A former mayor in Louisiana has been found guilty of sexual offences involving a teenage boy after a jury concluded that she engaged in sexual activity with her son’s 16-year-old best friend during a party at her home.

Misty Roberts, the former mayor of DeRidder, was convicted by a jury in Beauregard Parish after a week-long trial that examined events during a pool party at her home in July 2024. Jurors found the 43-year-old guilty of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behaviour with a minor following testimony from the boy and several witnesses who attended the gathering.

According to evidence presented in court, the incident occurred during a party attended by teenagers and adults at Roberts’ home, where alcohol was reportedly being consumed. The victim, who was 16 at the time and a close friend of Roberts’ son, testified that he had been drinking and was intoxicated during the evening when the encounter took place.

During the trial, the boy told jurors that Roberts flirted with him earlier in the night and later kissed him before the sexual encounter. His testimony formed a central part of the prosecution’s case and was supported by statements from other witnesses who said they observed behaviour between the two that raised concerns.

The gathering, described in court as a pool party involving several teenagers, became a key focus for investigators as they reconstructed the events leading up to the encounter. Witnesses included family members and teenagers who were present at the home during the evening.

Some of the witnesses included Roberts’ own children, who told investigators that they had noticed inappropriate interactions between their mother and the teenager during the party. Their testimony helped establish the sequence of events that prosecutors argued led to the sexual encounter.

Jurors also heard evidence that Roberts had been drinking heavily that night. One witness described her as extremely intoxicated, while others said she appeared impaired and was behaving erratically during parts of the gathering.

Text messages and communications between Roberts and others were also presented during the trial. Prosecutors told jurors that some messages appeared to show Roberts acknowledging the encounter after it had taken place.

Court testimony also revealed that emergency contraception had been delivered to Roberts’ home following the incident. Evidence showed that a DoorDash driver brought the medication to the residence after the party, which prosecutors argued was further indication of the sexual encounter.

Roberts had initially been arrested in August 2024 as investigators began examining the allegations. She resigned from her position as mayor shortly before turning herself in to authorities, stepping down without publicly explaining the reason for her departure at the time.

The case drew attention in Louisiana because Roberts had been a prominent local political figure in DeRidder, a small city in Beauregard Parish. She had first been elected mayor in 2018, becoming the city’s first female mayor, and was re-elected in 2022.

Her tenure as mayor ended abruptly after the investigation began. Authorities later confirmed that she was facing criminal charges connected to the alleged encounter with the teenager.

During the trial, jurors heard testimony not only from the victim but also from adults who had knowledge of the events that followed the party. Among them was Roberts’ former husband, who told the court that she had admitted the encounter to him.

Additional testimony came from a friend and former relative of Roberts who said she had communicated with teenagers who had witnessed parts of the incident. The witness told the court she had sent a message instructing them to “lie till you die” about what they had seen, a phrase that prosecutors argued demonstrated efforts to conceal the incident.

Evidence presented during the proceedings included statements from teenagers who said they had observed Roberts interacting closely with the boy earlier in the evening. Some witnesses said they saw the pair together in circumstances that appeared inappropriate given the age difference.

The boy’s mother also testified during the trial, describing how she became aware of the situation and her reaction after learning what had happened. Her testimony provided further details about the aftermath of the party and how the incident came to the attention of authorities.

The trial lasted several days and involved extensive testimony from witnesses who had attended the gathering. Prosecutors argued that the evidence clearly showed Roberts had engaged in sexual activity with the teenager while she was serving as the city’s mayor.

Defence lawyers argued during the trial that Roberts had been intoxicated and disputed aspects of the prosecution’s account. However, jurors ultimately concluded that the evidence supported the charges.

The jury reached its verdict in less than an hour after deliberations began, according to court reports.

Roberts now faces significant legal consequences following the convictions. Sentencing in the case has been scheduled for April 17, when she could face a prison term of up to 17 years under Louisiana law.

In addition to a possible custodial sentence, Roberts may also be required to register as a sex offender as a result of the convictions.

The verdict concludes a case that has drawn attention across Louisiana because of the defendant’s position as a local elected official and the circumstances surrounding the allegations.

Following Roberts’ resignation in 2024, DeRidder underwent a political transition. Michael D. Harris later assumed the role of mayor, becoming the first Black mayor in the city’s history.

For the victim and his family, the conclusion of the trial marks the end of a lengthy legal process that began with the events of the July 2024 party.

The prosecution argued throughout the proceedings that the case was about accountability for actions involving a minor, while the defence sought to challenge the reliability of witness testimony and the interpretation of events during the night of the party.

Ultimately, jurors accepted the prosecution’s account, delivering guilty verdicts on the charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behaviour with a minor.

The sentencing hearing scheduled for April will determine the final penalty Roberts faces following the convictions, bringing the legal proceedings against the former mayor closer to their conclusion.