Louisiana mayor arrested on child rape accusations after abrupt resignation

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Louisiana mayor arrested on child rape accusations after abrupt resignation​


Misty Roberts left post days before being jailed for third-degree rape and contributing to delinquency of minors

Ramon Antonio Vargas in New Orleans

Fri 2 Aug 2024 09.55 EDTLast modified on Fri 2 Aug 2024 12.22 EDT

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Misty Roberts, until recently mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana. Photograph: City of DeRidder

The mayor of a Louisiana city near the state’s border with Texas abruptly resigned from her post days before authorities jailed her on suspicion of raping a boy while she served in office.

Misty Roberts became the first woman to be elected as mayor of DeRidder in 2018, and she was well into her second term in the position when she handed in her resignation – with immediate effect – to the local city council on Saturday.

The letter did not provide a reason for Roberts’s decision. But the day before, Louisiana state police had begun investigating an allegation that Roberts engaged in “sexual relations” with a minor who was too young to be able to legally provide consent, according to a news release from the agency.

A woman looks into the camera for a mugshot


An attorney for Misty Roberts said the former DeRidder mayor was ‘in fact innocent’. Photograph: Louisiana State Police

Investigators said they interviewed the alleged victim as well as one other child. Both confirmed Roberts “had sexual intercourse with one juvenile victim while employed as mayor”, the state police statement said.

Troopers obtained a warrant to arrest Roberts on one count each of third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of minors. She surrendered to state police on Thursday morning and – about an hour later – was released from custody on a $75,000 bond pending the outcome of the case.

The more serious of the counts that Roberts faces is third-degree rape, which can carry up to 25 years in prison. While state police provided few additional details of the allegations against her, such cases in Louisiana can involve victims who are too intoxicated to be able to legally consent to sex.

Meanwhile, one of Louisiana’s definitions for contributing to the delinquency of juveniles is enticing a child to perform any sexually immoral act. It can carry two years in prison in certain cases.

An attorney for Roberts, Adam Johnson, issued a statement declaring the former DeRidder mayor “in fact innocent”.

“And we trust the public will respect her constitutional presumption of innocence which is fundamental to our system of justice,” Johnson’s statement said. “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.”

Roberts’s resignation letter had made no mention of the criminal investigation that ultimately led to her arrest. In the missive, she said her mayoral role had rewarded her “great relationships” and a sense of pride.

“However, I must adjust my focus and priorities,” wrote Roberts, a divorced mother who does not list any political party affiliation and publicly spoke in May to Louisiana news outlet BestOfSWLA.com about having gone through a divorce.

“To the residents of the city: Thank you for your trust, love and support in me to lead our city into our future of greatness. My love for DeRidder will never [waver].”

The DeRidder city council president, Randy Larken, was left in line to act as Roberts’s temporary replacement. The city’s next mayoral election is scheduled for March.

DeRidder has a population of about 10,000. The city is about 50 miles (80km) east of Jasper, Texas, and about 240 miles west of New Orleans.
 

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Bandage Hand Steph
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"If you see something say something, report that groomer when she comes for you" :ufdup:
How does a maynor get access to a minor like that? She should be so busy that she doesn't have time to be around kids that aren't her own.
 

bnew

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she got a 14 year old son so possibly one of his friends.

 

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Authorities Charge Mayor With Raping Juvenile Days After Resignation​


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Image not from story. Wikimedia Commons/Public/Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ilan HulkowerContributor

August 02, 20241:18 PM ET

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Misty Roberts Clanton, the 42-year-old ex-mayor of the city of DeRidder, was arrested Thursday over allegations that she had sex with a juvenile, the Louisiana State Police (LSP) write in a press release.

Roberts resigned from her office Saturday, KPLC reported. (RELATED: Police Arrest Rapper Lil Reese On Rape Charges: REPORT)

“For nearly 15 years, my love and passion for DeRidder has been my foundation while serving as Mayor,” she wrote in a statement to DeRidder City Council Members obtained by the outlet that day. “However, I must adjust my focus and priorities. Please accept this letter as my formal resignation, effective today.”

The former mayor turned herself in to authorities following the LSP Special Victims Unit (SVU) launching an investigation on July 26, the press release reads. The police allege that they “conducted interviews with two juveniles, one of which was the victim. Both juveniles confirmed Clanton had sexual intercourse with one juvenile victim while employed as Mayor.”

DeRidder mayor arrested five days after resigning
DeRidder mayor arrested on rape charge

— KPLC (@KPLC7News) August 1, 2024


Clanton was booked under the charges of 3rd degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, according to the LSP.

Clanton was released under a $75,000 bond, KPLC reported. Adam Johnson, Clanton’s attorney, told the outlet in a statement that his client “maintains her innocence and, as it stands, she is in fact innocent. … And we trust the public will respect her constitutional presumption of innocence which is fundamental to our system of justice.”

Clanton was DeRidder’s first female mayor and was in her second term of office, Best of SWLA reported in May. She had reportedly planned to run for a third term. She had divorced her husband in the past few years, according to the outlet. She told the outlet that the divorce “was a personal decision” and “there was nothing salacious that led to it” when addressing public discussion regarding the matter.

“I’m far from a feminist, but through this experience I’ve learned there are a group of people who expect women to be perfect — to look and act a certain way,” she reportedly said. She had children from the marriage, the outlet noted.

DeRidder is a town with a little under 11,000 people, Best of SWLA reported.

 

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a list of Republican Sexual Predators, Abusers, and Enablers and they're up to 1,325 of them.
 

Ghost Utmost

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Republicans are maybe not 100% evil. But damn. The most scumbag shyt we see is from them.

From simple lying with every breath to corruption to sex crimes.
 
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