Chilean National Pleads Guilty in Purse Theft Case

An undocumented immigrant accused of stealing the purse of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in April has pleaded guilty. This incident took place back on April 20, when Mario Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old Chilean living illegally in the U.S., was allegedly caught taking Noem’s purse from a restaurant in Washington, D.C.

The charges against him include wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery concerning several purse-snatching incidents in the area. These details were disclosed by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., along with officials from the Secret Service and Metropolitan Police Department.

The purse contained around $3,000 in cash, likely meant for a family gathering, alongside Noem’s identification documents and credit cards. Under federal guidelines, Bustamante Leiva could face a sentence ranging from six months to three and a half years, plus fines and restitution determined by the judge.

After serving his time, Bustamante Leiva is likely to be deported due to his prior criminal history, which includes multiple convictions and jail terms for various offenses. This includes a significant robbery sentence in Chile back in 1995, as well as several charges in the U.K. for theft.

Court documents indicate he has frequently targeted diners in restaurants, stealthily taking their purses and using their credit cards for fraudulent purchases.

In one instance, he used the stolen credit cards to spend over $200 at a different restaurant in Georgetown, with surveillance capturing him lingering there until the early hours. Following the thefts on April 12, 17, and 20, Bustamante Leiva is also suspected of being involved with a larger criminal organization on the East Coast.

Noem has expressed her concerns regarding crime committed by undocumented immigrants, labeling Bustamante Leiva as a “career criminal” who had been living illegally in the U.S. for years. She recounted feeling shocked during the incident, noting how he managed to snag her purse without her realizing it at first.

After his initial hearing, a U.S. Magistrate Judge ordered Bustamante Leiva to be detained without bail, highlighting his extensive criminal background and concerns that he might flee following the crimes. He had reportedly sought an emergency passport not long after the purse thefts.