CAMBRIDGE, Md.- Cambridge Mayor Andrew Bradshaw has been charged with 50 counts of distributing revenge porn, Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced Monday.
The criminal information filed Monday in Dorchester County Circuit Court for Dorchester County, alleges that Bradshaw, 32, created multiple accounts on the public internet forum “Reddit," employing public usernames consisting of permutations of the name and birthdate of a person, identified as VICTIM-1, who had a past romantic relationship with Bradshaw.
The charging document alleges that in April and May of 2021, Bradshaw posted nude photographs of VICTIM-1, captioned with racial slurs and sexually explicit language, on those “Reddit” accounts and various “Subreddit” forums that were related to sexual activity, humiliation, degradation, race, and other topics. The charging document further alleges Bradshaw disseminated the images without the knowledge or consent of VICTIM-1, and with the intent to harm her.
Maryland’s Revenge Porn Statute, Maryland Criminal Law Article § 3-809, 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.
If convicted of the charges, all of which are misdemeanors, Bradshaw would face a maximum penalty of two years’ incarceration and a $5,000 fine for each count. Bradshaw was served with an arrest warrant on Monday and released on bond.
“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 Howard. “Our office is committed to protecting victims from those who abuse their positions of power and trust.”
The Office of the State Prosecutor acknowledged Maryland State Police and the Easton Police Department for their collaboration in this effort.
A copy of the charging document can be found here.
Bradshaw has been mayor of Cambridge since December 2020. There is no word yet on what action the city commissioners will take in response to to Bradshaw's arrest.