![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
Alexis Sanchez’s fine hat-trick secured an emphatic victory over West Ham at London Stadium as Arsenal moved up to second in the Premier League table.
Mesut Ozil opened the scoring with Arsenal’s first shot on target after Angelo Ogbonna’s mistake and Sanchez’s cut-back set up a simple finish.
The Hammers threatened to equalise after the break before Sanchez turned, drove into the box and finished brilliantly past Darren Randolph.
Keep that one safe, @Alexis_Sanchez ⚽#WHUvAFC pic.twitter.com/nCT3gEKpUh
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 3, 2016
The Chilean added a second eight minutes later with a low strike into the corner, before Andy Carroll came on for a first appearance since 18 August and stooped to nod in the rebound from a Dimitri Payet free-kick that hit the bar.
However, any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s excellent finish from range and Sanchez’s masterful dinked chip over the keeper.
The heavy defeat leaves Slaven Bilic’s side one point above the relegation zone after Sunderland beat Leicester 2-1 earlier on Saturday.
Arsenal trail leaders Chelsea by three points but will slip to third if Liverpool win at Bournemouth on Sunday.
Arsene Wenger’s side are now unbeaten in 13 league games, and their last away defeat was in February.
Sanchez’s brilliance the difference
There was a 10-minute second-half spell during which many Arsenal fans might have recognised the familiar beginnings of a slump to draw or defeat despite having dominated for much of the game.
But Sanchez provided the match’s key moment when he killed Shkodran Mustafi’s booming pass from deep, turned past Anthony Makuanu and found the far angle of the net with brilliant ease with just under 20 minutes to play.
Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny had been forced to clear a Manuel Lanzini cross bound for Ashley Fletcher from right underneath his own crossbar, West Ham’s record signing Andre Ayew had just come on, and Carroll – who scored a hat-trick against Arsenal in a 3-3 draw in April – was being readied for action.
However, it was Sanchez’s force that proved the most compelling. His two goals either side of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s powerful reply to Carroll’s consolation were both brilliantly taken but it was the hat-trick goal that, of the three, will live longest in the memory.
Played through on goal by Oxlade-Chamberlain, he feigned a dummy shot to fool already defeated Hammers keeper Randolph before delicately lifting the ball into the net for what must be one of the goals of the season so far.
‘A big humiliation’
West Ham were certainly not helped by losing James Collins to injury in the game’s early stages, and his replacement Alvaro Arbeloa looked off the pace.
But regardless of ill fortune, the Hammers remain without a win in the league since their home victory over Sunderland on 22 October.
Manager Slaven Bilic said this result, coming after Wednesday’s 4-1 defeat by Manchester United in the EFL Cup, was “a big humiliation”, and the fact that his players faded after Sanchez increased Arsenal’s lead will be a cause of real concern.
A win for Hull in their match at Middlesbrough on Monday will send West Ham into the bottom three.
BBC Sport
