Two men have been arrested in connection with the theft of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse Easter Sunday in the nation's capital. Mario E. Bustamante Leiva, 49, was arrested Saturday; he is a Chilean national accused of stealing Noem's handbag, which had $3,000 in cash inside, as she dined at an upscale burger restaurant in Washington, DC, with her family. A second suspect was arrested Sunday, sources tell NBC News. "This second offender is implicated in a pattern of thefts and robberies with the primary defendant who is accused of the robbery of the Secretary," a Secret Service spokesperson says.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin says both suspects are in the US illegally. Noem referred to Bustamante Leiva as a "foreign national" and career criminal in a social media post about his arrest, the New York Times reports. Her spokesperson previously said he hooked her purse with his foot, dragged it over to him, covered it with a coat, and then left the premises. The Secret Service says he is a "serial offender" who, per Martin, likely grabbed the purse because he could tell it was "nice"; he is not believed to have targeted Noem because of her position in the Trump administration.
Bustamante Leiva is charged with two counts of robbery, related to two alleged incidents prior to the theft of Noem's bag, in which charges are still pending. The second suspect is charged with driver's license/possession of stolen or fictitious identification. Martin says Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also involved in the case. (More Kristi Noem stories.)
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