Maryland mayor charged with 50 counts of revenge pornography distribution

(CNN) – The mayor of Cambridge, Maryland, was arrested and charged with 50 counts of distributing revenge pornography, according to a press release from the Maryland State Attorney’s Office.

Court records indicate that Andrew Bradshaw, who took office last January, was arrested Monday and had his first court appearance on the charges.

The complaint, provided by the state attorney’s office, alleges that a victim contacted police in May and said he saw nude photos of her on Reddit, which he said were posted without her consent.

He said, according to the complaint, that he sent the photos to Bradshaw when they were in an “intimate relationship” and that they were no longer in the relationship.

“Using someone’s private images without their consent is a serious breach of trust and an invasion of privacy, and the power and breadth of the Internet makes that breach even more egregious,” said State Attorney Charlton T. Howard. III in a press release announcing the charges. “Our office is committed to protecting victims from those who abuse their positions of power and trust.”

Bradshaw’s attorney has not responded to CNN’s request for comment.

If convicted, Bradshaw faces up to two years in jail and up to $ 5,000 in fines for each count.

The city of Cambridge, which has a population of 12,480, said in a statement posted on its website that it is aware of the charges and is “currently collecting information.”

The city operates a council-administrator form of municipal government and the city administrator is the executive director and the head of the administrative branch.

“The management of the City is not affected,” the statement said.