Arkansas Mayor Accused of Inappropriate Messages

The mayor of Earle, Arkansas, who made headlines as the youngest black mayor in U.S. history, is facing allegations of paying a 14-year-old boy to remain silent about inappropriate messages sent via Snapchat.

Jalen Smith, at just 21 years old, is currently under investigation by the Arkansas State Police, who began looking into the situation after a tip from the FBI.

A woman, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that the mayor had met her son at Earle High School in 2024. She claims that he gave her son clothes and money before sending sexual advances through Snapchat messages.

She noted that she had instructed her son to tell the mayor to stop contacting him, but he allegedly continued. Furthermore, she asserts that Smith paid her $500 for her silence. “The mayor paid me $500 not to tell my son, but he ended up telling me,” she remarked.

In response to these allegations, Smith has firmly denied any wrongdoing. “I want to say directly and clearly to the people of Earl: The accusations being reported are false. I am innocent,” he stated. He also mentioned that he had been advised to withhold further comments until a later date.

Additionally, WREG reported that concerns were raised by the Earle School superintendent regarding Smith’s visit to the campus in November 2024. The district’s attorney subsequently sent a letter requesting that he seek permission before visiting again and clarify the purpose of his visits.

Smith’s rise to the mayoral position came quickly, winning the election in 2022 shortly after graduating high school at only 18 years old. As of now, he has not been formally charged with any crimes.

Earle is a small town with a population of about 1,700 residents, situated approximately 30 minutes west of Memphis.