Sheriff Mark Brave, Charged with Theft and Perjury, on Verge of Removal from Job

County leaders are moving toward removing Strafford County Sheriff Mark Brave from office following his arrest on felony charges that could send him to prison for decades.

Brave, however, as of Friday, had refused requests from county leaders to go on paid leave as his case proceeds and continued to deny any wrongdoing.

Brave turned himself in Thursday to New Hampshire State Police.

He was charged with eight felonies: theft by deception for using about $19,000 in county funds by seeking reimbursement for personal expenses with false justifications, two counts of falsifying physical evidence and five counts of perjury for lying to a Stafford County grand jury, according to state Attorney General John Formella.

The lies involved attempting to cover up extramarital affairs and spending county money on trips to Florida, Boston and Maryland, according to the allegations.