Misty Clanton Roberts, Mayor of DeRidder, a small town in Louisiana, announced her resignation last week and was arrested two days later on allegations she had sex with a minor

Roberts, 42, had ‘sexual intercourse with one juvenile victim while employed as Mayor’, police allege

SVU investigators claim they spoke to a pair of juveniles who both confirmed the mayor had sex with one of them

Roberts who maintains her innocence, was booked on third-degree rape after she turned herself in on Thursday

Misty Clanton Roberts, [photo], the 42-year-old Mayor of DeRidder , Louisiana, until she announced her resignation last week, was arrested on Thursday on accusations of sex with a minor. She turned herself in, but maintains her innocence

A Louisiana mayor who abruptly resigned from her elected seat has now been charged with the rape of a juvenile while in office. 
Misty Clanton Roberts, the former mayor of DeRidder, announced her resignation last week and was arrested on Thursday on allegations she had sex with a minor.
Louisiana State Police said that Roberts, 42, allegedly had ‘sexual intercourse with one juvenile victim while employed as Mayor’.
The police department’s Special Victim’s Unit said investigators spoke with two juveniles who confirmed Roberts allegedly had sex with one of them, cops said.
On Thursday, Roberts turned herself in and was booked at the Beauregard Parish Detention Center on charges of third-degree rape. 

Louisiana State Police said Thursday that Roberts, [mugshot], had ‘sexual intercourse with one juvenile victim while employed as Mayor’. On Thursday, Clanton turned herself in. She was booked and released on $75,000 bond

About an hour later, she was released on a $75,000 bond, with her attorney Adam Johnson proclaiming her innocence. 
He said: ‘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.’
Just last week, Clanton said she would be away from the office for two weeks and appointed an interim mayor on Friday, before resigning the next day. 

On July 25, Roberts wrote the City Council stating that she would be away from the office for two weeks. She appointed the fire chief as interim mayor. Two days later the two-term mayor tendered her resignation

Roberts sent a relatively innocuous letter to the city council on July 25, stating that she would be “out of the city” for two weeks. She handed over her duties to DeRidder Fire Chief Ken Harlow, as acting mayor.
A couple of days later, Roberts informally resigned as mayor of DeRidder, a small town roughly 50 miles north of Lake Charles.
Clanton was in the middle of he second term as the municipality’s mayor, winning reelection with sixty percent of the vote in 2022.
In her resignation letter, she said: ‘For nearly 15 years, my love and passion for DeRidder has been my foundation while serving as Mayor.

As the news her departure percolated, police revealed that Roberts who won her second term in 2022 with 60% of the votes was being investigated for sex crimes. She’s now facing one count each of rape in the third degree and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles

‘I will forever be proud of what we have been able to accomplish – together. This role has rewarded me with many great relationships. 
‘I am humbled to have witnessed the hard work that took a community to come together and overcome through unprecedented times. However, I must adjust my focus and priorities.
‘Please accept this letter as my formal resignation, effective today.
‘To the residents of this 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 waiver.’
It was later revealed that back on July 26, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office asked the Louisiana State Police Special Victim’s Unit to investigate a complaint against Roberts over allegations of sexual relations with a juvenile.