Nigerian priest bags life imprisonment in US over sexual assault

A Nigerian-born Catholic priest, Anthony Odiong, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Texas, United States, after being convicted of sexually assaulting congregants and abusing his position of spiritual authority.

Odiong, 57, was sentenced by a jury at a state courthouse in Waco on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, following a two-day sentencing hearing.

British newspaper The Guardian reported that the priest was found guilty of a first-degree sexual assault charge, which carried a possible sentence ranging from five years to life imprisonment.

He was also convicted on two counts of second-degree sexual assault and received 20-year prison terms for each count.

The court ordered that all sentences run concurrently, meaning Odiong will serve them at the same time.

The priest will be eligible for parole after 30 years and was fined $10,000 on each charge.

Jurors added that the cleric exploited his spiritual authority to engage in sexual relationships with two devout female parishioners, either directly or through a proxy.

Court jails man 12 years for stealing ₦64m in Lagos

During the trial, several witnesses testified that Odiong engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct over a period spanning more than a decade.

The prosecutors told the court that Odiong used his position as a trusted religious leader to sexually exploit members of his congregation.

The priest had served in ministry for nearly 17 years, beginning in 2006, including assignments in Waco, Texas, and later as pastor of a Catholic church in Luling, a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana.

His lawyer, Gerald Villarial, said an appeal would be filed against the conviction and sentence.