Former DeRidder, Louisiana U.S., mayor Misty Roberts has been released from jail after serving a 90-day sentence for s£xu@lly ass@ult!ng a 16-year-old boy at a 2024 pool party.
Roberts, 44, was convicted in March of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behaviour with a juvenile. She was sentenced in June to 90 days in jail, a $5,000 fine and two suspended five-year prison sentences. She is also required to register as a s£x offender.
Prosecutors had sought the maximum 17-year sentence and later asked Judge Kent Savoie to reconsider the punishment. The judge rejected the request on August 31, allowing Roberts to complete her sentence and walk free on September 7.
The sentence has sparked outrage among some residents and the victim’s family, who described it as far too lenient given the victim’s age.
Savoie has also acknowledged that he made a mistake by relying on more than 30 previous cases resolved through plea deals when determining Roberts’ sentence. However, he maintained that he would not punish her for exercising her right to a jury trial.
Roberts, who was elected mayor in 2018, resigned from office days before her August 2024 arrest. She has since been released under conditions that include therapy, drug screening and s£x-offe£nder registration.