According to Fox News, the nonbinary U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) official who has been charged with grand larceny has managed to avoid having to spend any time in prison. 

That official - former official - is Sam Brinton.

Before all of this happened, Brinton was part of the administration of President Joe Biden. He was specifically appointed to the DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, where he oversaw nuclear waste policy.

But, after all of this happened, the DOE, in December, announced that Brinton would be leaving the administration, although the agency refused to explain why.

Leading up to Brinton's departure from the DOE, he was involved in two separate incidents of stealing. One took place in Nevada and the other in Minnesota.

The Minnesota case is still making its way through the courts. But, the Nevada case now appears to be complete.

The Nevada incident took place at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. There, a woman reported a missing bag, and the police found security footage of a man taking the bag. At the time, however, the police were unable to identify the man.

Then, however, another incident took place in November in Minnesota. There, Brinton was accused of another airport theft, and this caused the Las Vegas authorities to reopen their case as they "immediately recognized" Brinton to be the man in the security footage.

In a report, the Las Vegas authorities wrote:

Brinton demonstrated several signs of abnormal behavior while taking the victim's luggage which are cues suspects typically give off when committing luggage theft. Specifically, Brinton pulled the victim's luggage from the carousel and examined the tag. Then placing it back on the carousel, looking in all directions for anyone who might be watching, or might approach. Pulling it back off the carousel and demonstrating the same behavior by looking around before walking away with it quickly. Brinton only having checked one piece of luggage, which Brinton had already claimed from the carousel, had no reason to be examining and taking any other pieces of luggage.

In December, Brinton was arrested by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He faced up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Brinton's punishment, however, was significantly less than the maximum.

"According to Clark County, Nevada, criminal court records, Brinton was ordered to pay $3,670.74 to the victim in the case and $500 in additional fees including a criminal fine," Fox reports.

The outlet continues, "Clark County Judge Ann Zimmerman then handed Brinton a 180-day suspended jail sentence, a sentence that doesn't need to be served, and ordered Brinton to 'stay out of trouble.'"

It turns out that Brinton pleaded "no contest" to the charges. The plea likely factored into the judge's sentencing.