DERIDDER, La. (KPLC) – Misty Roberts has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for having sex with a 16-year-old boy while she was mayor of DeRidder.
Roberts, 44, was convicted of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile, both felonies, on March 3. These charges carry up to 17 years but have no minimum sentence under state law.
Roberts must pay a $5,000 fine and will be subject to regular drug screenings as well as psychotropic and psychological therapy when she gets out of jail. She also received two five-year suspended sentences, which will be served concurrently unless she breaks parole stipulations.
Right now, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office website shows Roberts has been released, but according to Sheriff Mark Herford, she is being transferred since the facility can’t house women for extended periods.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Roberts was in court less than two weeks ago while her attorneys asked for a new trial, citing reasons including inconsistencies in the victim’s testimony. Judge Kent Savoie denied the motion.
Roberts walked free after her conviction due to a stipulation of her bond. Her sentencing was originally set for April 17, but the defense asked for it to be delayed.
She also had to register as a sex offender.
Reactions to sentence
Beauregard Parish District Attorney James Lestage provided the following statement regarding the sentence:
“We’ve done our part. We’ve done what we could to present the evidence to protect and represent the victims. I think the jury saw that. The jury convicted her. We argued for the maximum sentences, which we feel are appropriate. I don’t think the sentence that was imposed reflects the severity of the crimes. It doesn’t, in my opinion, represent the values of Beauregard Parish.”
Roberts’ attorneys, Adam Johnson and Todd S. Clemons, provided the following statement:
“We appreciate Judge Savoie’s independence and his thorough review of the evidence and the law. The State urged the Court to impose the maximum 17 year sentence and the Court instead reached a sentence grounded in the full record and in what the law required. With the good-time credit available under Louisiana law, the time Misty actually serves is expected to be shorter and she intends to begin serving it without delay, complete it, and meet every condition the Court has set. She was sincere, strong, and apologetic for her actions in her address to the Court today and we believe that also had a real impact on this outcome.”
Roberts addresses the court
Roberts addressed Judge Savoie directly, expressing remorse for her actions.
“I blame myself then, I blame myself today, and I will blame myself for the rest of my life,” Roberts said. “I let a lot of people down, and I am the only person responsible for that.”
She described July 20, the date of the incident, as hitting “the absolute floor.”
“What an embarrassment I’ve been to this city,” she said. “I’ve made a mess of all of this, but it certainly was not my intent.”
Roberts said her fear of losing her children drove her to ask others to lie about what happened.
“I feared that day that he would leave and take my children and I’d never see them again,” she said, referring to her ex-husband, Duncan Clanton.
She closed her remarks with an appeal to the court centered on motherhood.
“I don’t have to move mountains. I didn’t have to shake the world. I just had to cook dinner,” Roberts said. “I just want to be their mom. I’m here just asking for grace and mercy and the opportunity to do what the Lord has asked me to do, which is be a mom.”
She also addressed the victim’s family directly: “To the [victim’s] family, I am sorry. I can’t give back the high school days… I can’t take away the embarrassment that so many mean people on the internet have put them through.”
Mother of victim’s friend gives impact statement
The first impact statement was from Holly Jones, speaking on behalf of her husband and son, who is one of the victim’s friends. Her testimony revolved around what Roberts did to her family.
“At only 14 years old, our son was planted in the middle of an adult criminal case,” Jones told the court.
Jones went on to say that instead of her son having a normal high school, “he was instead pulled into years of court hearings, media, and delays. We respectfully ask the court to consider the impact the case has had on not only the victims but the families.”
Victim’s mother speaks
The court also heard from the victim’s mother. She opened her statement by setting the scene: “A simple birthday party. A gathering of friends and family. The kind of night that should have ended in laughter and memories.”
She went on to say, “This predator was not hiding in a van carrying candy or a puppy. This danger came from a predator with hair extensions, high heels, Botox, and other modifications.”
