Sam Brinton, former Biden administration official, released on bail after alleged suitcase theft

Sam Brinton, a former Biden administration official, is out on bail as of Thursday after being charged with allegedly stealing suitcases.

The former non-binary Department of Energy worker was arrested in Rockville, Maryland and subsequently charged for allegedly stealing luggage at Reagan National Airport. He was then transferred to the Montgomery County Jail, where he awaited arraignment as a "fugitive from justice." He fled from law enforcement when they charged him with another crime: one count of grand larceny for a monetary value of less than $1,000.

Brinton appeared before the judge, posted $5,000 bail and got probation. This is the third trial the former non-binary Department of Energy worker has faced for stealing other people's luggage. Brinton was previously charged in two other cases for stealing luggage at an airport.

He was first charged for allegedly stealing the suitcase of a Tanzanian fashion designer based in Houston, Texas. In 2018, she reported the disappearance of her suitcase which was filled with her custom made clothes and directly accused Brinton. The case was investigated by the FBI.

The second time was more recently, in October 2022. In this case, he was reported for stealing another person's suitcase at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The luggage he stole on September 16, 2022, was valued at $2,325. For both offenses, Brinton could have spent up to 15 years in prison. However, he wasn’t sentenced to prison time in either trial.