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The former mayor of College Park pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of possession and distribution of child pornography, and as part of the plea, agreed to a sentence of 30 years.
Patrick Wojahn, 47, pleaded guilty to 60 counts of distribution of child pornography, 40 counts of possession of child pornography and 40 counts of possession of child pornography with the intent to distribute, according to a press release from the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted the Prince George’s County Police Department that a social media account in the county “possessed and distributed suspected child pornography,” back in mid-February. Investigators found that the account was connected to Wojahn.
Police then searched Wojahn’s home and recovered multiple cellphones, a storage device, a tablet and a computer. He was arrested on March 2 following the search.
“This is a horrific case,” State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy wrote in an emailed statement. “I am truly pleased that Mr. Wojahn has pled guilty and accepted responsibility for his actions and these horrendous crimes. As a former elected official, the College Park community put its faith and support in him to serve each resident and their best interests. Instead, he let them down in a most disgraceful way.”
Wojahn had been mayor of College Park since 2015, but resigned before he was arrested. He also served on the City Council since 2007 prior to being mayor.
“I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to our police department and national partners for their diligent work and relentless efforts in investigating and pursuing the leads that brought us to this point. Our children are both precious and vulnerable, deserving of the utmost protection,” Braveboy wrote.
penelope.blackwell@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Penelope Blackwell is a Breaking News reporter with The Banner. Previously, she covered local government in Durham, NC, for The News & Observer. She received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Morgan State University and her master’s in journalism from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
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