Revenge porn posted on Reddit leads to charges against Maryland mayor, prosecutors say

Tanasia Kenney
·2 min read

The mayor of a Maryland town is accused of posting sexually explicit photos of an ex-girlfriend on Reddit, state prosecutors said.

Cambridge Mayor Andrew Bradshaw is charged with 50 counts of distributing revenge porn after authorities say he shared intimate photos of a woman with whom he was no longer romantically involved, according to a news release from the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor.

The 32-year-old mayor uploaded the images using different Reddit accounts he created using variations of the woman’s name and birthday, prosecutors said. Charging documents further allege the posts contained racial slurs and vulgar language that were shared in “Subreddit” forums related to humiliation and degradation.

If convicted, Bradshaw faces a maximum two years in prison and a $5,000 fine — for each count, prosecutors said.

The mayor’s office didn’t immediately return McClatchy News’ request for comment on Tuesday, Nov. 16.

“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,” State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard said in a statement.

“Our office is committed to protecting victims from those who abuse their positions of power and trust,” Howard added.

The woman, identified as “Victim-1” in charging documents, contacted authorities in May after discovering intimate photos of herself posted on Reddit. She said Bradshaw was the sole recipient of the images, which she sent when the two were in a relationship, the documents state.

The mayor is accused of uploading the photos to the internet without her knowledge or consent.

Revenge porn is prohibited under Maryland state law and is defined as “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.”

Ballotpedia.org reports that 46 states and Washington, D.C., have passed laws that ban the sharing or production of nonconsensual pornography as of February 2021.

South Carolina, Mississippi, Massachusetts and Wyoming are the only states without a revenge porn law in place.

In a statement posted to the city’s website, Cambridge officials said they were aware of the charges against Bradshaw.

“The city is currently gathering information and will cooperate fully with the Maryland State Police and the Office of the State Prosecutor,” officials wrote, adding that the city’s operations wouldn’t be affected. “As this is an active legal matter, no further comments will be made at this time.”

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