Prosecutors seek delay in Brave trial, want venue moved back to Strafford County

Former Strafford County sheriff Mark Brave (NHSP photo)

BRENTWOOD - Former Strafford County sheriff Mark Brave's trial that was supposed to begin on Aug. 5 may be delayed, and it may be held in Strafford Superior Court after all.
The trial venue had been moved to Rockingham County due to a potential conflict of interest, but a prosecutor from the Attorney Generals Office argued in a recent court filing that at least some of the charges should be adjudicated in a Strafford Superior Court.
The prosecution has also asked that the trial be postponed due to a potential plethora of pretrial motions and the need to subpoena multiple witnesses from up and down the Eastern Seaboard, according to a story in today's Union Leader.
Meanwhile, plea negotiations remain in play.
Brave, now of Tewksbury, Mass., was indicted last year on eight felonies.
Brave, who was first elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2022, stands charged with one count of theft by deception (a class A felony) for stealing over $1,500 in Strafford County funds for credit-card reimbursements through deception; two counts of falsifying physical evidence (both class B felonies): one for submitting false reimbursement justifications, and one for altering a document submitted for reimbursement; and 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.
Class A felonies are punishable by up to 7½-to-15 years in state prison and a fine of up to $4,000. Class B felonies are punishable by up to 3½-to-7 years in state prison and a fine of up to $4,000.
Brave was previously arrested and charged on Aug. 17.
He resigned from his sheriff's position in December, prompting prosecutors to allow him to remain free on bail while awaiting trial.
Brave, a Democrat, is 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.