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The boy, who at the time was not old enough to be able to legally consent to sex, said he had been sick from drinking so much alcohol.
17:51, Wed, Mar 4, 2026 Updated: 18:18, Wed, Mar 4, 2026
Misty Roberts was found guilty by jurors on Tuesday (Image: Louisiana State Police)
The former mayor of a US city has been convicted of raping a 16-year-old boy during a pool party at her home. Misty Roberts was found guilty of carnal knowledge of a juvenile – or statutory rape – and indecent behavior with a minor, according to reports.
Both are felonies and carry sentences of up to 10 and up to seven years in prison respectively. Jurors heard Roberts, 43, sexually assaulted an underage boy in July 2024, during her second term as mayor of DeRidder in Louisiana. Both had been heavily drinking alcohol during the pool party at Roberts’ house, the trial heard.
Misty Roberts is set to be sentenced next month (Image: Facebook)
On the final day of the trial, the victim said Roberts “flirted” with him by the pool and started to kiss him, local outlet KPLC reported.
The boy, who at the time was not old enough to be able to legally consent to sex and said he had been sick from drinking so much alcohol, testified that they then went upstairs and he was raped, according to KPLC.
Roberts’ children and nephew reportedly testified that they saw her and the teen together, however did not see whether they had sex.
The victim said he sat on a sofa “kind of-shell shocked” while Roberts’ son shouted at her, blaming her, reports say.
A delivery service driver testified later bringing the emergency contraceptive — also known as the morning after pill — Plan B to Roberts’ home.
Ex-husband, Duncan Clanton, testified that she confessed directly to him that she had committed the crime and had been caught by their children, The Guardian reported.
In closing arguments on Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Charles Robinson reportedly said: “I told y’all at the beginning of the trial that ‘a lewd and lascivious photo is worth a thousand words.’ Here, you have it.”
He then showed the jury a number of evidence exhibits, including a photo which showed the victim and Roberts together, obscured by furniture, and photos from the night of them posing together.
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The jury took less than an hour to reach a verdict.
Roberts, who reportedly quit as DeRidder's mayor just days before her arrest in 2024, is due to be sentenced on April 17.
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