With lawyer in tow, Brave's revocation of bail hearing continued to Dec. 12

Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave (NHSP booking photo)

BRENTWOOD - Embattled Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave showed up at Rockingham Superior Court on Tuesday with a new lawyer who asked the court to continue his client's revocation of bail hearing to a later date.

Brave, who is accused of stealing nearly $20,000 from Strafford County, had earlier indicated he was representing himself, but with Portsmouth Attorney Leif Becker now representing him, Judge Brian St. Hilaire allowed him some time to get familiar with his client's case.

Brave stands accused of stealing thousands of dollars from Strafford County by taking multiple trips to fictitious events, mostly for the purpose of romantic liaisons with multiple women. During these trips he racked up $19,000 of charges on his county-issued credit card.

Last month the states Attorney General's office began an effort to revoke Brave's bail based on allegations of perjury and that he no longer lived in New Hampshire, a requirement of being sheriff..

According to the AG's Office, in a video sent them from the Strafford County Sheriff's Office in October a 1968 Porsche 356 Cabriolet can be seen with Brave stating on the video that the vehicle had just been delivered.

The video is date-stamped Oct. 17, and shows the GPS location as Tewksbury, Mass.

Brave had originally been granted a public defender, but financials led to him to being disqualified.

Brave is charged with one count of theft by deception (a class A felony) for stealing approximately $19,000 in Strafford County funds by submitting personal expenses for reimbursement with fraudulent justifications;

two counts of falsifying physical evidence (both class B felonies) - one for submitting false reimbursement justifications, and one for altering a receipt submitted for reimbursement;

five counts of Perjury (all class B felonies) for lying in his testimony before the Strafford County Grand Jury during the course of the investigation.

The affidavit filed in the case alleges that Brave spent approximately $19,000 on personal expenses - including airfare, hotel stays, and dinners for personal trips to Boston, Florida, and other locations.

Brave is alleged to have deceived Strafford County officials and attempted to hide the personal nature of these purchases by falsifying one receipt to remove the identity of a female companion, and by submitting numerous false justifications for reimbursement - false justifications such as attending conferences and meetings that he did not attend, that did not exist, or for organizations that did not exist.

Brave is also alleged to have lied during his testimony before the Strafford County Grand Jury on a variety of matters.

He faces decades in prison if convicted on all counts.

The revocation of bail hearing was continued to Dec. 12.