Sam Brinton, the former Biden Department of Energy official accused of stealing luggage on at least two occasions, had his mug shot released to the public on Wednesday.
Brinton was arrested in Las Vegas and later booked by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) on an outstanding arrest warrant and released on bond.
His bail was set at $15,000 and he was instructed by the court to “stay out of trouble” as a condition.
Brinton allegedly stole luggage from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and he was charged last week with grand larceny with a value between $1,200 and $5,000. The bag, according to records, also contained $1,700 worth of jewelry and other high-priced clothing and makeup.
The high value means Brinton is now facing up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
But for our purposes, it’s not the mugshot that needs attention. It’s the flood of hilarious responses to it.
? BREAKING: MUGSHOT RELEASED of Non-binary Biden nuclear official Sam Brinton after arrest for multiple luggage theft charges pic.twitter.com/ugUFHcgfe4
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 14, 2022
RELATED: Biden’s ‘Non-Binary’ Energy Department Official Fired After Two Alleged Thefts
Sam Brinton Mug Shot Leads to Mockery
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Sam Brinton’s mug shot startled many, as most public images have amplified his non-binary status by showing videos of him in fancy attire and almost always sporting gaudy lipstick colors.
Brinton’s DOE website profile has been deactivated. He had been listed as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition and was touted as a historic selection due to his ‘non-binary’ label.
“They identify as gender-fluid and use the pronouns they, them, and theirs,” the profile read.
But Brinton’s mug shot stripped all of the glamour away, leading to a hilarious meme battle on Twitter.
Here are a few examples:
Sam forgot to remove the earrings
(collab with @JanetSYoung1) pic.twitter.com/iJkmmcTmoM
— NautPoso ??☘️ (@NautPoso) December 14, 2022
— NautPoso ??☘️ (@NautPoso) December 14, 2022
— James Horine (@theFalconeer1) December 15, 2022
— KATE ZAHN (@0IIIIIII0_GIRL) December 14, 2022
Several comments revolved around the similarity in appearance to Matt Damon, sans hair. Or Lex Luther. There were also several alien memes.
Matt Damon looking rough.
— Steve Inman (@SteveInmanUIC) December 14, 2022
RELATED: Calls Grow for Firing Biden’s ‘Non-Binary’ Energy Department Official After He Stole Woman’s Luggage
Second Time He Stole Luggage
While the ensuing memes following Sam Brinton’s mug shot release were funny, the legal troubles he is facing are no laughing matter.
Prior to his Las Vegas arrest and booking, Brinton had already been accused of stealing a woman’s suitcase from an airport in Minnesota this past September.
In that case, Brinton was seen on video grabbing a Vera Bradley suitcase and removing its ID tag.
He originally denied stealing the luggage piece but later told police it was a simple mixup, a result of being “tired and taking the suitcase thinking it was theirs.”
Sam Brinton’s mug shot released. If convicted do we have to build a third type of prison to accommodate They? pic.twitter.com/a8CdqBfzjx
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 14, 2022
In addition to the 10 years/$10,000 fine for the Las Vegas case, Brinton faces up to 5 years for the Minnesota luggage heist and is set to appear in a Minneapolis court on Monday.
Between the Las Vegas and Minnesota court appearances, Brinton better pack his bags. His own bags.
GOP lawmakers had demanded Brinton be fired after the first suitcase theft, calling on the DOE to “set aside petty politics and appoint only the most qualified and dedicated individuals to influence America’s energy sector.”
It took the second arrest to spur them to action. The DOE announced Monday that Brinton had left the agency, but failed to cite a reason for his leaving.
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