A Texas court has found a 57-year-old Nigerian Catholic priest guilty of sexually abusing multiple women who were under his spiritual care.
Father Anthony Odiong, a priest from the Diocese of Uyo, Nigeria, was convicted by a jury at the 19th State District Court in Waco, Texas.
The verdict, delivered on May 29, found him guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault.
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The felony charges fall under Texas state laws that criminalize clergy sexual misconduct with adults in vulnerable situations, such as pastoral guidance.
Father Odiong, who was ordained in the Diocese of Uyo in 1993, had previously served across multiple U.S. dioceses.
His duties included a role at a student Catholic center at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where one victim, named as “Mary Doe,” testified that he began preying on her sexually after offering to be her spiritual adviser while she was going through a difficult divorce.
The prosecution presented DNA evidence confirming that Odiong fathered a child with another woman under his spiritual direction in Louisiana.
Investigative reporting also indicates he is believed to have another minor child living in Nigeria.
Additionally, the priest was arrested in Florida in 2024 for possession of child pornography while trying to secure employment near a Catholic university.
The case highlights the immense difficulties in tracking and investigating clergy abuse across different episcopal jurisdictions.
Odiong was allowed to minister in the Diocese of Austin in 2006 under then-Bishop Gregory M. Aymond, and he was subsequently suspended from serving in that diocese by no later than 2019.
The Austin diocese recently confirmed that Odiong is currently detained in Waco and does not have permission to engage in priestly ministry.
Odiong moved to the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 2015, where Archbishop Aymond was then serving, and was appointed pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Luling, Louisiana, until his removal in 2023.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a statement following the verdict, noting that while vetting his suitability, “no issues were reported,” though a later review showed that “the concerns reported from the Diocese of Austin involved adults.”
The archdiocese stated they were alerted to a report that had been recanted and other “imprudent behaviors with adults,” which officials addressed directly with Odiong.
They stated that he was ultimately removed in 2023 following “a series of inflammatory comments made from the altar and additional information reported to the archdiocese.”
Following the verdict, the New Orleans archdiocese stated:
“Archbishop Checchio and the Archdiocese of New Orleans are disgusted by the behavior revealed in this trial. Our prayers are with those who have been hurt by his actions.”
The criminal proceedings began after a victim contacted Waco police in March 2024, following extensive media investigations by The Guardian.
Odiong had rejected a 20-year plea deal in December 2024 and maintained a plea of not guilty.
When he was arrested in Florida as a fugitive, Odiong attempted to rally supporters by claiming that Church officials targeted him because of his preaching against same-sex attraction and transgender interventions.
As a naturalized U.S. citizen, Odiong has argued against being sent back to Nigeria, citing violence against Christians in the country.
The Diocese of Uyo has been contacted for clarification on his current clerical status. Sentencing for Father Odiong is scheduled to take place on June 1.
