In a stunning turn of events, Sam Brinton, the controversial former senior Department of Energy (DOE) official, has found himself in hot water once again. Late Wednesday night, Maryland police arrested Brinton as a “fugitive from justice,” adding another chapter to an already tumultuous saga.
According to reliable county records reviewed by Fox News Digital, Brinton was apprehended in Rockville, Maryland. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Police, the leading law enforcement agency for the Washington, D.C., area airports, revealed that this arrest is directly linked to the theft of airport luggage—marking the third criminal case involving Brinton.
A spokesperson for the MWAA, James Johnson, shed light on the situation, stating, “Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police executed a search warrant on May 17 in Montgomery County, Maryland, regarding allegations of stolen property in luggage from Reagan National Airport that was brought to the department’s attention in February 2023.”
In a joint effort with the Montgomery County Police, Samuel Otis Brinton, a 35-year-old resident of Rockville, Maryland, was apprehended and is currently being held pending charges of Grand Larceny. The swift action taken by law enforcement highlights the severity of the situation.
Adding fuel to the fire, a witness claiming to be Brinton’s neighbor provided an exclusive interview to The Daily Wire, who initially reported the arrest. According to the witness, Brinton was taken into custody shortly after the arrival of four unmarked police cars. Montgomery County Police Department spokesperson, Shiera Goff, affirmed their involvement, saying, “Montgomery County Police assisted in the arrest of Sam Brinton. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police are leading this investigation.”
Goff further elaborated, sharing, “Brinton was arrested at approximately 10 p.m. last night at their home on College Parkway. They are currently being held in the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit on a no-bond status as they await an extradition hearing. That’s all of the information we have on our end.”
This latest arrest comes merely a month after Brinton narrowly escaped imprisonment in separate cases in Minnesota and Nevada, both related to luggage thefts. The former DOE official made headlines last year when they were appointed to oversee nuclear waste policy at the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy as a non-binary gender-fluid person.
In October, police charged Brinton with stealing a traveler’s baggage worth a staggering $2,325 from the luggage carousel at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Subsequently, Las Vegas prosecutors charged Brinton with grand larceny in early December, alleging the theft of a suitcase containing jewelry, clothing, and makeup valued at approximately $3,670 from Harry Reid International Airport.
While Brinton faced a maximum of 15 years for the two alleged thefts, the judges in both cases deemed jail time unnecessary. It’s worth noting that in February, a female Tanzanian fashion designer based in Houston accused Brinton of wearing her custom designs, which were packed in a missing luggage reported back in 2018. The Houston police have referred this case to the FBI.
As the dust settles on this latest arrest, questions arise about Brinton’s future and the implications of their alleged actions. The Department of Energy announced Brinton’s departure on December 12, without disclosing the reasons behind it. With a string of theft charges now adding to their controversial tenure, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for Sam Brinton.
Source Fox News
