Internal federal government documents reveal that the former Department of Energy (DOE) official, Sam Brinton, -known for stealing thousands of dollars of baggage from an airport carousel - was on a secret official trip paid for by taxpayers at the time he committed one of the criminal acts.
The DOE reports, shared by the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) watchdog group with Fox News, show that the former non-binary official flew in July 2022 from Washington to Nevada to a classified meeting at the state's Office of Homeland Security (near Las Vegas). FGI spokesman Peter McGinnis told Fox:
It is outrageous that tax dollars transported Brinton to and from the scene of a crime, putting the American public unknowingly behind the wheel of the getaway car. The federal government obviously needs a stricter vetting process for high-level positions. Senior officials committing misdemeanors while on the job is a clear indication that something is amiss in personnel procedures.
According to the data, the total cost of the four-day trip was almost $2,000.
The Brinton robberies
Brinton served as DOE's deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposal. The former official faced two counts of grand theft after stealing a backpack at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (a classified trip paid for by taxpayers) and a suitcase at Minneapolis St.Paul Airport in Minnesota. The luggage and the items it contained were worth more than $2,000 each.
Following the trials, the former official was arrested in Rockville, Maryland and subsequently released on bail. Brinton no longer works for DOE. However, his case continues to be widely commented on in the media.
