A rising political star in Georgia has now reportedly come crashing down after a city council vote stripped him of office over allegations he sent sexually explicit messages to a high school student and blew thousands of taxpayer dollars on personal purchases.
Stockbridge Mayor Jayden Williams, just 23 years old, was removed from office Saturday after serving a mere 10 months in the role. Williams had made headlines as one of the youngest mayors in Georgia history, elected as a non-partisan candidate and sworn in as the second-youngest mayor in state history.
But the city council’s investigation uncovered a trail of troubling text messages between Williams and an 18-year-old male high school student. What allegedly began with Williams offering to be the student’s “mentor” quickly spiraled into explicit territory, with the mayor reportedly asking whether the teen had “ever had sexual relations with a guy.”
According to a local ABC affiliate, the two allegedly exchanged photos and videos using a disappearing-image feature on Instagram, often accompanied by heart and drooling-face emojis. In one exchange, Williams allegedly typed in all capital letters: “THIS BETTER STAY BETWEEN US TOO.”
Williams told the council he couldn’t “recall” whether the messages included nude images of himself but conceded they were “explicit.” Because the student was above Georgia’s legal age of consent, Williams faces no criminal charges over the texts.
But the sexting scandal wasn’t the only reason for his ouster. City investigators say Williams also racked up roughly $4,000 in personal expenses on the city’s dime — including haircuts, dinners, clothing, and even a trip to the movies. On top of that, he allegedly spent another $2,600 fueling a city vehicle for personal errands.
Williams insisted he never intended to misuse public funds and claimed he’d reimbursed much of it. He also said he was never given a copy of the city’s ethics and purchasing policy when he took office.
The council wasn’t buying it. His attorney, Robert Kenner, argued there’s a difference between an honest misunderstanding and removal from office — but the council disagreed, voting him out.
The case has become the latest cautionary tale about vetting young, inexperienced candidates thrust suddenly into positions of public trust and taxpayer money.
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