A former Catholic priest with ties to Waco and West Texas, Father Anthony Odiong, faces serious allegations of sexual misconduct after a recent wave of indictments. Odiong, arrested previously for possession of child pornography, now confronts new charges of sexual assault which have surfaced following his initial indictment, as reported by MySA.
Odiong was initially apprehended by authorities in Florida on July 16, now with an accumulation of alleged offenses that have left him with multiple counts of sexual assault, according to KWTX 10. His alleged crimes are not only numerous, but they carry significant weight with first-degree felonies included in the recent charges due to the relationship between Odiong and the alleged victims, who were reportedly under his spiritual guidance.
Waco Police Department has made a public call for potentially more victims to step forward, indicating that the number of individuals affected by Odiong's actions may extend beyond the current list of eight complainants. The severity of the situation is intensified by the claims that these assaults occurred over a span of several years, from 2007 to 2023.
One of the victims, represented by Waco attorneys Chris King and Robert Callahan, shared her harrowing experience, "I sought spiritual direction from Anthony Odiong during one of the darkest phases of my life," King's client said in a statement. "Rather than helping me, he exploited my vulnerability and trust. He manipulated, coerced, threatened, and assaulted me and the Austin diocese did nothing to protect me, despite having received at least one previous report about his conduct," as detailed in a report by KWTX 10. This testimony underlines the personal and spiritual betrayal felt by those seeking counsel and support from a trusted religious figure.
Concerns about Odiong's potential to flee the country have been raised by investigators, given his access to financial resources and international travel documentation. Odiong allegedly boasts connections capable of securing his release, posing a risk of him escaping U.S. jurisdiction. Waco police and the United States Marshals Service are actively monitoring the situation, acknowledging Odiong's possession of dual citizenship and previous international travel patterns.
