Federal prosecutors filed charges on Monday against a man implicated in the theft of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem‘s purse at a Washington, D.C. restaurant, an incident that occurred while she was under the protection of the Secret Service. Mario Bustamente Leiva faces charges related to this and two additional bag thefts, according to a court filing.
The 49-year-old defendant is charged with robbery, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft stemming from the thefts that occurred between April 12 and 20. The incident involving Noem took place as she celebrated Easter with her family at Capital Burger.
According to a complaint filed by a U.S. Secret Service agent, Bustamente Leiva reportedly made unauthorized purchases with credit cards obtained from the victims of each theft.
Bustamente Leiva, who authorities claim is undocumented, was taken into custody on Saturday at a motel in D.C. His alleged accomplice, wanted in connection with the theft on April 12, was arrested the following day in South Florida, though his identity has not been disclosed.
During a search of Bustamente Leiva’s motel room, agents discovered Noem’s purse and wallet, an American Express gift card, over $3,170 in cash, and items of clothing consistent with those worn during the alleged robberies.
Authorities note that Noem’s purse contained $3,000 in cash at the time of the theft.
The complaint further alleges that Bustamente Leiva used Noem’s credit cards to purchase food and alcohol at an Italian restaurant, with total charges exceeding $205 across five transactions.
Upon his arrest, Bustamente Leiva reported to officers that he was experiencing alcohol withdrawal and was subsequently transported to a hospital. After his release, he spoke with police and a Secret Service agent, acknowledging his involvement in stealing Noem’s purse but denying any prior knowledge of her identity.
The law in D.C. stipulates that robbery occurs when someone takes property from another by force, violence, or stealth.
The criminal complaint outlines four thefts associated with Bustamente Leiva, three of which he faces charges for.
The incident involving Noem occurred on April 20, as surveillance footage captured her dining at Capital Burger and realizing her purse was missing. Following the discovery, she alerted her Secret Service team.
Reviewing prior surveillance footage revealed Bustamente Leiva entering the establishment around 7:52 p.m. and positioning himself close to Noem’s table. The footage depicts him manipulating his body to draw her purse closer and subsequently seizing it.
“The video then captured the suspect bending down with his jacket in one hand and, with his other hand, picking up an object from the floor identified as [Noem’s] purse,” the complaint states.
This alleged theft marks the fourth incident attributed to Bustamente Leiva within a brief period.
The first incident occurred on April 12, when a woman reported that her purse was taken from the back of her chair while she dined at Nando’s. Surveillance footage showed Bustamente Leiva stealthily removing this purse before exiting the restaurant alongside another individual, identified as Suspect-2.
Subsequently, the pair visited a nearby Safeway, where Suspect-2 purchased a $500 Visa gift card using the stolen credit card.
In the following days, that gift card was used for a total of $462 in charges, which included payments for hotel stays, including one at Motel 6, where Bustamente Leiva was arrested.
On April 17, Bustamente Leiva allegedly committed two further thefts. At Dolcezza coffee and gelato shop, he was caught on camera using his leg to pull a bag toward him from an outdoor table occupied by other customers.
He was also recorded soon after at the Westin Hotel Downtown, where another woman reported that her purse had been stolen from the back of her chair. Surveillance footage revealed Bustamente Leiva walking past her chair, at which point her purse disappeared.
The woman soon discovered that her American Express card, previously in her purse, had been used for an attempted transaction at the same Safeway that Bustamente Leiva had visited post-theft.
Minutes later, he was seen at the Safeway purchasing a bottle of wine and a $400 Amex gift card with the stolen card.
Investigators later determined that Bustamente Leiva’s alleged accomplice had been in custody during the timeframe of the April 17 incidents, which subsequently excluded him from those thefts.
