A Maryland mayor could spend the rest of his life in prison after prosecutors say he posted nude photos of his ex without her consent in Reddit forums devoted to humiliation and racial degradation.
Cambridge mayor Andrew Bradshaw, 32, was charged with 50 counts of distributing revenge porn on Monday, according to the state prosecutor's office.
Between April 3 and May 20, he posted nude pictures of his ex-girlfriend on Reddit forums with incendiary captions like, 'The kind of body black men love,' and, 'I post my t****** on reddit to get attention and to get off.'
Bradshaw, a Republican, became the youngest mayor of Cambridge - about 2 hours east of Washington, DC - when he was elected back in January.
He was released without posting bail on Monday and faces a maximum of 100 year in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted on all counts.
Prosecutors say Bradshaw's conduct violates Maryland's Revenge Porn Statute, which prohibits 'the nonconsensual distribution of a private visual representation of another which exposes their intimate body parts or displays them engaged in sexual activity, with the intent to harm, harass, intimidate, threaten or coerce the person depicted.'
The victim, named only as VICTIM-1, told authorities about the posts on May 14, saying they were posted without her consent and that Bradshaw was the only person she sent the photos to.
Bradshaw currently lives with a partner, according to his city biography.
The posts were made on various subreddits, or dedicated forums, related to sex, humiliation, degradation and race, prosecutors say. They came from accounts that contained the victim's name and birthday in the username, making it possible that someone could have identified her.
Prosecutors say the posts traced back to an IP address that services Bradshaw's home.
'Using someone’s private images without their consent is a serious breach of trust and invasion of privacy, and the power and breadth of the internet makes such a violation even more egregious,' said State Prosecutor Charlton Howard in statement.
'Our office is committed to protecting victims from those who abuse their positions of power and trust.'
Bradshaw faces a maximum of two years in prison and a $5,000 for each count, adding up to 100 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if he's convicted of all counts.
His charging document shows the language the mayor used in the racially-charged posts seen by investigators, which date to a period of just seven weeks between April 3 and May 20.
'Chubby white girl looking for a [redacted] daddy to message with,' one post read, along with a photo of the victim's 'intimate parts exposed.'
Prosecutors say Bradshaw violated Maryland's Revenge Porn Statute in the Reddit posts dated between April 3 and May 20. He faces 100 years in prison if convicted of all counts
Bradshaw will remain the mayor of Cambridge, which has a population of about 12,260, while city leaders meet to determine what to do while he's prosecuted
'F***** a [redacted] for the 1st time last night- I'm still smiling this morning from the orgasms he gave me,' Bradshaw also wrote, according to prosecutors.
Another post read: 'I've been posting pics of my t***** on reddit to get used by guys as their personal online slut.'
Bradshaw was released on his own recognizance, meaning he didn't have to post bail, after appearing in Dorchester County Circuit Court on Monday.
Local news outlets previously reported that his office had been raided back in August, but it was not known why.
Bradshaw will continue to serve as Cambridge's mayor for the time being.
Acting city manager David Deutsch said the city’s commissioners will be meeting with the city attorney 'shortly' to see 'what options exist and if any action needs to be taken,' according to the Baltimore Sun.
They're likely to meet before the next official meeting in mid-December, he said.
Bradshaw is a lifelong resident of the Cambridge area and became the youngest mayor in the city's history back in January, according to his city biography.
He attended Pennsylvania State University, where he wrote for the local newspaper and interned at the legislative office of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.
After graduating, he worked at the family business, a body shop.
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