Originally published at The Crux
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A disgraced priest who served for years in Texas and Louisiana has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of sex crimes last week.
The 57-year-old convict, Father Anthony Odiong of the Diocese of Uyo, Nigeria, served for years in the Diocese of Austin, Texas, and in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
The jury that heard the case for the 19th District Court of Texas’s McLennan County in Waco, Texas, also pronounced the sentence, which included two 20-year terms for second-degree sexual assault felonies in addition to the life sentence for first-degree felony sexual assault.
The sentences are to run concurrently, and Odiong will be eligible for parole in 30 years.
Prosecutors had offered Odiong a plea deal that would have seen him serve 20 years, but the priest rejected the deal and went to trial last week.
RELATED: Odiong guilty in Texas and questions remain for several Church leaders
In Texas, clergy or others with roles of pastoral, spiritual, or counseling authority commit a felony when they exploit their position to obtain sex from a person in their care.
Odiong was arrested in 2024 on child pornography charges stemming from images uncovered during the Waco
