A Chilean national, Mario Bustamante Leiva, has pleaded guilty to multiple thefts in Washington, D.C., including stealing the purse of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while she was dining at a restaurant last spring, The Washington Post first reported.
According to court documents, Noem’s purse contained roughly $3,000 in cash, her passport, DHS badge, credit cards, and other personal items. Bustamante Leiva pleaded guilty Friday to three counts: wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and first-degree theft.
Under the plea agreement, he will be “removable from the United States” after completing his sentence. Prosecutors say federal guidelines call for between six months and 3½ years in prison, along with fines and restitution, though a sentencing date has not yet been set.
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