McCauley

BUCKHANNON — A former Buckhannon mayor has resigned from City Council after being arrested and charged on child pornography charges.

David Walter McCauley, 66, resigned from his position on Buckhannon City Council Tuesday. He was arrested and indicted on Oct. 2 by a federal grand jury on two counts of production and one count of possession of child pornography.

McCauley, who was the mayor of Buckhannon from 2016 to 2020, was serving a four-year-term in the Buckhannon City Council, a post he was elected to in 2022.

Court records have confirmed that he is currently being held in Northern Regional Jail without bond. A trial date has yet to be released.

The announcement of his resignation was made on the City of Buckhannon’s Facebook account on Tuesday evening.

“This afternoon, David McCauley submitted his resignation from Buckhannon City Council effective immediately,” the post read. “Mayor Robbie Skinner has accepted his resignation on behalf of the Council, and City of Buckhannon.”

During the Oct. 3 City Council meeting, Skinner announced that he would be calling a special meeting to ask City Council to adopt a formal resolution of impeachment and removal of office for McCauley. However, due to McCauley stepping down, the city says that is no longer required.

“As a result of this action, it is no longer necessary for the City to embark on the lengthy process of removing Mr. McCauley from office,” the post read. “This matter is now closed, and we can move on as City Council and as a community. Thank you.”

The indictment against McCauley alleges he enticed a 17-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct for photo and video production, and that McCauley knowingly possessed illegal images on his computer.

McCauley faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison for each of the production charges and up to 10 years on the possession charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Police Department and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

On Sept. 30, 2022, FBI agents and representatives of the Pittsburgh Police Department and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of McCauley’s home. It was reported at the time that the FBI had taken items out of the home.