Non-binary Biden official used ‘stolen’ suitcase for month after dumping woman’s clothes

By Emily Crane

November 29, 2022 12:49pm Updated
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A non-binary Biden administration nuclear official accused of stealing a woman’s suitcase from the Minneapolis airport allegedly emptied out the clothes and used the bag for a month — despite insisting it was picked up by accident.
Sam Brinton — one of the federal government’s first gender non-binary officials — allegedly snatched the $2,325 Vera Bradley suitcase from baggage claim at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport back on Sept. 16, court documents say.
When Brinton, who uses they/them pronouns, was confronted by police nearly a month later, they initially denied stealing the bag — insisting their clothes were inside the suitcase at the time.
But Brinton, the deputy assistant secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition at the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy, quickly backtracked and claimed they had taken the piece of luggage by mistake.
Brinton told police they first realized the bag wasn’t theirs when they opened it at the hotel, according to the court filing.



Sam Brinton — one of the federal government’s first gender non-binary officials — was charged with felony theft of a moveable property without consent over the alleged stolen suitcase.
Sam Brinton/Instagram

Brinton, pictured with transgender Adm. Rachel Levine, allegedly took the $2,325 Vera Bradley suitcase from baggage claim at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport back on Sept. 16.
Sam Brinton/Instagram

They got nervous that someone would think they stole it, so they emptied out the suitcase and dumped the woman’s clothes in the drawers of the hotel room, the court documents say.

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Brinton allegedly put the ordeal down to exhaustion.
When police were first alerted to the stolen bag, they reviewed surveillance footage that showed Brinton allegedly grabbing the luggage from the carousel and removing the ID tag identifying the owner.
Brinton was later captured on surveillance using the same suitcase on at least two trips to Washington, DC, on Sept. 18 and Oct. 9, according to authorities.
Police first made contact with Brinton on Oct. 9 about the alleged stolen suitcase.
“If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual,” Brinton initially told the cop. “That was my clothes when I opened the bag.”
Brinton called the officer back two hours and confessed to not being “completely honest.”
The Biden official was charged with felony theft of a moveable property without consent.



Brinton initially denied stealing the bag but later backtracked and said they took it by mistake.
Sam Brinton/Instagram

They were placed on leave in the wake of the allegations and another official was named as their interim replacement earlier this month, according to the Exchange Monitor, which tracks government officials’ moves.
If convicted, Brinton could face up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

Biden official Sam Brinton used allegedly stolen suitcase for a month (nypost.com)