Disgraced Mayor Found Guilty Of Having Sex With Son’s 16-Year-Old Best Friend At Pool Party
A former Louisiana mayor has been convicted of sexual offenses involving a teenage boy after a jury determined she had engaged in sexual activity with her son’s 16-year-old friend during a party at her home.
Misty Roberts, the former mayor of DeRidder, was found guilty by a Beauregard Parish jury following a week-long trial examining events that took place during a pool party in July 2024. The 43-year-old was convicted of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a minor.
Prosecutors said the encounter happened during a gathering at Roberts’ home where teenagers and adults were present and alcohol was reportedly consumed. The boy testified that Roberts flirted with him earlier in the evening before kissing him and engaging in sexual activity while he was intoxicated.
Several witnesses, including teenagers at the party and some of Roberts’ own children, told investigators they noticed concerning interactions between the two that night. Jurors also heard testimony that Roberts had been heavily drinking, and prosecutors presented text messages and other evidence they said indicated she acknowledged the encounter afterward.
Roberts was arrested in August 2024 and resigned from her position as mayor before turning herself in. She had first been elected in 2018, becoming DeRidder’s first female mayor, and was reelected in 2022.
The jury reached its verdict in less than an hour. Roberts now faces up to 17 years in prison when she is sentenced on April 17 and may also be required to register as a sex offender.
