New Hampshire sheriff arrested for allegedly utilizing $19,000 in county cash to pay for private journeys, mendacity to grand jury

Crime

Strafford County Sheriff Mark Courageous denies all wrongdoing and is claiming political persecution.

New Hampshire authorities arrested Strafford County Sheriff Mark Courageous on Thursday for his alleged misuse of county cash on private journeys and quite a few lies to a grand jury that investigated his alleged misconduct.

Courageous, who was first elected in 2020 and is believed to be the state’s first Black sheriff, denies any wrongdoing and stated he’ll struggle the costs. On Thursday, he advised native information shops he believes the costs are political persecution fueled by Strafford County’s commissioners.

“The choice to cost an elected constitutional officer was not made flippantly,” New Hampshire Legal professional Common John Formella stated in a press launch Thursday. “Nonetheless, no individual is above the regulation, and the proof on this case required motion.”

Authorities charged the sheriff with one depend of theft by deception, two counts of falsifying bodily proof, and 5 counts of perjury.

The lawyer basic’s workplace stated Thursday night that, to their data, Courageous remains to be serving as Strafford County Sheriff.

The accusations in opposition to Sheriff Courageous

Courageous allegedly spent round $19,000 on private bills, together with airfare, resort stays, and dinners throughout journeys to Boston, Florida, and different locations, the Legal professional Common’s workplace stated within the launch. Lots of the journeys had been, allegedly, visits or excursions with a number of romantic companions.

The sheriff allegedly used fraudulent expense experiences and altered receipts to be reimbursed for the journeys, the discharge stated. The false justifications ranged from attending conferences he by no means went to, to paying again organizations that didn’t exist.

Courageous then allegedly perjured himself repeatedly throughout his testimony to a Stafford County Grand Jury that was investigating his alleged misconduct, the discharge stated.

One perjury cost was associated to the sheriff’s declare {that a} feminine worker he’d traveled to Florida with had stayed with household, the discharge stated. The worker initially agreed together with his testimony, however later admitted that she’d stayed in his resort room with him.

One other perjury cost stemmed from Courageous’s declare that he’d travelled to Maryland to satisfy with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, however that Pappas had cancelled the assembly and given him a flag from the U.S. Capitol as an apology reward, the discharge stated. Information from Pappas’ workplace didn’t assist any a part of Courageous’s story, and investigators found that he’d allegedly made the journey to satisfy with a romantic accomplice who lived within the space.

Two of the perjury fees involved a Boston resort keep and cruise that the sheriff claimed was for himself and a male deputy to attend a charity occasion, the discharge stated. Investigators later found that the cruise and resort keep had allegedly been a birthday current for an additional of the sheriff’s romantic companions.

Sheriff Courageous claims political persecution

The sheriff advised Foster’s Each day Democrat he believes the costs in opposition to him are based mostly on “trumped-up allegations by the county commissioners” who “don’t like the way in which he runs his workplace.”

“I’ll struggle this all the way in which. If I had finished something improper, I’d personal it. However I, 100%, did nothing improper,” he reportedly stated.

Courageous particularly denied any type of romantic relationship with the feminine worker talked about within the Florida journey perjury allegations, the Each day Democrat reported.

“As for the journeys, it was strictly enterprise, and my funds consists of $18,000 for journey bills. I misspent nothing. We ship deputies out on a regular basis to go to different departments, to realize contemporary concepts…That’s what this was,” he advised the newspaper.

As a result of the sheriff is an elected official, the county commissioners can’t have him faraway from workplace. Through the investigation, which started earlier this summer time, he declined a request to go on paid go away, the Each day Democrat reported.

“I can’t step down till I’m pressured to, till fees in opposition to me make it essential,” he stated.

A Democrat who brazenly supported the Black Lives Matter motion, Courageous ran on a platform of police reform and transparency in 2020. He grew up in Massachusetts and labored within the sheriff’s workplace earlier than he was elected.

What’s subsequent

Courageous turned himself in to police Thursday, the Each day Democrat reported. He has been launched on a private recognizance bond pending his arraignment, the discharge stated.

The sheriff advised the Each day Democrat his arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 28 in Strafford County Superior Court docket in Dover. Strafford County judges are recusing themselves from the case and a Rockingham County choose will preside, the newspaper reported.

Courageous is dealing with 31 to 64 years in jail and fines as much as $32,000 if convicted on all counts.

Authorities are nonetheless investigating the sheriff. Anybody with info related to the investigation is requested to contact Allison Vachon at (603) 271-0102 or [email protected].

Reporting by the Related Press was used on this article.