Illegal immigrant Mario Bustamante-Leiva, 49, has pled guilty to stealing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Gucci bag, which contained $3,000 in cash and her DHS badge, and faces potential deportation. The Chilean national’s guilty plea has been accepted as part of a sentencing process that could lead to his removal from the U.S. following court filings. Bustamante-Leiva is accused of a string of thefts in Washington, D.C., between April 12 and 20, with the Noem incident being among the most notable, as the DHS Secretary suffered a theft during an Easter dinner with her family.
During the theft, Noem’s bag was stolen from the floor beside her table at The Capital Burger. The bag contained $3,000 in cash, her driver’s license, passport, medication, makeup bag, blank checks, her DHS badge, apartment keys, and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet. Security footage showed a white man in an N95 mask, dark pants, and a baseball cap grabbing the bag and walking out of the restaurant. The incident underscores the increasing prevalence of purse snatching and thefts in public spaces, particularly in high-traffic areas such as restaurants.
Bustamante-Leiva has agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud, assisting and abetting, and first-degree theft. The charges could result in sentencing that includes up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for wire fraud, as well as up to 10 years and $25,000 in fines for first-degree theft. The 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. In addition to these potential penalties, Federal authorities have noted that Bustamante-Leiva has a history of prior convictions and has served seven separate jail terms in Chile and the United Kingdom, further emphasizing the gravity of his criminal record.
According to investigators, Bustamante-Leiva targeted victims at restaurants, stealing purses from the backs of chairs before fleeing the scene. Following his arrest on April 26 by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, he has been charged with multiple counts, including aiding and abetting in the theft of Noem’s bag, which was described as a professionally executed crime. The Department of Justice has not yet provided additional details on the case, and Fox News has requested further information for clarification. The case highlights the intersection of personal security and public safety, as well as the legal implications for foreign nationals who commit crimes in the United States.