Former DeRidder Mayor Misty Roberts has been released from prison after completing a 90-day sentence stemming from her conviction for sexual offenses involving a 16-year-old boy.
Roberts, 44, was released Monday after spending roughly three months behind bars.
Her sentence formed part of a suspended 10-year prison term, with a judge declining last week to impose the tougher punishment sought by prosecutors.
She was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and $300 in prosecution costs.
As a condition of her sentence, Roberts must have no contact with the teenage victim or his family.
Conviction followed week-long trial
A jury found Roberts guilty in March of indecent behavior and carnal knowledge of a minor following a trial that examined events at a July 2024 pool party.
Prosecutors alleged that Roberts supplied alcohol during the gathering, drank heavily and behaved flirtatiously toward her son’s 16-year-old friend.
They said the encounter later moved to a spare room, where the sexual conduct occurred.
A photograph taken by another teenager became a central piece of evidence during the proceedings.
Prosecutor Charles Robinson described the image to jurors as evidence of what had happened at the party.
Roberts’ defense attorney, Adam Johnson, acknowledged that the photograph presented a damaging image of his client but argued that it did not, by itself, establish that a sex crime had occurred.
The jury nevertheless reached its verdict in less than an hour.
Teen described his experience in court
The teenage victim also testified during the proceedings, describing the encounter in deeply distressing terms.
“While it was happening, I couldn’t feel my body,” he told the court.
The case attracted considerable attention in the small Louisiana community, particularly because Roberts had been a prominent elected official before the allegations emerged.
Roberts had made history as mayor
Roberts was elected in 2018 as the first woman to serve as mayor of DeRidder, a Louisiana city with a population of roughly 9,800.
She secured a second term in 2022 and remained in office when she hosted the birthday gathering on July 20, 2024.
Her political career came to an end shortly afterward. Roberts resigned from the mayor’s position days before her arrest in August 2024.
Prosecutors sought tougher punishment
Following the conviction, prosecutors pushed for a sentence more severe than the 90 days ultimately served by Roberts.
A judge rejected that request last week, leaving the former mayor to complete the shorter jail term alongside the other conditions imposed by the court.
The decision has generated anger among some DeRidder residents, who argued that the punishment did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offenses.
Kari McGee, a local resident, told KALB that cases involving children should be prosecuted using the fullest extent of the law and that there should be no excuses when children are involved.
Defense cited divorce and alcohol use
During sentencing and the trial, Roberts’ attorney pointed to circumstances in her personal life that he said contributed to her behavior.
Johnson attributed the former mayor’s conduct partly to her 2022 divorce and struggles with alcohol.
He argued that the incident would not have occurred without alcohol and criticized Roberts’ attempt to act as a “cool parent” following the breakup of her marriage.
Court filings indicate that Roberts’ two children have lived with her former husband, Duncan Clanton, since December 2024.
Roberts now listed as a registered sex offender
Following her conviction, Roberts became a Tier 1 registered sex offender.
Her release from prison does not end the legal consequences of the conviction, with the court continuing to impose restrictions including the prohibition on contact with the victim and his family.
The case has marked a dramatic reversal for a former local political figure who once made history by becoming DeRidder’s first female mayor.
Brother also serving lengthy prison sentence
Roberts’ case has also drawn attention to another serious criminal case involving a member of her family.
Her brother, Brandon Lee Roberts, 40, was sentenced to 32 years in prison last November after being convicted of raping two young women.
Court proceedings established that one of the victims was 13 when the abuse began.
