Biermann ran on a platform of “protecting our children” while seeking another term as mayor of tiny University Park, Md., before abandoning his run earlier this year.
Joel Biermann, the Democrat former mayor of University Park, a town of roughly 2,500 in Prince George’s County, MD, is in jail after being arrested Wednesday on 28 counts related to the possession and distribution of child sex abuse material (CSAM), officials said.
The bearded Biermann, 46, was arrested on Monday as a result of an FBI search warrant at his home. FBI officials seized tens of thousands of images of child sex abuse material.
He is now held without bond on 22 misdemeanor charges and six felony charges.
Investigators allege in the filings that Biermann kept “approximately 45,000 suspected child pornography files” on a hard drive in his bedroom. At least some of the images, investigators alleged, showed young boys engaged in sex acts with adults. Investigators also found more than 4,500 chat messages from early 2021 to late 2023 between Biermann and a person outside the country “who produced sexually explicit material of minors in exchange for payment,” the filings state.
“The allegations and evidence seized during the execution of the search warrant are both repugnant and extremely disturbing,” a statement from Prince George’s County’s Office of the State’s Attorney said. “Additionally, they serve as proof that he is a continued danger to the community.”