She also said the pain didn’t end the night of the incident or the trial. She turned to Roberts and her attorneys and said, “The attorneys you hired claimed we put your kids on the stand. Oh no, Miss, that’s you. My heart broke for all the kids that we forced to relive that night.”
She said pointedly, “Your team flat-out lied and was very disrespectful throughout this trial.”
She described finding her son sitting alone in his room for hours at a time and hearing crying in the night. She said every milestone came with a shadow.
“Every social event carried questions no teenager should have to ask,” she said. “Half of his high school experience was taken from him.”
She also recounted a man at a baseball game yelling a derogatory phrase at her son while he was up to bat, illustrating the public toll the case has taken on her family.
She ended her remarks by turning toward Roberts and saying, “Stay the hell away from my family.”
Prosecution argues for maximum sentence
Assistant District Attorney Charles Robinson minced no words in the opening remarks of his argument.
“We’re talking about an elected public official who had sex with a child at a children’s birthday party,” Robinson said, noting the party was for a child turning 15.
Robinson argued Roberts’ expressions of remorse were not genuine, pointing to a text message in which Roberts appeared to confirm the sexual encounter took place, contradicting her claims of having no memory of the incident.
“When she says ‘I was victimized,’ it’s laughable to think that it’s consistent with accountability,” Robinson said.
Robinson also raised concerns about the defense’s expert witness, a clinical psychologist retained to evaluate Roberts’ likelihood of reoffending. Robinson noted the psychologist had not been provided with the key photo at the center of the case, which appears to show Roberts on top of the victim, before writing her report.
He also accused the psychologist of dodging direct questions on the stand about how the conviction factored into her findings.
The state asked for the maximum sentence of 17 years.
Defense argues for suspended sentence
Defense attorney Adam Johnson argued his client had taken full responsibility and that the court should not be swayed by public pressure.
“We are not guided by what angry people on Facebook or news stories will think about it,” Johnson said in a stern tone that echoed through the room. “The noise stops at those courtroom doors.”
Johnson made a remark about the victim’s age, telling Judge Savoie, “The fact that this case was a couple of months away from not being a crime is a valid point to me, Judge.” He repeated the point later, saying, “Less than two months and it would have been massively inappropriate but not a crime.”
Johnson also addressed the state’s request for a maximum sentence, saying it was excessive and cruel.
“She’s not a predator. There is no evidence of that,” Johnson said.
He argued that under the law, Roberts should receive a suspended sentence with therapy and continued sex offender registration, adding, “If you give her a suspended sentence, you’re not going to get as many likes.” Johnson was referring to the social media response.
He also pleaded with the judge not to separate Roberts from her children.
The defense’s expert, clinical psychologist Dr. Sasha Lambert, testified that Roberts had less than a 3% chance of reoffending, a figure she said is universal among women, with Roberts potentially scoring even lower. Lambert also testified that on the night of the incident, Roberts was experiencing a mental health crisis, had a documented alcohol problem, and showed signs of mood decompensation.
However, Lambert acknowledged under questioning that Roberts did not fully recognize or accept what she had been convicted of. All of this was gathered from several interviews and tests conducted by Lambert on Roberts post-conviction.
Just after the sentence was handed down, Prosecutor Robinson asked the judge that Roberts be immediately drug tested. He accused her of using narcotics during the last court hearings, claiming she had sores on her mouth.
The judge denied that request after Defense Attorney Johnson incredulously responded, saying it was just another shot at his and Todd Clemons’ client.
What’s next for Roberts
Roberts is eligible for an appeal bond set at $75,000 per charge, $150,000 total. Her attorneys said she will not pursue it.
She will serve her 90 days in jail and, upon release, will be required to undergo regular drug screenings and psychological therapy. Her two five-year suspended sentences will remain in place and can be activated if she violates the terms of her release.
Roberts will remain a registered sex offender.
Copyright 2026 KPLC. All rights reserved.
