The mayor of College Park, Maryland has been arrested on child pornography charges.
Mayor Patrick Wojahn, 47, was arrested by Prince George’s County police on Thursday morning, according to local outlet Fox 5.
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He is charged with 40 counts of possession of child exploitative material and 16 counts of distributing child exploitative material.
Wojahn issued a letter of resignation Wednesday night in which he stated he will “cooperate with law enforcement” and does not want the investigation to distract from the government’s priorities.
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“On February 28, 2023, a search warrant was executed on my residence as part of an ongoing police investigation. I have cooperated fully, and will continue to cooperate, with law enforcement,” Wojahn wrote in his letter.
He continued, “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.”
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College Park, with just over 35,000 residents, is approximately four miles northeast of the Washington, D.C., city limits and home to the University of Maryland.
The city thanked Wojahn in a statement addressing his resignation posted Thursday to the College Park website.
“Last night, after business hours, Mayor Patrick L. Wojahn submitted his letter of resignation as Mayor of the City of College Park, effective immediately on March 2,” the city statement read. “Mayor Wojahn has served in this position since 2015 and on Council since 2007. The City of College Park thanks Mayor Wojahn for his many years of dedicated service.”
College Park has appointed Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell to preside over government functions until a Special Election is held to replace Wojahn. The election must be held within 65 days, per the College Park City Charter.
Wojahn rose to political prominence in 2004 when he was named as a plaintiff in a lawsuit that sought to overturn Maryland’s ban on same-sex marriage, according to local outlets.
He was first elected mayor of College Park in 2015.