Two women turned to Roman Catholic priest Anthony Odiong for spiritual guidance, only to be allegedly exploited by him, according to recent police charges. Odiong is accused of using his position to engage in sexual intercourse with one woman and coercing another into allowing her husband to sodomize her, despite her religious objections.
These allegations emerged from warrants obtained by Waco, Texas, police on Thursday, which charged Odiong with two counts of violating a state law against sexual activity between clergymen and adults who emotionally depend on their spiritual advice.
The investigation into Odiong, who previously served in Texas and southeast Louisiana, began after a Guardian report in February detailed accusations from at least three other women. These women accused him of sexual coercion, unwelcome touching, and financial abuse, leading to his suspension from the Catholic dioceses of Austin and New Orleans.
However, Waco police did not actively investigate Odiong, 55, until a woman, using the pseudonym Mary Doe, presented the Guardian article to a detective and recounted her experiences of sexual intercourse with Odiong from 2008 to 2011 while he provided her "spiritual direction." Mary claimed she felt unable to refuse Odiong due to his authority as a priest.
Further investigation revealed another woman, identified as Jane Doe, who alleged that Odiong kissed her, groped her, and pressured her into sodomy with her husband to heal her troubled marriage around 2010. Jane complied despite her religious objections because of Odiong’s position as her priest.
Waco police secured a warrant to search Odiong's iCloud account, discovering illicit images of prepubescent children saved in September 2020. This led to Odiong's arrest on charges of possessing child abuse imagery.
Authorities detained Odiong at his home in Ave Maria, Florida, and issued a call for any additional victims to come forward. By Thursday, at least eight accusers had reported sexual misconduct by Odiong, including a woman from Luling, Louisiana, who accused him of kissing and fondling her while seeking guidance during a difficult period in her life.
With multiple accusers, Waco police charged Odiong with sexual assault, bypassing the statute of limitations due to the number of victims. Odiong remained in custody in Florida without bail, awaiting transfer to Waco to face charges of child abuse imagery and sexual assault.
Ordained in Nigeria in 1993, Odiong was allowed to work in the Austin diocese in 2006 and later in Luling by Archbishop Gregory Aymond. Odiong gained popularity by hosting healing masses, which reportedly helped congregants recover from medical issues, boosting church attendance.
Odiong’s charges add to the scandals faced by the New Orleans archdiocese, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020 amid the worldwide clergy abuse crisis. In April, Louisiana state police investigated the archdiocese for allegedly covering up a child-sex trafficking ring responsible for decades of abuse.
If convicted of possessing child abuse imagery depicting minors under 10, Odiong could face at least 15 years in prison. Texas sexual assault convictions can carry up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
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