The Stockbridge City Council has removed Mayor Jayden Williams from office, just 10 months after he took the job as the youngest elected mayor in Georgia history.
“The City of Stockbridge confirms that the City Council has taken formal action concerning the Office of Mayor,” the city said in a statement on Sunday. “The Mayor has been removed from office.”
Williams, who recently turned 23, was impeached by the council following two separate sets of allegations: that he misused city funds and that he exchanged sexually suggestive messages and images with an 18-year-old high school student.
Spending questions
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Williams was accused of using his city purchasing card for more than $4,000 in personal expenses, including restaurant meals, clothing, haircuts and a movie. He also reportedly spent $2,600 on gas and used a city vehicle for personal purposes.
The spending came to light after city workers noticed unusual transactions involving public funds and alerted management and the city’s legal team.
Williams has said he did not intend to use city funds for personal expenses and later repaid the money, according to Fox 5. He said the city-issued card looked similar to his personal card and that he later replaced the cards to avoid further confusion.
Messages with a former student
Separately, Williams was accused of exchanging sexually suggestive messages and explicit images with an 18-year-old male high school student.
A police report found that Williams did not commit any criminal violations, since the student was considered an adult under Georgia law. Police did refer the matter for administrative review over potential policy and ethical concerns tied to an elected official’s interactions with a student, in what investigators described as a city-affiliated mentorship program, according to Fox 5.
Williams has said he met the individual before taking office and that the student never took part in the city’s
