A former Louisiana mayor who abruptly resigned from office has been charged with raping a minor while in office.
Misty Roberts Clanton, former mayor of DeRidder, announced her resignation last week and was arrested Thursday on allegations of sex with a minor.
Louisiana State Police said in a news release Thursday that Clanton, 42, had “sexual relations with an underage victim while employed as mayor.”
The agency’s Special Victims Unit said investigators spoke to two minors who confirmed Clanton had sex with one of them, police said.
On Thursday, Clanton turned herself in and was booked into the Beauregard Parish Detention Center on charges of third-degree rape.
Former DeRidder Mayor Misty Roberts Clanton announced her resignation last week and was arrested Thursday on charges of having sex with a minor.
Louisiana State Police said in a news release Thursday that Clanton, 42, had “sexual relations with an underage victim while employed as mayor.”
More than an hour later, she was released on $75,000 bail, and her attorney, Adam Johnson, said in a statement that she was innocent.
He said: “I am honored to represent Misty Roberts. My client learned of a warrant last night, even though she had not been contacted for an interview before investigators obtained the warrant.
‘My client maintains her innocence and is currently innocent. She has not been charged with any crime nor convicted of any offense.
‘And we trust that the public will respect their 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 us.’
Last week, Clanton said he would be out of office for two weeks and appointed a mayor on Friday, before resigning the next day.
Clanton was in the midst of his second term as mayor of the borough, winning re-election 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.
‘I will always be proud of what we have been able to achieve together. This position has allowed me to establish many excellent relationships.
“I am honored to have witnessed the hard work a community has put in to come together and overcome 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 leading our city into a future of greatness. My love for DeRidder will never waver.’
Clanton was in the midst of his second term as mayor of the borough, winning re-election with sixty percent of the vote in 2022.
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