2 suspects arrested in purse theft of Homeland Sec. Noem : NPR

[ad_1] A suspect has been arrested and charged in reference to final week's theft of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem's purse.

Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, was arrested Saturday and charged with wire fraud, aggravated identification theft, and theft, the Justice Division introduced Monday.

Noem was eating at Capital Burger, a restaurant in Washington, D.C., on Easter when her purse went lacking. She informed her Secret Service element, who alerted the sector workplace. She stated her authorities ID card was gone, in addition to a number of of her bank cards.

Leiva was allegedly seen on surveillance footage sitting in a chair near Noem at a close-by desk, in keeping with the DOJ in a doc outlining the arrest. He allegedly scooted his chair again nearer to her purse, bent down with a jacket over his arm and picked up her purse from the ground, in keeping with the doc. He then allegedly tossed Noem's driver's license earlier than extra footage exhibits him boarding and exiting a metropolis bus, and utilizing her bank card to make meals and alcohol purchases that totaled greater than $200, the Justice Division stated.

"Thanks to @SecretService @ICEgov and our legislation enforcement companions for locating and arresting the prison who stole my bag on Easter Sunday as I shared a meal with my household at a Washington DC restaurant," Noem stated in a put up on X Sunday.

Capital Burger declined to touch upon the incident.

What we all know concerning the suspect The Justice Division stated Leiva is from Chile, and that he's within the U.S. illegally. NPR has not been in a position to independently confirm that declare.

Leiva is also a suspect in two different purse thefts that occurred in D.C. this month, stated the DOJ, during which a person used the identical tactic of overlaying his hand with a jacket earlier than retrieving the baggage. He allegedly used the 2 girls's bank cards to make $900 in purchases, the DOJ stated.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued an immigration detainer towards Leiva. An immigration detainer instructs an company to carry an undocumented suspect for a further 48 hours after their launch whereas it decides subsequent steps, in keeping with ICE.

Leiva's legal professional, Ubong Akpan, didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

In an interview with officers from the Metropolitan Police Division and the Secret Service, the DOJ stated Leiva admitted utilizing his toes to slip Noem's purse from beneath her desk. He informed investigators he didn't know who Noem was earlier than he allegedly dedicated the crime.

Leiva appeared in Superior Court docket Monday in D.C. for a fugitive warrant unrelated to the robberies, the Justice Division stated. The DOJ didn't instantly reply to NPR's questions concerning the warrant.

Regulation enforcement has arrested an alleged confederate Secret Service brokers in Miami arrested a second suspect Sunday who's regarded as a participant within the D.C. thefts. The particular person has not been named, however is predicted to be recognized as soon as prices are filed.

"After receiving info from Washington, Miami Seashore Cops rapidly applied focused patrols and situated the defendant, who was taken into custody with out incident," Particular Agent in Cost Rafael Barros stated in an announcement.

The second suspect is allegedly proven on surveillance footage with Leiva at a D.C. subway station, the place they allegedly used Noem's stolen bank cards to load cash onto their transit playing cards, DOJ officers stated. The second suspect is also accused of utilizing one of many playing cards to guide a room at a Motel 6 in D.C., during which he used his title, the DOJ stated.