Nigerian Priest Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Women in Texas

Nigerian Priest Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Women in Texas

WACO, Texas – A Nigerian-born Catholic priest has been sentenced to life in prison after a Texas jury convicted him of repeatedly sexually assaulting female parishioners who sought his spiritual guidance. Father Anthony Odiong, 57, who served in the United States for nearly 17 years, was found guilty of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault following a four-day trial in Waco’s 19th State District Court. The jury handed down the life sentence on Tuesday, along with two concurrent 20-year terms and $30,000 in fines.

The severity of the sentence reflects the legal framework in Texas, where it is a felony for clergy members to engage in sexual relationships with adults under their spiritual care. The law recognizes that individuals seeking pastoral guidance cannot legally consent due to the inherent power imbalance. Prosecutors successfully proved that Odiong exploited this trust for more than a decade, using his role as a priest to groom, manipulate, and sexually assault vulnerable women who came to him for help. “He used the collar as a weapon,” one prosecutor told the jury during closing arguments.

The trial brought forward harrowing testimony from multiple women. One survivor, a mother of nine identified as “Mary Doe,” testified that Odiong began a sexual relationship with her in 2008 after she sought his counsel following an abusive marriage. She said he told her the relationship was “holy and special.” Her son testified that he walked in on Odiong and his mother when he was just 14 years old. In a separate case, DNA evidence presented by prosecutors confirmed that Odiong fathered a child with another woman under his spiritual direction in Louisiana, with a certainty of greater than 99.99 percent. Nearly a dozen women have publicly accused Odiong of sexual misconduct spanning more than a decade.

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Odiong will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least 30 years of his life sentence. His defense attorney, Gerald Villarial, said he will file an appeal against both the conviction and the sentence. “We believe there were legal errors that affected the outcome,” Villarial told reporters after the sentencing.

The Catholic Church has responded publicly to the verdict. Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of the Diocese of Austin issued a statement assuring parishioners that the sacraments administered by Odiong remain valid, explaining that “the validity of the Sacrament depends on Christ… not on the moral status of the minister.” However, Bishop Garcia acknowledged that while the diocese had received some allegations of misconduct before Odiong left Waco, “the information known to us at the time did not indicate the level of criminality revealed in court testimony.” The Archdiocese of New Orleans, where Odiong later served as pastor of a church in Luling, Louisiana, called his actions “reprehensible” and confirmed he was removed from his pastoral role in 2023.

Odiong was originally ordained in the Diocese of Uyo, Nigeria. He began ministering in Waco, Texas in 2006 before relocating to Louisiana. At the time of his arrest in Florida in 2024, authorities also alleged they found child pornography in his possession, though that charge was not part of the Texas trial.

For readers seeking a quick summary of the case, the key details are as follows. Father Anthony Odiong, age 57, is a Nigerian priest from the Diocese of Uyo. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in Waco, Texas, with parole eligibility only after 30 years. He was also fined $30,000. His convictions include one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault. The trial took place in the 19th State District Court in Waco. Key evidence included DNA proof that he fathered a child with a parishioner and emotional testimony from multiple survivors. His defense attorney has filed an appeal.

Nigerian Priest Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Women in Texas