Trial of US priest charged with sexual assault begins with jury selection
Summary
The trial of Anthony Odiong, a Roman Catholic priest in Texas, started with jury selection. He is charged with second-degree sexual assault involving three women who accused him of abusing his role as a priest. The case began after a February 2024 report sparked an investigation into multiple accusations against him.Key Facts
- Anthony Odiong, 57, is a Roman Catholic priest facing sexual assault charges in Waco, Texas.
- He is accused of sexually abusing three women by taking advantage of their emotional dependence on him as a spiritual advisor.
- The accusations came out after a report by The Guardian in February 2024 detailed claims of sexual coercion and abuse.
- One woman reported a 2012 assault after reading The Guardian’s article, leading to further investigation of up to 10 possible victims.
- Under Texas law, exploiting vulnerable individuals in this way is considered a felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
- Prosecutors plan to present evidence that Odiong fathered a child with a woman from his congregation, which they say shows a pattern of behavior.
- Odiong was arrested in July 2024 for allegedly possessing illegal images of a child, but no charges were filed related to that.
- Odiong’s lawyer claims the images were sent to seek prayers for a sick child and asked the judge to exclude this evidence from the trial, but the motion was denied.
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