Texas Priest Could Face Consolidated Trial for Multiple Sexual Assault Charges
Prosecutors in Texas are seeking to consolidate criminal cases against a Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting multiple female congregants. Anthony Odiong, who has ties to both Texas and southeastern Louisiana, faces charges stemming from allegations that he exploited his position as a spiritual adviser to engage in sexual conduct with three women.
Motion to Consolidate Cases Filed by Prosecutors
In late March, the McLennan County District Attorney's office filed a motion to try all three cases against Odiong in a single criminal action. First Assistant District Attorney Ryan Calvert prepared the motion, citing Texas state law which allows for consolidation when crimes are connected or involve the repeated commission of similar offenses.
The motion asserts that each case involves Odiong exploiting his parishioners' emotional dependency upon him as a spiritual adviser and engaging in sexual conduct with them. This conduct is classified as a felony under Texas law. The Guardian understands that a tentative trial date has been set for May 4th, though this could be subject to change.
Background of the Allegations and Investigation
The prosecution follows a February 2024 report by the Guardian which detailed allegations from women who accused Odiong of sexual coercion, unwanted touching, and abusive financial control while serving as a Catholic priest. Investigators ultimately identified ten women whom Odiong is suspected of preying on through his ministry in Texas and the Louisiana region, including suburban New Orleans.
While only three cases resulted in formal criminal charges, the sheer number of accusers means Texas prosecutors can pursue the case without consideration for statutes of limitations on some alleged crimes. Some of the women whose allegations did not lead to criminal charges may be called to testify in support of the three primary cases.
Odiong faces five counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault. Conviction on first-degree charges could carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Broader Context of Clergy Abuse and Church Policy
The case emerges amid ongoing debates within the worldwide Catholic church about expanding the definition of vulnerable adults in clergy abuse contexts. Currently, the church considers vulnerable adults to be those over 18 with severe intellectual, developmental, or psychological disabilities. Vatican policy clearly defines clerical sexual misconduct with children or vulnerable adults as abusive.
Odiong is one of several Catholic clergymen in the New Orleans area to face sexual abuse allegations both before and after the city's archdiocese filed for federal bankruptcy protection in 2020. The archdiocese and its insurers have since agreed to pay $305 million collectively to settle with hundreds of clergy abuse survivors involved in the bankruptcy case.
Recent Developments and Defense Position
In December 2024, Odiong declined a plea deal that would have allowed parole after 20 years in prison. A month earlier, a preliminary hearing revealed that Odiong had violated his vow of celibacy by fathering at least two children with women he met through his clerical work. While none of the three women at the center of the criminal charges are believed to be the mothers of his children, authorities view this as evidence of a pattern of pursuing women through his ministry.
Odiong's defense attorney, Gerald Villarrial, has declined to comment on the motion to consolidate cases. Odiong previously published an open letter on social media dismissing the allegations as a false and salacious smear campaign.
The tentative trial date approaches as the Catholic church continues to grapple with how to address allegations of abuse involving adults under spiritual authority, with this case potentially setting important precedents for how such matters are prosecuted in the future.
