Connect with us

Maryland

Man charged with ‘groomer’ vandalism arrested in child porn case

Move came eight months after police seized laptop during search of home

Published

on

Charles Sutherland (Photo courtesy of the Prince George's County Police Department)

A Takoma Park, Md., man who was arrested last June on two counts of hate-related destruction of property for allegedly spray painting the word ā€œgroomerā€ on two public library buildings he told police were supportive of the LGBTQ community was arrested again on Feb. 3 for possession of child pornography.

According to charging documents filed in the District Court of Maryland in Rockville, Montgomery County police charged Charles M. Sutherland, 31, with six counts of misdemeanor possession of child pornography.

The charging documents state that the latest arrest is based on information obtained by police at the time Sutherland was charged last June in the spray-painting incident. At that time, the documents state, Sutherland waived his Miranda rights to remain silent, admitting to the vandalism allegations, and consented to a search of his residence.

The charging documents state that inside his apartment at 116 Lee Ave. in Takoma Park, police ā€œobserved numerous diapers, childrenā€™s dolls, and a child sized doll in the bed of Sutherland.ā€ One of the charging documents adds, ā€œAccording to Sutherland he has no children or nieces or nephews. Sutherland also stated that he had images consistent with child pornography on a laptop in his residence.ā€

That admission by Sutherland prompted Prince Georgeā€™s County police to obtain a search warrant that enabled them to locate and seize the laptop, the charging document says. For reasons not explained, the charging document says it took until Jan. 11, 2023, about seven months, for a digital forensic examination of the laptop to be completed.

It says that on Jan. 31, P.G. County police arranged for a Montgomery County police detective to view video files and other images on the laptop that had been taken from Sutherlandā€™s apartment. The charging document says most of the files consist of video images of aĀ ā€œprepubescent femaleā€™s vagina displayed as a focal point.ā€ It says one of the files consists of anĀ ā€œimage of prepubescent male with buttocks displayed.ā€

The online docket for the Maryland District Court for Montgomery County says a judge ordered Sutherland held without bond at the time he appeared in court for a bond hearing on March 1. 

WTOP News has reported that Sutherland is a librarian who at the time of his first arrest for vandalism last June had been working at Northview Elementary School in Bowie, Md. The school system has said Southerland was placed on administrative leave at that time. 

Court records show that a jury trial on the vandalism charges for Sutherland was scheduled for Aug. 8, 2023.

Neither Sutherland nor his attorney could be immediately reached for comment.

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Maryland

At transgender visibility celebration, Moore called out for lack of action

Trans Maryland Founding Executive Director Lee Blinder criticized governor at event

Published

on

Lee Blinder, founding executive director of Trans Maryland, speaks to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore during a ceremony for the International Day for Transgender Visibility. Blinder called out the governor for not backing up his words with action.Ā (Photo by Jessica Gallagher for the Baltimore Banner)

By PAMELA WOOD | In a ceremonial room at the historic State House on International Transgender Day of Visibility, Lee Blinder stepped to a lectern and did something rare: They called out Gov. Wes Moore for failing to back up his words with action.

Over the course of five minutes, Blinder laid out how the Democratic governor has let down transgender Marylanders by not putting money in the budget and not backing needed policy changes.

ā€œWe know who you, Gov. Moore, can be for us. And I am begging you to do it,ā€ Blinder said.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Continue Reading

Maryland

HHS cuts millions in grants to Hopkins and University of Maryland, Baltimore

Federal government cites diversity focus as reason

Published

on

The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, both face new cuts to NIH grant fundingĀ (Photo by Ulysses MuƱoz for the Baltimore Banner)

By MEREDITH COHN | At least two dozen research grants at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and Johns Hopkins University have been terminated by the federal government in recent weeks amid President Donald Trumpā€™s executive orders targeting diversity efforts.

Alex Likowski, a spokesman for the University of Maryland, Baltimore, said on Tuesday that the combined value of its 12 canceled contracts was $5.87 million this year, with an anticipated future funding loss of $11.6 million.

ā€œIn nearly every instance, the reason cited for cancellation is that the grant involves gender identity issues or promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion,ā€ said Likowski.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Continue Reading

Maryland

Former College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn disbarred

One-time official serving 30-year prison sentence for child pornography possession, distribution

Published

on

Patrick Wojahn (Mugshot courtesy of the Prince George's County Police Department)

Patrick Wojahn, the former mayor of College Park who resigned after law enforcement executed a search and seizure warrant and discovered a ā€œvery large quantityā€ of child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, has agreed to be disbarred in Maryland.

Wojahn, 49, a Democrat who served as mayor from 2015 to 2023, later pleaded guilty in Prince Georgeā€™s County Circuit Court to 140 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 30 years in prison ā€” plus five years of probation.

In an order on Friday, Maryland Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader granted a joint petition for disbarment by consent and noted that Wojahn agreed that his actions constituted professional misconduct.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Sign Up for Weekly E-Blast

Follow Us @washblade

Advertisement

Popular