The mayor of College Park, Maryland has been arrested and charged with 56 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography.
The City of College Park said in a statement on Thursday it was "made aware this morning of former Mayor Patrick Wojahn’s arrest by Prince George’s County Police and the charges that have been filed."
The statement said, "We are shocked and disturbed by the news; what has come to light in this investigation is a total surprise to us. The city knows that this news is distressing and difficult for our community, and we encourage our residents to seek any help they feel necessary to work through this trying time."
The investigation by police is still considered active and ongoing, officials confirmed.
On Thursday, after the 47-year-old resigned, the City of College Park released the following statement: "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."
The now former mayor's resignation was made "effective immediately."
The city announced that Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell will serve in the role until a special election can be held to swear in a new mayor.
On Feb. 17, according to the Baltimore Banner, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities to a social media account that “possessed and distributed suspected child pornography,” citing police information.
Fox5DC reported that investigators said they were able to link the social media account to Wojahn because he used his government email address as a recovery email for the account.