Former Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Guilty Of Theft From Interstate Shipment

Stole contents of packages while working as a drug interdiction task force officer

 Agreed to forfeit $74, 745.99

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. today announced the guilty plea of a former Louisville Metro Police Department Detective, in United States District Court, before Magistrate Judge Dave Whalin, to a Felony Information, charging the former detective with theft from interstate shipment.

Kyle Willett, 48, of Spencer County, Kentucky, waived indictment by grand jury and plead guilty to the felony Information today, and was released from custody on an unsecured bond. Willett is scheduled for sentencing before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell on April 19, 2017, at noon in Louisville.

According to the plea agreement, Willett admitted to stealing cash from a United Parcel Services (UPS) shipping sorting facility in Louisville, Kentucky, while working as a drug interdiction task force officer.

From January 2016 through August 2016, Willett, while working as an interdiction task force officer, would identify UPS packages that possibly contained cash.  He would then take the packages to his vehicle and open them.   On a number of occasions, Willett then stole the contents of packages.   During this period, he stole approximately $74,745.99 in cash from these packages.   As part of the plea agreement, Willett may be ordered to forfeit proceeds traceable (directly and indirectly) to such violation, including but not limited to:  a) $72,000 in United States Currency; b) $520.00 in United States Currency; and c) $2,225.99 in United States Currency. 

If convicted at trial, Willett could have been sentenced to no more than ten years in prison, a three year period of supervised release and fined $250,000.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Calhoun and was investigated by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).