Former Maryland commerce executive, previously a Hogan aide, sentenced in child pornography case

Mathew Palmer, a former top state government official, was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of distributing child pornography.

Palmer, 44, pleaded guilty in March after authorities found more than 1,000 photos and videos of children on his phone.

He’ll be required to register as a sex offender.

Palmer resigned abruptly from his job as chief operating officer at the Department of Commerce last August. Just a couple months before, he had transferred to the department after working as Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s deputy legislative officer.

Palmer was charged in January with using his computer and his phone to share graphic images and videos of children being sexually abused, including using apps such as Wickr and Kik.

Read more: https://www.baltimoresun.com/politics/bs-md-pol-mathew-palmer-sentenced-20210511-rgmvvu66nrfitpybisxpleasai-story.html