Former Mayor of College Park, Maryland, Patrick Wojahn, has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse imagery, under a plea deal that includes a 30-year prison sentence, according to prosecutors. Wojahn, 47, was arrested in March and pleaded guilty to multiple charges involving the distribution, possession, and possession with intent to distribute such imagery. As part of the agreement, Wojahn will serve 30 years of a 150-year prison sentence, with the remaining years suspended. He will be eligible to apply for parole after seven and a half years. The judge will sentence him on November 20.
After his release, Wojahn will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years and serve five years of probation. Aisha Braveboy, the Prince George’s County state’s attorney, described the case as “horrific” in a news release and expressed disappointment in Wojahn’s betrayal of the community’s trust. Wojahn’s lawyer, David Moyse, did not comment on the guilty plea.
The investigation into Wojahn began in February when the police received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, stating that an account on the social media app Kik had possessed and transmitted child sexual abuse images. Investigators determined that the account belonged to Wojahn and that he had uploaded such imagery in January. A raid was conducted at his home, resulting in the seizure of phones, a storage device, a tablet, and a computer.
The night before his arrest, Wojahn, who had been mayor of College Park since 2015 and previously served on its City Council for eight years, submitted a resignation letter citing the need to focus on his mental health. The charges against him came as a shock to the College Park community, which is home to roughly 34,000 people and the University of Maryland.
Andrew Fellows, Wojahn’s predecessor as mayor, expressed disbelief at the charges, stating that there was nothing to suggest such behavior. Fellows acknowledged Wojahn’s contributions, including his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and support for progressive causes such as advocating for same-sex marriage. Wojahn also supported a formal apology from the city in 2020 for its history of oppression in a Black neighborhood.