Overview
- The 49-year-old defendant, Mario Bustamante-Leiva, admitted to wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and first-degree theft tied to a string of April purse thefts in Washington, D.C.
- Court filings state he is removable from the United States after any prison term, and prosecutors say deportation is likely.
- Investigators say Noem’s bag was taken from beside her table at The Capital Burger and contained $3,000, identification and a DHS access card.
- He was arrested on April 26 after the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service traced charges made with stolen credit cards and reviewed security footage.
- Co-defendant Cristian Montecino-Sanzana also pleaded guilty in a separate April 12 purse theft but is not charged in connection with Noem’s case.