₦airaland Forum

Nigerian Catholic priest convicted of sexual assault in US


A Texas jury has convicted former Roman Catholic priest Anthony Odiong of sexually assaulting women to whom he provided spiritual direction, concluding a closely watched case involving allegations that he abused his position as a clergyman to pursue sexual relationships with vulnerable parishioners.

The jury, comprising eight women and four men, found Odiong, 57, 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 in Waco.

Odiong, who pleaded not guilty, now faces a possible life sentence on the first-degree charge. Sentencing proceedings are scheduled to begin Monday before the same jury. The second-degree convictions each carry potential prison terms ranging from two to 20 years, The Guardian reports.

Jurors deliberated for about two hours before returning their verdict.

The case initially included allegations involving a third woman, but prosecutors Ryan Calvert and Liz Buice dropped that portion of the case after the complainant, described as being in an “extremely emotionally fragile” state, did not appear in court to testify. Prosecutors said they chose not to compel her appearance, citing her “extremely tenuous” emotional condition.

According to courtroom accounts, Odiong showed little visible reaction as Judge Thomas West read the verdict. He reportedly looked straight ahead during the proceedings before lowering his head as deputies escorted him from the courtroom.

The prosecution stemmed from allegations first brought to public attention in February 2024 by a group of women who accused Odiong of sexual coercion, unwanted touching and abusive financial control while serving as a Catholic priest in Texas and later in Louisiana.

One of the complainants, identified by the pseudonym Mary Doe, later presented a copy of a media report detailing the allegations to Waco police and accused Odiong of assaulting her over three years beginning in 2008.

Investigators subsequently identified a second complainant, known as Jane Doe, who also alleged abuse during the same period while Odiong served in the Waco area. Authorities said additional reports from other women helped establish probable cause for his arrest and prosecution despite the age of the allegations.

During the trial, Mary Doe testified that Odiong initiated a long-term sexual relationship with her while acting as her spiritual adviser as she navigated a difficult divorce and cared for seven children. She and one of her sons told jurors that the child once discovered them having sexual intercourse in her bedroom following a family gathering.

Jane Doe testified that she sought spiritual guidance from Odiong while trapped in an abusive marriage. She alleged that he pressured her to permit sexual acts with her husband that she found painful and then required her to discuss the encounters with him. Prosecutors argued that such conduct constituted sexual assault under Texas law even though Odiong was not directly involved in the sexual activity.

Both women said they met Odiong while he served at St Peter Catholic Center in Waco, a church frequented by students and employees of Baylor University. Their former husbands were Baylor employees, placing them within Odiong’s pastoral reach.

Jurors also heard evidence that DNA testing established Odiong had fathered a child in 2023 with a woman identified as Presley Jones, whom he had counselled spiritually while serving as pastor of St Anthony of Padua Church in Luling, Louisiana.

Although Odiong was not charged in connection with Jones because Louisiana lacks a law similar to Texas’ clergy sexual assault statute, prosecutors argued that the child demonstrated a pattern of sexual relationships with women he met through his ministerial work.

Expert witnesses told the court that clergy members bear responsibility for maintaining professional and spiritual boundaries with those under their care. Jurors also heard testimony regarding the Catholic Church’s requirement that priests remain celibate.

The defence called only one witness, a former parishioner, who testified about Odiong’s character and recalled attending a 2011 gathering at Mary Doe’s home. Under cross-examination, however, the witness acknowledged that Odiong’s conduct fell short of expectations for a religious leader.

Odiong, a naturalised United States citizen, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1993 in his native Nigeria. He was transferred to the Austin Diocese region, which includes Waco, in 2006 under then-Bishop Gregory Aymond.

After studying in Rome, Odiong moved to Luling in 2015, by which time Aymond had become Archbishop of New Orleans.

Church officials in Austin later said they suspended Odiong from ministry in 2019 over allegations involving multiple women. The suspension was not publicly announced at the time, though officials said New Orleans church leaders were informed. Archbishop Aymond did not publicly disclose a similar suspension in New Orleans until late 2023.

HacheNoire:
Trump will pardon him!

They are both colleagues in the game.

nairalanda1:
Source : Nigerian Vanguard newspaper

TenQ:
For sexual assault!?
"She alleged that he pressured her to permit sexual acts with her husband that she found painful and then required her to discuss the encounters with him. Prosecutors argued that such conduct constituted sexual assault under Texas law even though Odiong was not directly involved in the sexual activity."

SMH!

Ubenedictus:
I guess that advice to the woman got him in trouble.

Imindmybusiness:
I read through the entire post trying to figure out how he sexually assaulted the women. What I see is a reverend father who failed in his oath but to be fair, I don't see any case of sexual abuse. None of the women was forced or coerced to having sex with him. I did not read of any rape accusations too. Maybe someone else should read and explain to me.

We4all:
After reading the post, I must admit that his sentencing was a miscarriage of justice since he didn't force the women. Whether he used his position as a spirit father unjustly, is not for the court to decide. Americans commit the worst sexual crimes and get away with it.

However, I think he chose the wrong vocation for himself. He could have fared better as a porn star.

The statute defines the term "mental health services provider" to include a member of the clergy. However, the statute goes on to clarify that the term "mental health service," when provided by a member of the clergy, does not include "religious, moral, or spiritual counseling, teaching, and instruction." This apparently means that clergy who engage in pastoral counseling of a religious nature are not engaged in "mental health services" and accordingly are not a "mental health services provider" with respect to such counseling. This means that such a minister cannot be liable under the statute as a result of sexual misconduct. Of course, the minister may be liable on the basis of other theories of liability, including assault and battery, emotional distress, breach of fiduciary duty, and negligence. Presumably, the statute will apply only to those ministers who engage in counseling that is both secular and amoral

nairalanda1:
Source : Nigerian Vanguard newspaper

nairalanda1:
Texas law regards sex between a counsellor and his or her client as a jailable offence. And yes, in some cases, clergy can be jailed

nairalanda1:
Source : Nigerian Vanguard newspaper

psalmsjob:
Priesthood is a scam. God never asked any man to be without a wife but Catholic church has brain washed many people especially in south east of nigeria where they worship reverend fathers more than God. And Catholic church introduce fallacies into Christianity like the 3-God doctorine and the worship of molded images they bow to in thr name of worshipping the "mother of God" tueh.

Most reverend fathers have sex with reversisters and parishioners freely in Nigeria where non of their "victims" partners in crime raise alarm and those who try to are excommunicated and maligned.

The same goes for their pentecostal counterparts simply because Jesus never called anybody to worship God in a building called Church so there's nothing going on in such places that is of God.

You will just sit down carry keyboard and be typing rubbish
Are u a catholic or are u a priest
Pls go and sit down

Thundafireseun:
Odiong, a naturalised United States citizen, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1993 in his native Nigeria.

Only God can tell how many Nigerian women and children he must have brutalized before finding himself in this mess today