Former DeRidder, Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts has been released from jail after completing a 90-day sentence following her conviction for sexual offences involving a 16-year-old boy.
Roberts, 44, was released on September 7, 2026, after serving the sentence imposed following her conviction earlier this year. Her release came one week after Judge Kent Savoie rejected prosecutors’ request to reconsider the punishment and impose a harsher sentence.
The case has attracted widespread attention because prosecutors had argued that Roberts deserved a substantially longer prison term, while the judge ultimately imposed a sentence far below the maximum available under the law.
Misty Roberts convicted after jury trial
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Roberts was convicted in March 2026 of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behaviour with a juvenile following a jury trial.
The convictions related to an incident involving a 16-year-old boy at a pool party at Roberts’ home in July 2024, when she was still serving as mayor of DeRidder.
She had been elected mayor in 2018 and became the city’s first female mayor. She resigned from office shortly before her arrest in August 2024.
The charges carried the possibility of a significantly longer prison sentence. Prosecutors said Roberts faced up to 17 years in prison following the convictions.
Judge sentences her to just 90 days
In June, Judge Savoie sentenced Roberts to 90 days in jail, a $5,000 fine, probation and two suspended five-year prison sentences.
She was also ordered to undergo psychological treatment, submit to drug screening, abstain from alcohol and have no contact with the victim or his family. Roberts is required to remain registered as a sex offender.
The sentence immediately generated criticism from some DeRidder residents and members of the victim’s family, who argued that the punishment did not adequately reflect the seriousness of the offences.
Some residents described the sentence as far too lenient, particularly because the victim was 16 at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors seek a harsher punishment
Following the sentencing controversy, the Beauregard Parish District Attorney’s Office asked Judge Savoie to reconsider the sentence.
Prosecutors argued that Roberts should face a more severe punishment rather than completing only 90 days behind bars.
The request came after reporting revealed that the judge had relied on a list of more than 30 previous cases when determining the sentence, with those cases having been resolved through plea agreements.
Misty Roberts’ case, however, had gone to a jury trial and ended with guilty verdicts.
Judge admits he made a mistake
At the August 31 hearing, Savoie acknowledged that he had made an error in how he used the previous cases to guide his sentencing decision.
The judge explained that he had asked for examples of similar cases and relied on the information provided to him.
He later acknowledged that his assumption about those cases was wrong because they involved plea deals rather than jury convictions.
Despite acknowledging the mistake, Savoie refused to change Roberts’ sentence.
He also maintained that he did not want to punish Misty Roberts for exercising her constitutional right to a jury trial rather than accepting a plea agreement.
Roberts completes her sentence
With the judge declining to reconsider the original punishment, Misty Roberts remained on track for release after completing her 90-day jail term.
State corrections records confirmed that she was released on September 7.
Her release means she will now serve the remaining conditions attached to her sentence, including supervision, treatment and sex-offender registration.
Violating the conditions of her release could expose her to the suspended prison terms imposed by the court.
Case sparks anger in DeRidder
The decision has continued to fuel debate in DeRidder, where some residents believe the sentence was inadequate.
Local criticism has focused not only on the length of Roberts’ jail term but also on the circumstances surrounding the judge’s sentencing process.
For critics, the fact that prosecutors sought a substantially longer sentence while the final punishment amounted to 90 days has become a major point of concern.
The case has also attracted national attention because Roberts was a public official at the time of the offence.
Roberts apologised at sentencing
During her June sentencing hearing, Misty Roberts expressed remorse and accepted responsibility for her actions.
She apologised to the victim’s family and acknowledged the harm caused by her conduct.
Her apology came after the victim’s mother delivered an emotional impact statement in court and criticised the sentence as inadequate.
The victim’s family has continued to express anger over the punishment and its aftermath.
A controversial chapter comes to an end
Misty Roberts’ release marks the latest development in a case that has raised difficult questions about sentencing, plea agreements, jury trials and accountability for sexual offences involving minors.
Although Roberts has completed her 90-day jail sentence, her legal obligations have not ended.
She remains subject to post-release conditions and sex-offender registration, while violating those conditions could have serious consequences.
The controversy surrounding the case is also unlikely to disappear quickly.
For many residents, the central issue remains whether the punishment imposed adequately reflected the seriousness of the offences for which Roberts was convicted.
For now, however, the court’s decision stands: prosecutors’ attempt to secure a harsher sentence was rejected on August 31, and Misty Roberts was released from custody on September 7 after completing her 90-day term.
