By Kenneth Williams-
A former Louisiana mayor has been released from custody after completing a 90-day jail sentence for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy while she was still in office, amid continuing controversy over the unusually short punishment.
Misty Roberts,(pictured) the former mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, completed her sentence on Monday after serving three months in jail following her conviction over the sexual assault of a teenage boy in 2024. The 44-year-old had faced the possibility of a prison sentence of up to 17 years after a jury found her guilty earlier this year.
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Roberts was convicted in March of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behaviour with a minor. Prosecutors said the offences occurred in July 2024 at Roberts’ home, where the teenager was present at a pool party and alcohol was being consumed. At the time, Roberts was serving as mayor of DeRidder, a position she had held since 2018. She resigned from office shortly before her arrest in August 2024.The teenager was a local high school student and a friend of Roberts’ son, who became an important witness during the criminal proceedings. The case ultimately went to trial rather than being resolved through a plea agreement, with jurors returning guilty verdicts against Roberts.
The sentence imposed by Judge Kent Savoie subsequently attracted widespread criticism because of its brevity. Savoie later acknowledged that he had made an error when considering comparable cases before deciding on the punishment. At a court hearing on August 31, the judge said he had asked for a list of similar cases before sentencing Roberts. According to local reporting, he subsequently realised that the cases he had been given had involved plea agreements and were therefore not directly comparable with Roberts’ case, which had proceeded to a jury trial.
“I made an assumption, and that assumption was wrong,” Savoie said during the hearing, acknowledging that he had been mistaken in relying on the cases.
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Prosecutors had sought to have Roberts serve a more substantial sentence, but Savoie declined to change the punishment. The judge also indicated that Roberts should not receive additional punishment simply because she had exercised her constitutional right to go to trial rather than plead guilty.
That decision has fuelled anger among some residents of DeRidder, with critics arguing that a 90-day sentence does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offences or the age of the victim.
The controversy has extended beyond the courtroom, with residents publicly expressing their dissatisfaction with the sentence. Kari McGee, a DeRidder resident, said the law should be applied as fully as possible when a child is involved, while another resident, Ryan Clark, described the sentence as an insult.
Roberts’ case has also attracted attention because of her former position as an elected official. Her conviction means the allegations were not simply a matter involving a private citizen but concerned a public figure who was serving as the city’s mayor when the offences took place.
At her sentencing hearing in June, Roberts accepted responsibility for her actions and expressed remorse. She told Judge Savoie that she blamed herself for what had happened and would continue to do so.
“I let a lot of people down, and I am the only person responsible for that,” she said.
Roberts also apologised to the victim’s family and acknowledged the lasting impact of the case on them. She said she could not undo what had happened or restore the victim’s teenage years, while referring to the attention and abuse the family had faced online. The victim’s mother delivered a forceful statement to the court in which she condemned Roberts and described her as a predator. She also warned Roberts to stay away from her family. Although Roberts has now completed the custodial element of her sentence, her legal obligations do not end with her release. She has been ordered to register as a sex offender and pay $5,000 in fines. She must also undergo regular drug testing and participate in both psychological and psychotropic treatment.
The sentence includes two suspended five-year prison terms, which are to run concurrently. Those sentences could become relevant if Roberts breaches the conditions imposed on her after her release.The conclusion of her 90-day jail term therefore marks the beginning of a period in which she remains subject to court-ordered restrictions and supervision. The case has nevertheless raised broader questions about sentencing practices in sexual offence cases, particularly where the victim is underage and the defendant holds or previously held public office. The judge’s admission that he relied on inappropriate comparisons when determining the sentence has become a central element of the controversy. While Savoie acknowledged the error, he ultimately decided that the original punishment should stand.
For critics, the decision has left a difficult question about whether the sentence adequately reflected the jury’s findings and the circumstances of the offences. Supporters of the court’s approach point to the defendant’s right to a fair trial and the principle that a person should not receive a harsher sentence merely for choosing to contest criminal charges before a jury.
Roberts’ release closes one chapter of a case that has attracted intense attention in the small Louisiana community, but the debate over her sentence is likely to continue.
For the victim and his family, however, the case has involved consequences extending far beyond the length of Roberts’ time behind bars. The court’s continuing supervision of the former mayor, including sex-offender registration and treatment requirements, will remain part of the aftermath of a case that ended her political career and resulted in her conviction for offences committed while she was still serving as an elected official.
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