Local police this week arrested the now-former mayor of College Park, Maryland, on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography, according to Newsmax.

Patrick Wojahn, 47, has been charged with 40 counts of possession of child pornography and 16 counts of distribution of child pornography. He was first elected mayor as a Democrat in 2015, having previously served on the city council since 2007. Wojahn submitted his resignation on Wednesday night and was arrested on Thursday morning, according to a press release from the city.

The statement adds that the city council was “shocked and disturbed” by Wojahn’s arrest, and said that “what has come to light in this investigation is a total surprise to us.”

In his resignation letter, Wojahn did not admit to any wrongdoing, but said that “it is in the best interests of our community that I step aside and not serve as a distraction.”

This arrest marks about a dozen then-current or former mayors who have been charged with child sex crimes since 2021.

Just this year, Ted Tomaszewski, the former Republican mayor of Mansfield Township, New Jersey, was charged with child endangerment, luring, and sexual assault; and Spencerville, Ohio mayor Phil Briggs resigned last month after being accused of secretly recording the teenage daughters of his girlfriend as they changed clothes.