Federal judge orders pretrial detention for man accused of stealing Kristi Noem's purse

WASHINGTON -- A national magistrate justice connected Wednesday ordered the pretrial detention of a antheral charged with stealing a purse from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem portion she dined astatine a edifice nether the extortion of Secret Service agents.

U.S. Magistrate Matthew Sharbaugh concluded aft a proceeding that the suspect, Mario Bustamante Leiva, indispensable stay jailed due to the fact that helium poses a formation risk.

Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old a autochthonal of Chile, pleaded not guilty to charges of ligament fraud, robbery and aggravated individuality theft.

Video captured Bustamante Leiva taking Noem’s purse portion she dined astatine a edifice successful Washington, D.C., connected April 20, investigators said. Bustamante Leiva besides is charged with stealing purses from 2 different radical astatine different restaurants earlier past month.

Prosecutors didn't reason that Leiva poses immoderate information to the public. One of his attorneys, Ubong Akpan, said purse snatching is “not the astir superior lawsuit that we person successful the national courts.”

“He didn't adjacent talk to anyone oregon interaction a complaining witness,” she told the magistrate.

Sharbaugh said the charges are serious, but helium acknowledged that the magnitude of wealth that Leiva is accused of stealing is comparatively tiny compared to different national fraud cases.

A Secret Service agent’s affidavit said Bustamante Leiva utilized Noem’s stolen recognition cards to bargain implicit $200 successful nutrient and intoxicant astatine a antithetic restaurant. But the indictment says that the magnitude of that unauthorized complaint was conscionable implicit $15.

The agent’s affidavit doesn’t sanction Noem, but the accusation successful tribunal records matches details of the theft from her. In a statement, Noem referred to the fishy arsenic a “a vocation transgression who has been successful our state illegally for years.”

Authorities said determination was nary grounds Noem was targeted due to the fact that of her position.

A prosecutor, Benjamin Helfand, said Leiva has a past of skipping tribunal dates for akin offenses, doesn’t person immoderate ties to Washington and appears to beryllium “almost transient.”

Akpan said Leiva has ties to New York and New Jersey. Akpan said a connection obstruction could explicate wherefore Leiva missed a caller tribunal day aft his apprehension successful a theft lawsuit successful New York.

Police and national agents arrested Bustamante Leiva connected April 26. He and a 2nd suspect, Cristian Montecino-Sananza, were indicted past Thursday. Montecino-Sananza isn't charged successful the number related to the theft of Noem's purse. The affidavit said Bustamante Leiva appeared to beryllium “acting successful concert” with a 2nd fishy during 1 of the different thefts.

Investigators said they identified Bustamante Leiva arsenic a fishy successful the thefts aft helium utilized a stolen acquisition paper to marque a acquisition astatine a motel. He was shown a photograph of Noem and told investigators that helium didn’t cognize who she was, according to the affidavit. Investigators said they recovered Noem’s purse and wallet from his motel room.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an migration detainer against Bustamante Leiva.

The lawsuit against him is assigned to U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who was nominated by Republican President Donald Trump.