An illegal immigrant pleaded guilty to stealing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Gucci bag, which contained $3,000 in cash and her DHS badge, and faces deportation following sentencing. The individual, Mario Bustamante-Leiva, also has a history of prior convictions and was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
Bustamante-Leiva, a 49-year-old Chilean national, is accused of a string of thefts across Washington, D.C., between April 12 and 20. He is alleged to have stolen Noem’s luxury handbag while she was dining with her family on Easter. The bag, which contained $3,000 in cash, her driver’s license, passport, medication, makeup bag, blank checks, DHS badge, apartment keys, and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet, was taken from the floor beside her table at The Capital Burger.
According to court filings, Bustamante-Leiva acknowledged that he is ‘removable from the United States upon the completion of the sentence imposed in this case.’ He pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and first-degree theft. The charges include a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for wire fraud, and up to 10 years and $25,000 in fines for first-degree theft. Sentencing guidelines also recommend a fine of up to $9,500, forfeitures up to $3,174, and additional restitution to be determined by the judge.
Federal authorities noted that Bustamante-Leiva also has eight prior convictions abroad and has served seven separate jail terms in Chile and the United Kingdom. The Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Secret Service arrested him on April 26. Investigators reported that Bustamante-Leiva targeted victims at restaurants, stealing purses from the backs of chairs before fleeing. Security footage showed a white man wearing an N95 mask, dark pants, and a baseball cap grabbing the bag and walking out of the restaurant.
Noem revealed how her purse was stolen at the restaurant, describing the theft as ‘professionally done.’ The incident has sparked discussions about security measures in public spaces and the impact of such crimes on public officials. Fox News has reached out to the Department of Justice for more information on the case.