The unlawful immigrant who swiped Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem’s $4,000 Gucci bag will seemingly be booted from the nation after he copped to the brazen theft.
Mario Bustamante-Leiva, 49, pleaded responsible Friday to finishing up a spree of thefts on April 12, 17 and 20 in Washington, DC, which included nicking Noem’s luxurious bag that had $3,000 money in it, whereas she was eating on the Capital Burger along with her household for Easter.
Bustamante-Leiva, a Chilean native, copped to fees of wire fraud, wire fraud and aiding and abetting and first-degree theft as a part of an settlement with prosecutors, court docket papers present.
Whereas he technically faces a long time behind bars at his March 13 sentencing, prosecutors have mentioned federal sentencing tips for Bustamante-Leiva vary from 6 months to three 1/2 years behind bars.
The rules additionally advocate a wonderful of as much as $9,500, $3,174 in forfeitures, and potential restitution to be decided by the decide.
A decide is just not sure by the rules and might nonetheless impose a heavier or lighter sentence than the advice.
Since Bustamante-Leiva was within the nation illegally he’ll seemingly be deported after he serves his time, prosecutors famous in plea settlement papers.
The feds added that Bustamante-Leiva had eight earlier convictions overseas and had accomplished six stints behind bars in Chile and in the UK.
Bustamante-Leiva was accused of snatching purses from three victims over three days, and utilizing bank cards from the luggage to remain in lodges, dine at eating places and purchase booze.
His co-defendant, Cristian Montecino-Sanzana, additionally pleaded responsible Friday to wire fraud and aiding and abetting for his involvement within the April 12 theft of an individual’s purse at Nando’s Restaurant within the nation’s capitol.
Montecino-Sanzana, additionally an alleged unlawful immigrant from Chile, is just not charged in connection to the theft of Noem, 53.
Bustamante-Leiva is believed to be half of a bigger East Coast theft group and was accused of theft in New York in March for allegedly stealing a fanny pack from a Instances Sq. dosa store and making $1,200 in fees from one in all its bank cards, regulation enforcement sources beforehand instructed The Submit.
He additionally stole $28,000 value of telephones, wallets and computer systems in 2015 in London.
DC federal Decide Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Bustamante-Leiva held with out bail after his arrest, citing his prison previous and “issues” the decide had over the very fact the profession prison had made a request for an emergency passport from the Chilean Consulate in New York within the days following the DC thefts.
Montecino-Sanzana was launched into the US in 2021 regardless of the very fact he was handed a discover of “expedited removing”
Montecino-Sanzana’s lawyer Carmen Hernandez mentioned her consumer “accepted accountability for the April 12, 2025 offenses, which didn’t contain Secretary Noem.”
Leiva-Bustamante’s lawyer, the DC US Lawyer’s workplace and the Noem’s workplace didn’t instantly return requests for remark Monday.
