Georgia mayor removed from office just 10 months into his term after the Stockbridge City Council voted to oust 23-year-old Jayden Williams over misuse of city funds and concerns about messages with an 18-year-old student.
The council in the south Atlanta suburb impeached Williams, who took office in January. “The City of Stockbridge confirms that the City Council has taken formal action concerning the Office of Mayor. The Mayor has been removed from office,” the city said Sunday.
Georgia mayor removed over spending probe
Officials said Williams used a city purchasing card for more than $4,000 in personal expenses, including meals, clothing, haircuts and a movie. He also allegedly spent about $2,600 on gas and used a city vehicle for personal purposes, according to records reviewed during the proceedings.
City staff reported the transactions after flagging unusual activity tied to public funds, then alerted management and the city’s legal counsel. Williams testified that he did not intend to charge personal costs to the city, said he later repaid the money and claimed the city-issued card looked similar to his own. He said he replaced the cards to prevent further mix-ups.
Messages with student draw ethical scrutiny
Separately, Williams faced allegations that he exchanged sexually suggestive messages and explicit images with an 18-year-old male high school student. A police report found no criminal violations since the individual is considered an adult under Georgia law. Investigators, however, referred the matter for administrative review due to potential policy and ethical issues involving an elected official and a student in what was described as a city-affiliated mentorship context.
Williams said he met the individual before assuming office and that the student never took part in the city’s “Mayor for a Day” program, which he said is not a mentorship effort. He added that their online communications occurred before he was sworn in this January. “The individual was 18 years old at the time of our communication, meaning we were both adults,” Williams previously stated.
Williams, who campaigned while attending Clark Atlanta University, had become the youngest mayor in Georgia history. As the investigation unfolded, he was stripped of certain official privileges on July 17. Authorities did not file criminal charges related to the allegations.
The council in the south Atlanta suburb impeached Williams, who took office in January. “The City of Stockbridge confirms that the City Council has taken formal action concerning the Office of Mayor. The Mayor has been removed from office,” the city said Sunday.
Williams, who campaigned while attending Clark Atlanta University, had become the youngest mayor in Georgia history. As the investigation unfolded, he was stripped of certain official privileges on July 17. Authorities did not file criminal charges related to the allegations.
