Former Catholic Priest Convicted of Sexual Assault in Waco
On May 29, 2026, a jury in Waco, Texas, convicted Anthony Odiong, 57, a former Roman Catholic priest, of first-degree and second-degree criminal sexual assault. The verdict was reached after a four-day trial.
Odiong was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women—identified in legal documents as Jane Doe and Mary Doe—while serving as their spiritual advisor in Waco, Texas, between 2008 and 2011.
Texas law allowed prosecution despite the age of the crimes due to multiple additional accusers meeting the legal standard of probable cause.
Trial Testimony and Evidence
Testimony from three accusers—Jane Doe, Mary Doe, and Lisa Smith—was presented at trial. Presley Jones, who had a child with Odiong, was also referenced in evidence.
Sentencing
Odiong faces up to life imprisonment. The sentencing phase is scheduled to begin three days after the verdict.
Background
Odiong had previously served at St. Anthony of Padua church in Luling, Louisiana, where he helped build the Our Lady of Guadalupe healing chapel in 2020.
In late 2023, the Archdiocese of New Orleans suspended Odiong from public ministry over allegations of misconduct with multiple women. He was banned from ministry in the Waco area no later than 2019, though he continued in Luling until his suspension.
Following the conviction, Odiong's name was removed from inscriptions at the Luling chapel; black tape covered his engraved quotes. The names of two alleged victims remained.