On suspicion of child pornography, the mayor of College Park, Maryland, was taken into custody.
According to a local media station, Mayor Patrick Wojahn, 47, was detained by Prince George’s County police on Thursday morning.
40 counts of possessing child exploitation material and 16 counts of disseminating child exploitation material are brought against him.
In a letter announcing his resignation, Wojahn said he would “cooperate with law enforcement” and did not want the inquiry to interfere with the government’s top priorities.
“A search warrant was used to enter my home on February 28, 2023 as part of an ongoing police investigation. I have fully complied with all requests from law enforcement and will do so going forward “Wojahn sent a letter.
While no official city business is involved in this probe, he stated, “It is in the best interests of our community that I step aside and not act as a distraction.”
Just over 35,000 people live in College Park, which is four miles northeast of the Washington, D.C. city boundaries and where the University of Maryland is situated.
In a statement about Wojahn’s resignation that was published on the College Park website on Thursday, the city expressed its gratitude.
Mayor Patrick L. Wojahn submitted his letter of resignation as mayor of the City of College Park last night after business hours, a statement from the city said. “Mayor Wojahn has been in Council since 2007 and has held this role since 2015. Mayor Wojahn has dedicatedly served the City of College Park for many years, and the city is grateful.”
Denise Mitchell has been named Mayor Pro Tem of College Park, he will oversee administrative operations until a special election is called to replace Wojahn. The College Park City Charter stipulates that the election shall occur within 65 days.
According to local media, Wojahn first gained political notoriety in 2004 when he was named as a plaintiff in a case that aimed to invalidate Maryland’s prohibition on same-sex unions.
In 2015, he won his first term as College Park’s mayor.
