The first female mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, Misty Roberts Clanton, has resigned from her post following allegations of sexual relations with a juvenile. The 42-year-old mayor stepped down nearly a week before being charged with third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.
On August 1, Clanton turned herself in to investigators from the Louisiana State Police Special Victim's Unit at Beauregard Parish Detention Center. The specific age of the juvenile victim involved has not been disclosed.
Clanton, a mother of two, including a 14-year-old son, had expressed intentions to run for mayor of DeRidder again in 2026, as per a local publication interview from May 2024.
The investigation into the allegations began on July 26, 2024, when the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office requested the Louisiana State Police Special Victim’s Unit to look into the complaint against the former mayor. Subsequent interviews with two juveniles, one of whom was the victim, confirmed the accusations against Clanton.
Despite being released on a $75,000 bond, the case against Misty Roberts Clanton remains under investigation by the authorities.
