Local priest arrested for sex crimes against children; Waco police ask victims to come forward

WACO, Texas (KXXV) – A story from a Central Texas neighborhood made national headlines Tuesday: A local Catholic priest was arrested on sex crimes charges.

Now the Waco police are asking all other victims to come forward.

According to police, Father Anthony Odiong is a serial sexual offender.

He was a Catholic priest at two local churches – St. Peters Catholic Student Center in Waco and St. Mary’s of the Assumption in West.

In March, Waco Police Detective Bradley DeLange received information about a sexual assault that occurred in 2012.

DeLange allegedly found child pornography on Odiong, which led to his arrest by a task force investigating illegal detention on Tuesday in South Florida.

Odiong was in McLennan County from 2007 to 2012 and then moved to Luling, Louisiana.

“We believe there may be more survivors and we want to talk to other women,” Bradley DeLange said.

The Waco law firm Callahan & King is suing Odiong and the Catholic Diocese of Austin on behalf of the victim, alleging that “Father Odiong abused his position of trust and influence, as well as the sacrament of confession, to instigate and commit a series of inappropriate sexual acts against women.”

“Despite being aware of the complaints made against Odiong, nothing was done to protect the community,” they said.

25 messages We contacted local churches, but they referred us to the Diocese of Austin, which states, among other things:

“We stand ready to fully cooperate with law enforcement in this case. The Diocese of Austin remains committed to its safe environment program.”

Odiong posted a statement on his Facebook page on April 26 denying the allegations and saying, among other things:

“I strongly deny all false allegations made against me. I look forward to exhausting all legal means to clear my name.”

Detective DeLange is asking anyone who may have been a victim of Odiong to come forward.