Sam Brinton, deputy assistant secretary of spent nuclear fuel for the U.S. Department of Energy, has been placed on a leave of absence after being charged with a felony for allegedly stealing a woman’s luggage off an airport carousel.
Before being hired in June, Brinton, 35, worked for the Trevor Project, a non-profit LGBTQ organization focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth.
Airport surveillance footage appears to show Brinton leaving baggage claim at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport on September 16 with the allegedly stolen, navy blue Vera Bradley suitcase in tow.
Court documents claim Brinton removed the bag’s identification tag, concealed it in a handbag, and then “left the area at a quick pace.”
The luggage owner was shown a digital still of surveillance footage and confirmed the suitcase was hers. She estimated both the bag and its contents were worth $2,325.
When questioned by police about stealing the bag, Brinton initially denied the allegations and claimed ownership of the clothing inside the luggage.
“If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have clothes for another individual. [Those were] my clothes when I opened the bag,” Brinton told investigators.
However, two hours later, Brinton allegedly called officials to admit “not [being] completely honest” and insisted stealing the luggage was an accident due to exhaustion. However, flight records appear to show that Brinton never checked a bag for the flight.
Brinton then told police about apparently realizing the mishap after arriving at the Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront Hotel. Upon discovering the bag’s contents, Brinton allegedly stuffed the clothes into a hotel room drawer. However, the hotel stated none of the items were found.
Other airport surveillance appeared to have shown Brinton carrying the allegedly stolen luggage on a departing flight back to Washington, D.C., on September 18.
When Brinton was asked by investigators about apparently continuing to travel with another person’s bag, Brinton reportedly explained leaving just the clothes in the hotel room by saying it would have been “weirder” to leave the bag as well.
On October 9, Brinton was also allegedly seen in airport surveillance footage carrying the blue luggage following a return flight from Europe.
Brinton was charged with felony theft of a moveable property without consent. If convicted, the accused could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Following the arrest, Brinton was placed on a leave of absence.
“Sam Brinton is on leave from DOE, and Dr. Kim Petry is performing the duties of deputy assistant secretary of spent fuel and waste disposition,” explained an energy department spokesperson.