The mayor of College Park, Maryland, has been arrested on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography.
Mayor Patrick Wojahn, 47, was arrested on Thursday morning and faces 56 counts relating to child pornography, according to Prince George’s County Police (PGPD). He resigned from his position as mayor on the night of March 1.
Pete Buttigieg, transportation secretary and former presidential candidate, had been a mentor to Wojahn, as per Fox News.
However, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation told Fox News that Buttigieg “did not know the former Mayor well” and simply met him “a number of times” at various “conferences and political events.”
“[The] allegations against former College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn are extremely disturbing, and we’re thankful local law enforcement has intervened,” the spokesperson added.
A news release from the PGPD said police were alerted of a social media account distributing suspected child pornography on February 17 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
“The image and videos had been uploaded to the social media account in January of 2023,” the statement said. “Through various investigative techniques, PGPD investigators discovered the social media account belonged to Wojahn.”
PGPD detectives searched Wojahn’s home on February 28 and “recovered multiple cell phones, a storage tablet and a computer.”
Wojahn is being charged with 40 counts of possession of child exploitation material and 16 counts of distribution of child exploitation material.
“He is in the custody of the Department of Corrections,” police said. “This remains an open and active investigation.”
The Dallas Express asked the PGPD if there had been any further developments in the case, to which police responded the aforementioned press release was “the latest info on the case.”
Another press release from the City said the municipal government was made aware on Thursday morning of Wojahn’s arrest and the charges against him.
“We are shocked and disturbed by the news; what has come to light in this investigation is a total surprise to us,” the statement said.
The City said Wojahn submitted his letter of resignation as Mayor of the City of College Park on Wednesday night, effective immediately on Thursday.
“I have cooperated fully, and will continue to cooperate, with law enforcement,” Wojahn wrote in his letter. “While this investigation does not involve any official city business of any kind, it is in the best interests of our community that I step aside and not serve as a distraction.”
A special election to elect a new mayor of College Park will be held within 65 days. Meanwhile, Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell will serve as the “presiding officer” of the City.
Patrick Wojahn is politically affiliated with the Democratic Party. From 2010 to 2014, which coincided with his time as a Democratic city councilor, he was a public policy analyst at the National Disability Rights Network.