The Democrat mayor of College Park, Maryland, who had served as mayor for eight years, resigned after being charged with 56 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography.
Patrick Wojahn, the openly gay mayor who has lived in College Park for over 17 years with his husband, Dave Kolesar, served as a city councilmember for eight years before serving as mayor.
“On February 17, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified the PGPD that a social media account operating in the county possessed and distributed suspected child pornography,” the Prince George’s County Police Department acknowledged on Thursday. “The image and videos had been uploaded to the social media account in January of 2023. Through various investigative techniques, PGPD investigators discovered the social media account belonged to Wojahn.”
“On February 28, 2023, PGPD detectives served a search warrant at Wojahn’s College Park home,” PGPD continued. “Investigators recovered multiple cell phones, a storage device, a tablet and a computer. Following additional investigation, PGPD obtained criminal charges against Wojahn and investigators took him into custody early this morning.”
“Wojahn is charged with 40 counts of possession of child exploitative material and 16 counts of distribution of child exploitative material,” PGPD concluded. “He is in the custody of the Department of Corrections.”
“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 resignation letter. “I am stepping away to deal with my own mental health.”
Police read Wojahn his Miranda Rights but he waived them, police told the court. They said Wohan told investigators that the Kik account with child porn videos, “skippy_md,” was his.
The City of College Park released a statement after Wojahn’s resignation saying, “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. 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.”
“I have been an advocate — for civil rights for all people, for a sustainable environment, and for stronger communities,” Wojahn wrote on his 2021 campaign website, adding, “I have the skills and experience to make College Park a better place to live.”
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