Former Louisiana Mayor Found Guilty of Raping 16-Year-Old Boy
Misty Roberts, the 43-year-old former mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, has been convicted of raping a 16-year-old boy at her home during a pool party in July 2024 while she was still in office. A jury in DeRidder delivered the guilty verdict on Tuesday after less than an hour of deliberation, concluding a seven-day trial that detailed the shocking sexual assault.
Details of the Assault and Trial Testimony
The victim testified that despite consuming so much alcohol he vomited, Roberts flirted with him by the pool, kissed him, and later took him upstairs where she raped him. Witnesses, including Roberts's two children and nephew, confirmed seeing the pair together, though they did not witness the rape itself. The victim also recounted hearing Roberts argue with her son, yelling, "Go fight your friend – he’s the one who did it."
Further testimony revealed that Roberts instructed her children and nephew to lie about the incident, texting one of them, "Lie 'til you die." A DoorDash driver testified to delivering the emergency contraceptive Plan B to Roberts's home after the assault. Her ex-husband, Duncan Clanton, stated that Roberts confessed directly to him, admitting, "I fucked up. And I respect you enough to tell you." Another text from Roberts to Clanton mentioned during the trial read, "I can’t keep hurting others, friends and family. Lord knows I’ve done enough."
Sentencing and Aftermath
Roberts faces sentences of up to 10 years for carnal knowledge of a juvenile and up to seven years for indecent behavior with a minor, with sentencing tentatively scheduled for April 17. She resigned as mayor one day after authorities began investigating the complaint, with her resignation letter omitting any mention of the investigation. Roberts had made $75,000 bail to await trial out of custody.
In 2018, Roberts made history as the first woman elected mayor of DeRidder, winning a second four-year term in 2022. She had publicly spoken in May 2024 about enduring "a rough few years," citing hurricanes, a divorce, and the death of someone close, and expressed aspirations to run for a third term. DeRidder, a city of about 10,000 people near the Texas border, has since elected its first Black mayor, Michael D Harris.
