Youngest mayor in Georgia ousted following misconduct claims - USA Today
City leaders in Georgia have ousted the state's youngest-ever Black mayor after officials alleged he misused thousands in city funds and had "concerning" contact with a teenager.
The Stockbridge City Council, in a 3-0 vote, impeached Jayden Williams, who campaigned for the position while still a student at Clark Atlanta University. He was elected to the seat in Henry County about 10 months ago.
The removal took place in the city about 20 miles southeast of Atlanta, and was formally announced in a Sept. 14 news release on Sept. 14.
"Removing Stockbridge Mayor Jayden William from office was a tough decision," the city's interim Mayor Elton Alexander said in a post on Facebook.
According to an independent investigation, Alexander said Williams allegedly lied about gift cards he said he bought for staff at a restaurant in McDonough, 10 miles south of the city of about 10,000 residents.
Williams later turned in a missing receipt form saying he had lost the receipt, according to Alexander.
The investigation, according to Alexander, found the original receipt, which showed the mayor never purchased the gift cards. Instead, the original receipt showed the mayor's city-issued credit card bought beverages and food totaling more than $322.
In addition, Alexander wrote, the investigation found other spending irregularities totaling thousands of dollars in purchases and fuel card spending since January.
"Also, the inference that potential city employment would be discussed with a high school student seeking mentorship along with explicit text and nude photos involved was concerning," the post reads. "Other concerns were raised by the mayor’s statements contrary to facts obtained by the investigation."
No charges were filed, according to online court records, but the investigation led to Williams' removal from office.
The council named Alexander interim mayor after ousting Williams, according to the city's website.
Williams could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY. But in a post on his official Facebook page, Williams said he met the teen in late November 2025 before he was sworn into office.
"I want to be clear about what actually took place," Williams wrote. "The police report states there was not criminal finding. ... The individual was 18-years-old at the time of our communication ... we were both adults."
Williams had been the 23rd mayor of Stockbridge, making history as the youngest African American mayor in the Peach State.
Alexander said the city has six months to schedule a special election to fill the position.
"Please pray for healing in our city as we move forward together," Alexander wrote, also requesting prayers for Williams.
USA TODAY has reached out to the city for more information.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
