Defense attorneys Gerald Villarial and Carolina Truesdale sought to portray the relationships as consensual and argued that the women involved had willingly entered into them. The defense also challenged the prosecution’s interpretation of the evidence and attempted to undermine the credibility of some witnesses.
However, prosecutors maintained that consent could not be separated from the significant power imbalance created by the priest’s position as a spiritual authority figure.
In his closing argument, prosecutor Ryan Calvert emphasized that the case was fundamentally about the abuse of religious trust.
He argued that the priest’s greatest tool was not physical force but the faith and confidence parishioners placed in him as a representative of the Church.
Court records indicate that Odiong was ordained as a Catholic priest in Nigeria in 1993 before relocating to the United States in 2006. He subsequently served in various parishes under the supervision of Catholic diocesan authorities.
During the trial, attention also turned to the actions of church officials who were allegedly aware of concerns regarding the priest’s conduct long before criminal charges were filed.
Evidence presented suggested that complaints from female parishioners had been made over several years. By 2019, church authorities in Austin reportedly suspended Odiong from active ministry over concerns related to his interactions with women.
Critics have questioned why stronger action was not taken earlier and why information about the allegations was not made public at the time. Instead, Odiong was reportedly reassigned to a parish in the New Orleans area, where he continued ministering until public scrutiny intensified.
Only in late 2023, after allegations became widely known, was the priest formally removed from public ministry.
The conviction has reignited debate within the Catholic Church regarding the protection of adults who seek spiritual guidance from clergy. Advocacy groups have called for reforms to church law that would broaden the definition of vulnerable adults to include individuals under the spiritual direction of priests and other religious leaders.
Supporters of such reforms argue that relationships between clergy and those seeking pastoral guidance often involve significant power imbalances that can be exploited.
With the guilty verdict now secured, attention turns to sentencing. Under Texas law, the offenses for which Odiong was convicted carry severe penalties, including the possibility of life imprisonment.
His sentencing is scheduled to take place on Monday, when the court will determine the punishment that will follow one of the most high-profile clergy sexual abuse convictions involving a Nigerian-born priest in the United States in recent years.
