A jury in Texas has found former Catholic priest Anthony Odiong, 57, guilty of sexually assaulting women who came to him for spiritual guidance.
The jury convicted him on 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, Texas.
Odiong pleaded not guilty but was found guilty after jurors spent about two hours discussing the case. He could face life imprisonment for the first-degree offence. His sentencing is scheduled to begin on Monday.
The case originally involved a third woman, but prosecutors dropped that part because she was emotionally unable to testify in court.
According to reports, Odiong showed little reaction when the verdict was announced. He was later taken away by law enforcement officers.
The allegations first became public in February 2024 when several women accused Odiong of sexual coercion, unwanted touching and financial manipulation while he worked as a priest in Texas and Louisiana.
One woman, identified as Mary Doe, told police that Odiong sexually assaulted her over a three-year period beginning in 2008. During the trial, she testified that he started a sexual relationship with her while acting as her spiritual adviser during her difficult divorce. Her son also testified that he once found them having sexual intercourse in her bedroom.
Another woman, known as Jane Doe, said she sought Odiong’s help while dealing with an abusive marriage. She alleged that he pressured her into sexual activities with her husband and demanded details of those encounters.
Both women said they met Odiong while he served at St. Peter Catholic Center in Waco, a church attended by students and staff of Baylor University.
The court also heard evidence that DNA tests showed Odiong fathered a child in 2023 with a woman he had counselled spiritually while serving as a pastor in Louisiana. Although he was not charged in that case, prosecutors argued it showed a pattern of inappropriate relationships with women under his spiritual care.
Experts testified that clergy members have a duty to maintain professional boundaries with people seeking their guidance. Jurors were also reminded that Catholic priests are expected to remain celibate.
The defence called only one witness, a former parishioner, who spoke positively about Odiong’s character. However, the witness admitted under questioning that some of Odiong’s actions did not meet the standards expected of a priest.
Odiong was ordained as a Catholic priest in Nigeria in 1993 and later moved to the United States. Church officials suspended him from ministry in 2019 over allegations involving multiple women, although the suspension was not made public at the time.
The case has drawn significant attention because of the allegations that Odiong used his position as a religious leader to exploit vulnerable women who trusted him for spiritual support.
