Ex-Maryland mayor avoids prison time in revenge porn plea deal admitting he put ex-girlfriend's nudes online

A former Maryland mayor will avoid prison time in a revenge porn case as part of a plea deal that involved him admitting that he posted naked photos of an ex-girlfriend online. 

Andrew Bradshaw, who stepped down as mayor of Cambridge, Maryland, in January amid the scandal, pleaded guilty on Monday to five counts of distributing revenge porn in violation of Maryland’s Revenge Porn Statue, Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced.

Dorchester County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Ross gave Bradshaw to a total five years and five days of incarceration sentence, all suspended, meaning he will avoid imprisonment so long as certain conditions are met. He was also sentenced to a total three years’ supervised probation, and fines totaling $5,000. 

MARYLAND MAYOR CRIMINALLY CHARGED FOR POSTING REVENGE PORN 

The conditions of his probation include paying restitution to the victim in the amount of $750 and performing 100 hours of community service. For each of the five counts, the judge sentenced him to one year and one day of incarceration, all suspended, three years’ supervised probation, and a $1,000 fine.

"Anyone who abuses the trust and confidence of another to degrade and humiliate them, particularly through the use of a forum as powerful and pervasive as the Internet, must be held accountable.  Such actions are especially egregious when committed by an individual holding a public leadership role of power and authority," Howard said in a statement. "Our office is committed to seeking justice for victims of abuse and breach of both public and personal trust."

According to the statement of facts accompanying the plea, a female complainant reported to law enforcement that she discovered nude photographs of herself posted to the public website REDDIT.com. 

The victim informed law enforcement that she had taken and sent the photographs to only one person, Bradshaw, and that they were posted without her knowledge or consent. She also disclosed that the photos were transmitted to Bradshaw during a romantic relationship with him that had since ended. 

Investigators discovered that Bradshaw had made numerous public posts to specific subordinate Reddit, also known as subreddit, accounts that contained at least 10 "unique visual representations" of the victim, with the victim’s intimate parts exposed, and that numerous posts contained language "that was related to humiliation and degradation." 

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When interviewed, Bradshaw admitted to law enforcement agents that he created the REDDIT accounts and posted the victim's nude photographs. Bradshaw subsequently resigned his position as mayor.