A suspect was arrested and charged for stealing the wallet of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week.
Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, was arrested Saturday and charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and robbery, the Justice Department Announced on Monday.
Noem was dining at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. on Easter when Noem's wallet disappeared. She told her Secret Service details, who reminded the on-site office. She said her government ID card, as well as several credit cards, disappeared.
Leva was allegedly seen in surveillance footage near Norm’s chair, according to the Justice Department in documents outlining the arrest. According to the documents, he allegedly leaned his chair near his purse, leaned his jacket against his arm, and picked up his purse from the floor. The Justice Department said he allegedly threw Norm's driver's license before more videos, showing him boarding and exiting the city bus and using her credit card for food and alcohol purchases, totaling more than $200.
"Thanks to @secreservice @icegov and our law enforcement partners for sharing a meal at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.," Noim said in a post on Sunday X.
Capital Burger declined to comment on the incident.
The Justice Department said Leiva is from Chile and he is illegally in the United States. NPR cannot independently verify the claim.
Leiva is also a suspect in two other wallet thefts that occurred in DC this month, the Justice Department said. The Justice Department said he allegedly purchased a $900 purchase using two women's credit cards.
U.S. immigration and customs law enforcement has issued immigration detainees against Leiva. According to the ICE, the immigration detention center directed an agency to decide on the next step within 48 hours of release.
Leiva's attorney Ubong Akpan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In an interview with officials from the Metropolitan Police and Secret Service, Leva admitted to sliding Norm's purse from under the table with her feet. He told investigators that he had no idea who Neum was and who committed the crime.
Leiva appeared in court in Washington, D.C. on Monday for a fugitive order that had nothing to do with the robbery, the Justice Department said. The Justice Department did not immediately answer NPR's question about the arrest warrant.
Secret Service agents in Miami arrested Sunday’s second suspect, believed to be a participant in the DC theft. The person has not been named but is expected to be determined after the fee is raised.
"After receiving the information from Washington, Miami Beach police quickly implemented the target patrol and found the defendant, who was detained for nothing," Agent Rafael Barros said in a statement.
Justice Department officials said the second suspect allegedly showed surveillance videos of DC subway stations with Leiva, where they allegedly spent money on their transport cards using Noem's stolen credit card. The Justice Department said the second suspect was also charged with using one of the cards to book a room in six motels in DC, using his name.
Leiva verified the second suspect and saw him a few days before his own arrest, the Justice Department said.
The Secret Service said the second suspect was also detained in immigration detention centers.