Texas Jury Weighs Life Sentence for Priest Anthony Odiong After 2 Sexual Assault Convictions
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 2
Texas Jury Weighs Life Sentence for Priest Anthony Odiong After 2 Sexual Assault Convictions
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 2
A Texas jury began weighing Anthony Odiong’s punishment after convicting the 57-year-old priest of first- and second-degree sexual assault, exposing him to penalties ranging from 5 years to life in prison.
Monday’s sentencing testimony broadened the picture of abuse, with three women describing misconduct spanning more than a decade in Waco and Louisiana while Odiong served as a priest and spiritual director.
Prosecutors argued the convictions stemmed from Odiong’s exploitation of spiritual authority over two parishioners, including one case in which Jane Doe said he pressured her into sexual acts by proxy to “save” her marriage.
Defense witnesses called him compassionate and said he would obey probation, but several conceded the conduct proven at trial was incompatible with the priesthood; jail testimony also showed he spent more than $24,000 on phone calls since his July 2024 arrest.
The case has intensified scrutiny of Catholic officials’ handling of complaints, after testimony suggested Odiong may have been suspended in the Waco area as early as 2018 yet continued performing masses and was not removed in New Orleans until years later.
With a priest convicted of assault, can the Church's huge payouts fix the systemic crisis that enabled him?
How did a predator priest evade justice for over a decade despite numerous victims and red flags?
Anthony Odiong Sentencing and Clergy Abuse: Jury Deliberations, Institutional Failures, and Legal Reforms in the Wake of Multiple Sexual Assault Convictions (2026)
Overview
Anthony Odiong, a former clergyman, was found guilty by a jury of first- and second-degree sexual assault after a four-day trial, following evidence that he exploited his spiritual authority to engage in sexual acts with two parishioners. As of June 2026, the sentencing phase is underway, with the jury hearing testimony from multiple women about Odiong's past misconduct to help determine his punishment. Defense witnesses argued for leniency, suggesting he would comply with probation, but the court is considering the severity of his actions and the broader pattern of abuse revealed during the proceedings.