Former Strafford County Sheriff Takes Plea Deal, Escapes Jail Time, For Now

CONCORD, NH — A former rising star in the Democratic Party has fallen from grace after admitting he stole nearly $19,000 and lied on reimbursement claims to pay for trips, hotel rooms, meals, and a dinner cruise with a paramour.

Mark Brave, 39, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty Thursday in Merrimack County Superior Court to theft by deception, falsifying physical evidence, and two perjury charges, all felonies. In August 2023, he was arrested after being accused of misusing country funds and falsifying evidence. He stole $18,969.01 to finance personal trips to Boston, Massachusetts, and Florida, as well as rooms and meals. He also altered a receipt to hide the identity of a woman with him. Brave lied to a grand jury about fabricating an event attendance where he claimed to be meeting with a Representative of Congress and denied a woman was with him at the time.

“He also misrepresented a Florida trip involving a female employee and initially claimed a Boston trip was for a charity fundraiser, later admitting it was for a dinner cruise with a paramour,” Michael Garrity, the director of communications for the attorney general’s office, said.

Originally, he was charged with 13 counts.

As part of the plea deal, Garrity said Brave was sentenced to three-and-a-half to seven years for the theft and evidence charges, all suspended for seven years. As part of the deal, he must pay restitution to the county, surrender any and all law enforcement certifications, be placed on the national registry of decertified officers, be placed on the New Hampshire Exculpatory Evidence Schedule (the Laurie List) without contention, and refrain from seeking or accepting employment as a law enforcement officer in any jurisdiction.

While Brave has suspended sentences for the theft cases, he still faces anywhere from seven to 14 years in prison and fines up to $8,000 on perjury charges. Garrity said he will be sentenced on those charges in Strafford County Superior Court sometime during the next 90 days.

“Pursuant to the plea agreement,” he said, “sentencing for the charges of perjury will be left to the discretion of the court, with both the state and the defendant allowed to present arguments for an appropriate sentence.”

Brave, formerly of Dover, was elected the first Black sheriff in New Hampshire’s history in 2020. In 2022, he was unopposed for reelection. He was considered an up-and-comer on the political scene in the state before his arrest.

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