Ex-Maryland mayor known for LGBTQ activism learns sentence after heinous child porn conviction - newsflash.me

A former Maryland mayor and good known LGBTQ activist, convicted earlier this twelvemonth successful a heinous kid pornography case, was sentenced to 30 years successful situation connected Monday. 

Patrick Wojahn, who resigned arsenic politician of College Park, Maryland, connected March 2 earlier his arrest, pleaded blameworthy to 140 charges related to kid pornography arsenic portion of a woody struck pinch prosecutors. He was sentenced to 150 years total, pinch each but 30 years suspended, but still will beryllium eligible for parole successful 7.5 years nether authorities law, The Washington Post reported. The condemnation came aft investigators linked an relationship sharing illicit images to his authorities email address.

"I do consciousness nan remorsefulness," Prince George's County Circuit Court Judge Karen Mason said of Wojahn connected Monday during an affectional proceeding erstwhile prosecutors publication hours of unfortunate effect statements. "And I do cognize you return responsibility."

Authorities opportunity nan 48-year-old uploaded and shared dozens of photos and videos depicting definitive kid activity abuse, including nan rape of prepubescent boys by adults, to societal media apps successful January, The Post reported. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified Prince George’s County Police Department of nan societal media activity successful mid-February.

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Patrick Wojahn was arrested successful March connected dozens of kid porn charges. (Prince George’s County Police Department)

Through their investigation, constabulary wished a societal media relationship pinch nan surface sanction "skippy_md" belonged to Wojahn, FOX 5 DC reported. 

By intends of a subpoena, investigators recovered that Wojahn's College Park authorities email reside was listed arsenic nan betterment email for nan Kik account. Wojahn's telephone number and location IP reside were linked to nan account, according to authorities, who opportunity nan ex-mayor utilized a virtual backstage web to disguise his location erstwhile accessing nan account. 

More definitive images were besides recovered connected nan societal media app Telegram.

Plaintiffs Dave Kolesar, left, and Patrick Wojahn speaking aft nan American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and Equality Maryland property convention to denounce nan Maryland Court of Appeals determination to uphold a authorities rule that bars matrimony protection for same-sex couples successful Baltimore connected Sept. 18, 2007. (Mark Gail/The The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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Court records show Wojahn was indicted successful March by a expansive assemblage connected 80 counts of possessing and intent to administer kid pornography, which were amplified to 140 counts successful May done a superseding indictment. He pleaded blameworthy successful August to each 60 counts of distribution of kid pornography, 40 of possession of kid pornography and 40 of possessing kid pornography pinch nan intent to distribute. Of those kids depicted successful nan hundreds of photos and videos Wojahn possessed and shared, rule enforcement identified 52 kid victims, immoderate of whom are now adults, successful collaboration pinch nan Justice Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program and nan National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Their unfortunate effect statements publication successful tribunal elaborate struggles pinch utmost anxiety, paranoia, mediocre sleep, spot issues and a consciousness of safety, and immoderate said they person been stalked and forced to move their existent families and children of their ain aft being exposed arsenic victims of online kid exploitation. 

Dave Kolesar, left, and Patrick Wojahn, of College Park, who person been together for six years, are depicted extracurricular a Maryland Court of Appeals proceeding aft their same-sex matrimony lawsuit was based on connected Dec. 4, 2006. (Robert A. Reeder/The The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The judge cited Wojahn's ain past arsenic a unfortunate of intersexual maltreatment and besides heard declarations of support from 16 group successful nan courtroom who said astir Wojahn’s history of nationalist work earlier deciding to mention nan erstwhile politician to nan Patuxent Institution, a treatment-oriented maximum-security prison successful Maryland.

Wojahn himself addressed nan courtroom Monday to apologize. 

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"I cognize I contributed to that, and I’m deeply, profoundly sorry … I admit nan harm I person caused," he said, according to nan Post. 

"I want to beryllium nan personification they cognize maine to be," he said to nan community, earlier addressing his husband, "I emotion you, too, very much."

Wojahn, a staunch LGBTQ advocator and postgraduate of Georgetown University Law School who joined a suit pinch his now-husband against nan authorities of Maryland successful 2006 to make matrimony a correct for same-sex couples successful nan state, had served connected nan College Park City Council for 8 years until he was elected politician successful November 2015. He served successful that domiciled for 7 years until his resignation earlier this year.