A Democratic Maryland mayor was arrested Thursday morning on child porn charges.
College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn, 47, was arrested and charged with 40 counts of possession of child exploitative material and 16 counts of distribution of child exploitative material, according to Prince George’s County Police Department.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contacted authorities Feb. 17 about a social media account pinged in the county that had child porn that had been uploaded an early as January 2023. Authorities were then able to discovered the social media account belonged to Wojahn. (RELATED: Former Youth Pastor Nabbed In Child Porn Ring Sentenced To 60 Years: US Attorney’s Office)
Detectives arrested and charged 47-year-old Patrick Wojahn with 56 counts of possession & distribution of child pornography. https://t.co/Dn9H1kzkh9 pic.twitter.com/TlspmoUmyl
— PGPDNEWS (@PGPDNews) March 2, 2023
Police executed a search warrant Feb. 28 and authorities found “multiple cell phones, a storage device, a tablet and a computer.”
Wojhan has been in office since 2015.
In a resignation letter, Wojhan acknowledged a search warrant was executed and said he has and will continue to fully cooperate with authorities.
“Many of you have already reached out with well wishes and thoughts, and I am eternally grateful,” Wojhan said. “I am stepping away to deal with my own mental health. I ask that you continue to keep me and my family in your prayers.”
Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell will serve in the interim until a new mayor is elected in a special election, which must occur within the next 65 days.