Former DOE official accused of stealing luggage pleads to misdemeanor theft count
A former Department of Energy official pleaded no contest Wednesday to a misdemeanor count of theft in connection with stealing luggage at Harry Reid International Airport last year.
Samuel Brinton was ordered to pay $3,670.74 in victim restitution and to stay out of trouble. A 180-day jail sentence was suspended, according to Las Vegas Justice Court records.
A warrant for the arrest of the then-deputy assistant secretary of the Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition was issued in December after Las Vegas police investigated the theft of a woman’s bag in July.
The victim told police the luggage was filled with jewelry, makeup, contact lenses, toiletries and clothing, according to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest warrant.
Police were not able to identify Brinton as the person on video surveillance picking up the luggage until a Metro officer saw a news article that named Brinton as a suspect in a Sept. 16 incident at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
Brinton posted $15,000 bail in December after an initial appearance in court.
Brinton’s attorney Michael Becker declined to comment Wednesday.
Contact David Wilson at dwilson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @davidwilson_RJ on Twitter.
