Misty Roberts faced up to 17 years after a jury convicted her of two felonies; the judge later acknowledged an error in the information he relied upon when determining her sentence
DERIDDER, La. — Former Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts has been released from custody after completing a 90-day jail sentence for sexual offenses involving a 16-year-old boy, concluding a punishment that sparked widespread criticism over whether it adequately reflected the seriousness of her crimes.
Louisiana corrections records show that Roberts, 44, was released on Labor Day, September 7, after serving the jail term imposed by District Judge Kent Savoie.
A jury convicted the former DeRidder mayor in March of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile, both felonies, stemming from a sexual encounter with the teenager during a July 2024 gathering at her home. She was serving as mayor when the incident occurred.
Roberts faced a maximum combined sentence of 17 years in prison, although Louisiana law did not impose a mandatory minimum sentence for the convictions. Prosecutors had urged the court to impose the maximum punishment.
Instead, Savoie sentenced her in June to 90 days in jail, imposed a $5,000 fine and handed down two five-year suspended sentences. She was also ordered to comply with treatment and drug-screening requirements and register as a sex offender.
The unusually short jail term became even more controversial after local journalists discovered that the cases the judge had considered when evaluating Roberts’ punishment were not directly comparable to hers.
Judge Acknowledges Mistake
The sentencing controversy returned to court on August 31, when prosecutors asked Savoie to reconsider Roberts’ punishment.
Savoie declined.
But during the hearing, the judge acknowledged making an error when assessing information he had used as guidance in reaching the original sentence.
According to an investigation by Louisiana television station KPLC, Savoie had relied on a list of 34 cases involving similar offenses when deciding Roberts’ sentence.
There was a significant difference, however: all 34 cases had been resolved through negotiated guilty pleas.
Roberts had pleaded not guilty, proceeded to a jury trial and was convicted.
Savoie previously indicated that the comparison included both plea agreements and trial convictions. At the August hearing, he acknowledged that assumption was incorrect.
The judge nevertheless refused prosecutors’ request to increase Roberts’ sentence, reasoning in part that she should not receive a harsher punishment simply because she exercised her constitutional right to take her case to trial rather than plead guilty.
As a result, the original sentence remained intact, allowing Roberts to complete the 90-day jail term and be released a week later.
A Pool Party Led to Criminal Investigation
The case originated from a gathering at Roberts’ DeRidder home in July 2024.
Evidence presented during the weeklong trial established that Roberts had sexual contact with the 16-year-old, who was a friend of her son. Alcohol had been consumed at the gathering.
Jurors heard testimony from the teenager as well as Roberts’ children, relatives and other witnesses concerning what happened inside the house that night.
The teenager testified that Roberts initially interacted with him around the pool before the encounter progressed inside the home.
Members of Roberts’ family also provided evidence about witnessing or learning of the sexual encounter. Other evidence presented at trial concerned events immediately afterward, including the delivery of emergency contraception to Roberts’ home.
After hearing the evidence, jurors deliberated for less than an hour before finding Roberts guilty on both felony counts on March 3.
Roberts Was Mayor When the Crime Occurred
Roberts’ position in the community made the case especially prominent in Louisiana.
She became the first woman elected mayor of DeRidder in 2018 and won reelection in 2022.
She remained mayor when the July 2024 incident occurred but resigned shortly before surrendering to authorities following the criminal investigation.
At sentencing, prosecutors emphasized her elected position while arguing against leniency.
Savoie, however, determined that Roberts had not used the authority of the mayor’s office to commit the offenses and also considered factors including her lack of a previous criminal record.
Prosecutors Wanted a Much Harsher Sentence
The Beauregard Parish District Attorney’s Office strongly objected to the punishment.
With Roberts facing as many as 17 years, prosecutors had asked Savoie to impose the maximum sentence and argued that the circumstances did not justify such a short period behind bars.
After the 90-day sentence was announced, the district attorney’s office formally sought reconsideration.
Its argument gained additional attention following KPLC’s examination of the 34 previous cases used as sentencing references. Because those defendants had resolved their cases through plea agreements, prosecutors questioned whether they provided an appropriate benchmark for someone convicted after a jury trial.
At the August 31 hearing, Assistant District Attorney Charles Robinson directly challenged the reasoning behind the sentence.
Although Savoie accepted that his original description of the comparison cases had been wrong, he left Roberts’ punishment unchanged.
Victim’s Family Criticized the Sentence
The teenager’s family also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the outcome.
During Roberts’ June sentencing hearing, the victim’s mother described the emotional consequences the case had inflicted on her son and said the experience had taken away a significant part of his teenage years.
She argued that Roberts had violated the trust placed in her as an adult and community leader and urged the court to recognize the seriousness of the harm.
Roberts addressed the court as well.
She accepted responsibility for her behavior, apologized to the teenager and his family and said she had embarrassed both her family and the city she once represented.
Jail Sentence Is Over, but Other Penalties Remain
Roberts’ September 7 release ends the incarceration portion of her sentence, but not all of its consequences.
She received two five-year suspended sentences, which run concurrently. She is also subject to court-ordered conditions that include psychological treatment and regular drug screening, and she must remain registered as a sex offender.
A suspended sentence means Roberts could face additional consequences if she violates applicable conditions during the period in which those sentences remain enforceable.
The $5,000 fine imposed by the court also remains part of her sentence.
Case Fuels Debate Over Sentencing
Roberts’ case has generated broader discussion in Louisiana about sentencing discretion, consistency and whether defendants convicted of sexual crimes against minors receive punishments proportionate to their offenses.
Under Louisiana law, the crimes for which Roberts was convicted exposed her to as much as 17 years of incarceration but carried no mandatory minimum prison term, leaving substantial discretion to the sentencing judge.
That discretion ultimately produced a 90-day jail sentence.
The controversy intensified because the judge later acknowledged that an assumption he made about the cases used for comparison was wrong—yet concluded that the mistake did not justify changing Roberts’ sentence.
For critics, the outcome raises questions about whether the justice system treated the former mayor too leniently.
For the court, however, another principle was also at stake: a defendant cannot be punished more severely merely for exercising the constitutional right to reject a plea agreement and demand a jury trial.
Those competing considerations have ensured that the case remains controversial even after Roberts walked out of custody.
What is no longer disputed is the underlying verdict: a Louisiana jury heard the evidence and found the former mayor guilty of two felony sexual offenses involving a 16-year-old.
Her incarceration for those convictions lasted 90 days.
The Haitian Tribune | U.S. News & Justice
