A Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest, Anthony Odiong, has been convicted by a jury in Texas, United States, for sexually assaulting women who were under his spiritual care.
The verdict, According to reports, was delivered after a trial in Waco, Texas, where Odiong was found guilty on one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault.
The jury, made up of eight women and four men, reached its decision after about two hours of deliberation on Friday.
During the trial, the court heard testimonies from two women who accused Odiong of exploiting his position as a priest to initiate and sustain sexual relationships while acting as their spiritual adviser.
Prosecutors said the priest took advantage of women who were emotionally vulnerable, using his clerical authority to manipulate and pressure them into sexual acts.
Odiong, 57, who denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty, now faces the possibility of life imprisonment on the first-degree charge, with sentencing scheduled to begin on Monday.
One of the victims, identified in court documents as Mary Doe, told the court that the priest began a sexual relationship with her during a difficult divorce while offering spiritual counselling. She also testified that her son once walked in on them during an encounter at her residence.
Another complainant, Jane Doe, told the jury that Odiong coerced her into sexual acts under the guise of spiritual direction.
Prosecutors linked the case to earlier reporting by The Guardian in 2024, which first exposed allegations of sexual misconduct against the priest during his ministry in Texas and Louisiana. That report reportedly encouraged one of the victims to come forward to law enforcement with further claims.
Investigators also presented additional evidence, including DNA findings tied to a child allegedly fathered by Odiong during his time in Louisiana.
Odiong, a naturalised US citizen ordained in Nigeria in 1993, previously served in Catholic parishes across Texas and Louisiana before being suspended from ministry in 2019 following earlier complaints.
His defence team argued that the relationships were consensual, but prosecutors insisted he abused his position of authority as a clergy member to exploit vulnerable women.