A second Chilean citizen has been arrested in connection with the theft of the purse of the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem. The incident, which involved the theft of a Gucci purse with $3,000 in cash, has raised concerns about the handling of foreigners with criminal records on US soil.
The detainee, identified as Cristian Rodrigo Montecino-Sanzana, was arrested in Miami this Sunday, days after the robbery occurred. According to police sources cited by the New York Post, Montecino-Sanzana was in the country undocumented and had already been subject to an “expedited removal” in December 2020, after being detained for illegally crossing the southern border. However, despite this order, he was released in January 2021 and remained in the United States.
A spokesperson for the Secret Service said, “The individual is believed to be an accomplice in said incidents along with the main accused of committing a robbery against the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.”
His arrest adds to that of Mario Bustamante Leiva, another 49-year-old Chilean, who was arrested on Saturday, April 26 in Washington D.C. Bustamante Leiva, originally from Santiago, has an extensive international criminal record.
In 2015, British media reported his involvement in a wave of robberies in London, where he operated for at least four months. There, he stole purses, phones, and jewelry from women in bars, cafes, and restaurants. He was captured after being identified in security camera footage and faced 22 charges for crimes committed between July and December 2014. During that process, a British judge described him as “dishonest to the fingertips.”
Regarding Montecino-Sanzana, despite his recent arrest, he was released hours later, according to information published by New York Post. The charges against him, as well as in the case of Bustamante-Leiva, are still pending.
This episode has brought into focus the immigration control procedures in the United States, especially regarding individuals with criminal records who, after deportation orders, manage to remain in the country and engage in criminal activities again.