The Stockbridge City Council voted Saturday to remove 23-year-old Mayor Jayden Williams from office after a daylong evidentiary hearing into allegations of misconduct.
The vote followed hours of testimony about the findings of an independent investigation examining alleged financial misconduct, abuse of power and inappropriate communications with a high school student.
Williams has not been charged with a crime. City officials did not immediately release additional details about the council’s decision or the process for his removal. A special election will be held to choose his replacement.
Over the last several months the Stockbridge city council has been involved in a months-long investigation into allegations that Williams in July of misusing thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds. He later faced allegations involving communications with an 18-year-old high school student who told investigators he was enrolled in the city’s youth mentorship program.
In July of 2026, Stockbridge City Council members accused Williams—the city’s youngest mayor—of misusing a city-issued purchasing card and engaging in sexual misconduct. The council subsequently revoked his administrative duties, purchasing card, access to city vehicles and key to City Hall.
Williams, who made history six months ago as the city’s youngest mayor, is now facing serios legal action up to and including removal from office for the alleged charges.
On Aug. 13, a legislative delegation also asked Gov. Brian Kemp to launch an independent investigation into the allegations against Williams.
In July, the city hired an independent, third-party investigator to review the expenditures. Mayor Pro Tem Elton Alexander said the goal is to determine how much money was spent, what it was used for, and whether those expenses were properly authorized.
“The city is booming right now. This should be our time to shine, and now this occurs,” Alexander said. “None of us want to be here.”
Alexander said concerns about Williams’ spending surfaced after information from the city manager’s office raised red flags, prompting the council to act.
Williams has been restricting the mayor’s access to non-public areas, city vehicles, and city funds, including his city-issued credit and fuel cards. The measure also required Williams to return all city property by Monday.
The Stockbridge City Council voted Saturday to remove 23-year-old Mayor Jayden Williams from office after a daylong evidentiary hearing into allegations of misconduct.
The vote followed hours of testimony about the findings of an independent investigation examining alleged financial misconduct, abuse of power and inappropriate communications with a high school student. The latest allegations against Williams involved communications with an 18-year-old high school student who he told investigators he was enrolled in the city’s youth mentorship program.
But the Stockbridge city council’s investigation uncovered a series of questionable behaviors that included:
- Communications moved to Williams’ personal phone just after midnight, where Williams asked about the student’s relationship status and sexual orientation.
- Around 2 a.m., sexually suggestive messages and disappearing photos and videos were exchanged, including explicit photos that Williams admitted to sharing.
- Williams offered the student a city-backed work-study internship and mentorship, while simultaneously asking if they would be “friends with benefits.”
- Williams messaged the student, “THIS BETTER STAY BETWEEN US TOO,” stating they could date privately but maintain a strictly professional mentee relationship in public.
Williams has not been charged with a crime. City officials did not immediately release additional details about the council’s decision or the process for his removal. A special election will be held to choose his replacement.
The council accused Williams in July of misusing thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds.
The city alleged Williams routinely charged personal expenses to his municipal credit card, including:
- $35.79 for movie tickets at AMC Southlake
- $36.02 for a haircut
- $5.78 at Swigz
- Roughly $200 for clothing at Academy Sports
- $63.83 at a Polo Factory Store
- $30 at Sq “Jeweled by Threadz”
- Two Lyft rides ordered while he had an assigned city vehicle checked out
- Over $200 at J. Alexander’s and meals at a Caribbean restaurant in Hampton, which Williams categorized as a “small business spotlight” despite it being outside of Stockbridge.
- $322.92 at Pandora on the Square, listed on expense reports as Father’s Day gift cards for city staff
“I don’t think I have added it up and certainly, if it’s one dollar, the city doesn’t differentiate how much. It’s taxpayer dollars and we’re supposed to be good stewards of the tax payer money,” said Alexander.
