Former Naples customs officer admits to stealing almost $19,000 cash from passengers

A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer who worked out of the Naples Airport admitted to stealing cash from passengers.

According to the plea agreement, 43-year-old William Timothy said he stole from at least 17 people totaling nearly $19,000.

WINK News met Mike Hardman, who was an airline pilot for many years and has gone through customs hundreds of times. He wondered how Timothy got his hands on the money.

“I would say it’s just like a bad apple; a bad apple can be anywhere, but generally, they’re top-drawer people, very professional, and they do a hard job. Man, they do it well,” Hardman added.

Customs investigators said evidence collected showed Timothy was stealing cash from arriving international passengers starting in 2023.

It happened during border enforcement examinations and currency verifications performed as part of his duties as a CBP officer at Naples Airport.

“Generally, they’re like our police officers, and they do a job. Like our Border Patrol, they’re doing a job, and they try to make it easy and quick. Because everyone’s getting off the airplane, they’re tired, and the last thing they want to do is go through a rigmarole,” Hardman said.

As part of his plea deal, Timothy agreed to pay back the victims he stole from, plus resign from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, but a sentencing date has not yet been set.