Ex-LMPD Detective Kyle Willett Steals $74,745 from UPS Shipments

Former Louisville Metro Police Department Detective Kyle Willett, 48, of Spencer County, Kentucky, pleaded guilty today to stealing $74,745.99 in cash from United Parcel Services (UPS) packages while working as a drug interdiction task force officer. The thefts occurred between January 2016 and August 2016 at a UPS sorting facility in Louisville, where Willett exploited his law enforcement access to target high-value shipments.

Willett waived indictment by grand jury and entered his plea before Magistrate Judge Dave Whalin in U.S. District Court. He was released on an unsecured bond and is scheduled for sentencing on April 19, 2017, at noon before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell. The charge—felony theft from interstate shipment—carries a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

According to the plea agreement, Willett used his position to identify UPS packages suspected of containing cash, often linked to drug trafficking investigations. Instead of processing them through proper channels, he removed the packages, took them to his vehicle, and opened them. On multiple occasions, he stole the contents outright, amassing a total of $74,745.99 in stolen cash over eight months.

As part of the deal, Willett agreed to forfeit all proceeds traceable to the crimes: $72,000 in U.S. currency, $520.00 in U.S. currency, and $2,225.99 in U.S. currency. The forfeiture covers both direct and indirect gains from the thefts, sealing his financial accountability under federal law.

The case was investigated by the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), highlighting internal oversight and federal collaboration in rooting out corruption. The probe exposed how Willett weaponized his role on a drug interdiction task force—a position built on public trust—to commit systematic theft under the radar.

Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Calhoun prosecuted the case, underscoring the DOJ’s push to hold public officials accountable. Willett’s fall from badge to defendant marks another stain on Louisville law enforcement, proving that sometimes the biggest threats come from within the force itself.