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Thief Sentenced for Stealing From Homeland Security Secretary
23 Apr
Summary
- A thief received a three-year prison sentence for a brazen robbery.
- The stolen bag contained $3,000 cash and a security badge.
- The convicted man methodically targeted women at restaurants.

A Chilean citizen, Mario Bustamante Leiva, has been sentenced to three years in prison for a brazen robbery that occurred last Easter. At the time, the victim was Kristi Noem, who served as the homeland security secretary.
During the incident, Mr. Bustamante Leiva snatched Ms. Noem's Gucci handbag while she was dining with her family in Washington, D.C. The stolen bag held $3,000 in cash, along with Ms. Noem's security badge and passport.
Prosecutors revealed that Mr. Bustamante Leiva had a pattern of targeting women at restaurants. He pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree theft and three counts of wire fraud. He is expected to be deported upon completion of his prison sentence.