Catholic priest gets life imprisonment in US for sexual assault

A Nigerian-born Catholic priest, Anthony Odiong, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Texas, United States, for sexually assaulting women under his spiritual care.

Mr Odiong, a naturalised U.S. citizen, was earlier convicted by a jury on May 29 in Texas after being found guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault following a trial in Waco, Texas.

The jailed cleric is originally from Akwa Ibom State in south-south Nigeria, where he was ordained in 1993. He later served in Catholic parishes in Texas and Louisiana, two neighbouring U.S. states.

Life imprisonment

Mr Odiong was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday after witnesses testified against him, according to The Guardian UK.

Some character witnesses appealed for Mr Odiong to receive probation, arguing that he could comply with conditions such as living near Waco and refraining from further criminal conduct.

However, the jury rejected the request. They instead offered him a plea deal of 20 years’ imprisonment in exchange for a guilty plea, which he declined.

In delivering judgment, the jury—made up of eight women and four men—sentenced Mr Odiong to 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the two counts of second-degree sexual assault. He was also sentenced to life imprisonment on one count of first-degree sexual assault.

The jurors further fined Mr Odiong $10,000 on each of the three counts, amounting to a total of $30,000.

They ruled that the sentences would run concurrently and that Mr Odiong would be eligible for parole after 30 years in prison.

Mr Odiong’s lawyer, Gerald Villarial, told reporters on Tuesday that he would file an appeal.

Testimony against Odiong

Of the three counts for which Mr Odiong was convicted and sentenced, two counts of second-degree sexual assault involved two women who testified when the trial began in May.

The women, identified as Mary Doe and Jane Doe, told the court that Mr Odiong used his position as a priest to manipulate and pressure them into sexual relationships.

Mary testified that Mr Odiong began a sexual relationship with her while providing spiritual counselling during her difficult divorce. She further told the jury that her son once walked in on her and Mr Odiong during sexual intercourse at her home.

Jane testified that Mr Odiong pressured her into sexual acts under the guise of spiritual guidance.

Prosecutors told the jury that Mr Odiong abused his clerical authority during periods of emotional vulnerability.

Mr Odiong pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers argued that the relationships were consensual, but prosecutors maintained that he exploited his position of authority as a clergy member.

Mr Odiong had initially been charged with first-degree sexual assault of a third woman. However, prosecutors Ryan Calvert and Liz Buice dropped that charge after the woman—described as being in an “extremely emotionally fragile” state—failed to appear in court.

The prosecution said it opted against compelling her appearance due to her “extremely tenuous” emotional condition.

How the case came about

The trial followed a 2024 report by The Guardian, which first documented allegations of sexual misconduct and coercion against Mr Odiong during his ministry in Texas and Louisiana.

Prosecutors said the report prompted one of the victims to come forward with additional allegations.

Investigators later gathered further evidence, including DNA linking Mr Odiong to a child he reportedly fathered while serving in Louisiana.

Authorities said the cleric was suspended from the ministry in 2019 following earlier allegations of misconduct.