Ex-Sheriff Faces New Indictments for Allegedly Making False Statements

Former Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave has been indicted on five new charges in Rockingham Superior Court related to making false statements about where he lived and statements on a request for a lawyer form on Oct. 26, 2023.

Brave, 39, formerly of Dover, but now living in Tewksbury, Mass., was indicted on two new counts of class B felony perjury and three class A misdemeanors – two counts of false swearing and one count of unsworn falsification.

He will be arraigned in Rockingham Superior Court Nov. 27.

These indictments are in addition to those previously returned by the Strafford County Grand Jury in 2023. Brave didn’t immediately return a call seeking his comment Wednesday.

Brave was previously charged with stealing $19,000 in Strafford County funds by submitting personal expenses for reimbursement with fraudulent justifications. According to court records, Brave is accused of using the money on personal expenses – including airfare, hotel stays, and dinners for personal trips to Boston, Florida, and other locations.

Brave is accused of deceiving Strafford County officials and attempting to hide the personal nature of purchases by falsifying one receipt to remove the identity of a female companion, and by submitting numerous false justifications for reimbursement. The false justifications included attending conferences and meetings that he did not attend, that did not exist, or for organizations that did not exist.

Brave has previously called the allegations politically motivated. He previously said on Facebook he would continue to do his job, but resigned last December.

Class B felonies are punishable by up to 3 ½ -to-7 years in state prison and a fine of up to $4,000. Class A felonies are punishable by up to 7½-to-15 years in state prison and a fine of up to $4,000. Class A misdemeanors are punishable by up to 12 months in a house of corrections and a fine of up to $2,000.