Former Louisiana Mayor Arrested for Alleged Sex Crimes Involving a Juvenile

Misty Clanton Roberts, who resigned as Mayor of DeRidder last week, has been arrested on serious charges of third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles. The Louisiana State Police (LSP) Special Victims Unit (SVU) took Roberts into custody Thursday morning following an investigation initiated by a complaint from the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office.

According to Sgt. Ross Brennan, a state police spokesman, the alleged juvenile victim and another juvenile confirmed to state police’s Special Victims Unit that Roberts had sexual relations with the juvenile. The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office jail roster indicates that Roberts, 42, was arrested at 10:13 a.m. and released at 11:30 a.m. on a $75,000 bond.

Adam Johnson, Roberts’ attorney, released a statement maintaining her innocence: “It is my honor to represent Misty Roberts. My client learned late last night of a warrant, despite not being contacted to be interviewed prior to investigators obtaining the warrant. My client maintains her innocence and, as it stands, she is in fact innocent. She has not been charged with a crime and/or convicted of any crime. And we trust the public will respect her constitutional presumption of innocence which is fundamental to our system of justice. Misty and her family are very grateful for the support they have received from their friends and neighbors and we look forward to putting this unfortunate situation behind them.”

The arrest follows a tumultuous period in DeRidder’s local government. Roberts initially announced a two-week absence from her duties and appointed a mayor pro tem on Friday, July 26, before resigning unexpectedly the following day, July 27. The LSP SVU conducted interviews with two juveniles, one of whom was the victim, both of whom told detectives that Roberts had sexual intercourse with the victim while she was mayor.

The investigation remains ongoing. See the full story here via KSLA.