Disgraced former Catholic priest shares child with victim in sexual assault case: detective

WACO, Texas (KWTX) – A former Central Texas Catholic priest accused in several sexual assault cases was denied a $5.5 million bail reduction on the same day a judge learned he shared a child with one of his accusers.

Father Anthony Odiong was charged in September on three counts of sexual assault in two separate indictments accusing him of sexually assaulting two women.

In addition to revealing the child Odiong shares with one of the victims, the court also learned many more details about Odiong from Detective Bradley DeLang, who discovered more than 700,000 emails containing Odiong’s conversations with parishioners. The detective also obtained text messages, lab results and much other evidence.

DeLang said nine victims have come forward.

It alleges that Odiong has a child with one of the victims in the United States. Investigators managed to conduct DNA tests, which allegedly confirmed that the father is a former priest, and one of the victims is the child’s mother.

DeLang said he also found evidence of child pornography on the former priest’s iCloud.

The detective said he also discovered that parishioners gave $50,000 directly to Odiong, not to the church, and the funds went to a house Odiong was building in Nigeria. The court had the opportunity to review the plans for this project.

The prosecutor’s office said Odiong used his power and influence to manipulate parishioners.

DeLang said he saw Odiong’s text messages saying that since he was giving people the holy spirit in a time of crisis, they would follow him and give him whatever he wanted.

Defense witnesses, however, testified that Father Odiong was “sent by God.”

Witnesses explained how Odiong was there for them in times of need, including when one of the women’s son died in the explosion of a fertilizer factory in West. He also attended birthday and holiday parties at their home, and one witness said he would post $25,000 for bail.

Witnesses said they did not believe the charges against Odiong and trusted him to return to court if released on bail.

The court has not yet set a hearing date.