The man accused of stealing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s Gucci handbag in Washington, D.C., has pleaded guilty — a step that is expected to result in his deportation, according to court records.
Mario Bustamante–Leiva, 49, was charged in connection with a string of thefts across the nation’s capital between April 12 and April 20. Among those incidents was the theft of Noem’s designer bag, which reportedly contained $3,000 in cash, while she was having Easter dinner with her family. Authorities say that after each theft, he used victims’ credit cards to make fraudulent purchases.
The Chilean national agreed on Friday to plead guilty to Wire Fraud, Aiding and Abetting, and First-Degree Theft.
In court filings, Bustamante-Leiva acknowledged that he is “removable from the United States upon the completion of the sentence imposed in this case.”
The charges carry significant penalties: wire fraud alone is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while first-degree theft carries up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Sentencing guidelines also call for a possible fine of up to $9,500, forfeiture of up to $3,174, and additional restitution to be determined by the judge.
Federal authorities also noted that Bustamante–Leiva has eight prior convictions overseas and has served seven separate jail terms in Chile and the United Kingdom.
Bustamante-Leiva was arrested on April 26 by the Metropolitan Police Department in coordination with the U.S. Secret Service.
Investigators say he targeted restaurant patrons, stealing purses from the backs of chairs before leaving the premises.
Noem’s bag was taken from the floor beside her table at The Capital Burger. According to court documents, it 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.
Security footage captured a white man wearing an N95 mask, dark pants, and a baseball cap taking the bag and walking out of the restaurant.
