BRENTWOOD, N.H. — New Hampshire Sheriff Mark Brave, who faced charges of theft, perjury, and falsifying evidence, has resigned from his position. Prosecutors have subsequently withdrawn their request to revoke his bail. Brave, the youngest sheriff and the first African American man to serve in his role across the state, made his resignation effective immediately, as stated in his letter. The 38-year-old sheriff had pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year.
The allegations against Brave involve the alleged embezzlement of $19,000 in county funds. It is claimed that he used his county credit card for personal trips masquerading as business meetings. On top of that, Brave is accused of lying about these expenses to a grand jury. He was arrested in August and has been on administrative leave since then.
In his resignation letter, Brave expressed his pride in being the high sheriff of Strafford County and the opportunity to serve as the first African American man in that role in New Hampshire. He also mentioned his intention to fight the allegations against him and serve the people again in the future. Brave’s attorney delivered the announcement of his resignation during a scheduled court hearing on Tuesday.
Prosecutors had initially sought to have Brave’s bail revoked after learning that he had been living in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, instead of Dover, New Hampshire, in violation of his court orders. It was discovered that he had only been allowed to leave New Hampshire for his daughter’s school matters in Massachusetts. Furthermore, prosecutors alleged that Brave had lied about his financial situation in order to obtain a court-appointed attorney, although he now has his own legal representation. With the resignation, prosecutors decided to drop the bail revocation motion and travel restrictions.
Prosecutor Joe Fincham clarified that the allegations against Brave would be more appropriately addressed through potential criminal charges or a motion of contempt rather than a bail revocation. Brave is due to appear in court on January 30 for further proceedings.
Brave, a Democrat who was elected in 2020, maintains his innocence and claims that his spending was not intended to deceive the county or its residents. He has also argued that the allegations against him are politically and racially motivated. However, the county commissioners, all of whom are fellow Democrats, have denied these claims.
The resignation of Sheriff Mark Brave brings an end to his tenure and allows him to focus on addressing the charges against him. The case will continue to unfold as it moves through the court system, with Brave’s next court appearance scheduled for next year.
