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A Louisiana mayor has been arrested days after abruptly resigning from her office amid accusations she had sex with a “juvenile.”
Misty Dawn Clanton Roberts, 42, stands accused of third degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles, following her arrest on August 1, when she turned herself in to police.
She was released from custody one hour after being booked into the Beauregard Parish Detention Center on a $75,000 bond.
Roberts had written and sent a letter of resignation to the DeRidder City Council five days before her arrest, and one day after the Louisiana State Police Special Victim’s Unit was asked to investigate a complaint against her.
In her letter, dated July 27, Roberts made no reference to any claims of sexual assault, instead saying that her “love and passion for DeRidder” was her foundation while serving as mayor, and that she must adjust her “focus and priorities.”
She ended with “my love for DeRidder will never waiver.”
Under state law, the secretary of state must receive a signed and notarized letter to formally process a resignation — which had not happened as of July 31, according to American Press, leaving it unclear as to whether Roberts is technically still mayor of DeRidder.
A statement on the Louisiana State Police website explained that police have interviewed two juveniles as part of their investigation, one of whom is Roberts’ alleged victim. Both claimed that she had sex with that juvenile while in office as mayor.
Her attorney, Adam Johnson, released his own statement saying Roberts claims she is innocent and that “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,” he continued.
The age of consent in Louisiana is 16, with third-degree rape conviction carrying a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
