Former Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave agreed to a plea deal over allegations he stole county funds and more. It will see him behind bars for up to seven years, according to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
A former New Hampshire sheriff accused of stealing $19,000 in county funds agreed to a plea deal Thursday morning.
Mark Brave pleaded guilty in Merrimack County Superior Court to felony charges of theft by deception, falsifying physical evidence, and perjury, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office said Thursday.
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Brave, who is the former Strafford County sheriff, was first arrested and charged in August 2023 and was placed on administrative leave. He resigned as sheriff in December 2023, when he was indicted.
Prosecutors said that Brave stole nearly $19,000 by submitting reimbursement claims for personal expenses, including trips to Florida and Boston. The fake claims included payments for airfare, hotel stays, and meals. He also altered receipts, trying to hide the identity of a woman he was with in some instances.
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When Brave testified before a grand jury, he lied, pretending to attend certain events, claiming he was meeting with a U.S. congressman, and lying about having a female companion. Prosecutors said he claimed he traveled to Boston for a charity fundraiser, then later admitted he went for a dinner cruise with a "paramour."
As part of the plea deal Brave will be sentenced to three and a half to seven years in prison for the theft by deception and falsifying evidence charges, to be suspended for seven years pending good behavior. If imposed, the sentence will served consecutively with whatever he is sentenced for perjury, which will be at the discretion of the court. The maximum penalty for the perjury charges is seven to 14 years in prison and fines of up to $8,000.
Brave will have to pay $18,969 in restitution to Strafford County, surrender his law enforcement certifications, be placed on a national registry of decertified officers, and will be prohibited from seeking or accepting employment as a law enforcement officer anywhere. He will also not contest placement on the New Hampshire Exculpatory Evidence Schedule, which lists officers who have engaged in misconduct.
The perjury sentencing is set to take place in 90 days at Strafford County Superior Court.
