Newly-Released Video Shows TSA Agents Allegedly Stealing From Passengers at Miami International Airport

Video shows officers at Miami International Airport allegedly going through passengers’ bags and stealing various items and money.

People gather their luggage after arriving at Miami International Airport on a plane in Miami, Fla., on Feb. 1, 2021. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Officials released video footage on Sept. 11 appearing to show Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Miami International Airport going through passengers’ bags and stealing various items and money.

The video footage, reportedly taken from video checkpoint E at the busy airport, was released to multiple media outlets by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

It appears to show two male TSA agents examining a black bag that has been placed inside a tray and is moving down a conveyor belt during the security screening process as passengers can be seen waiting on one side of the belt.

Both agents seem to follow the tray closely, standing next to it as one of the men places their hand inside the corner of it and appears to pick something up before walking away.

The agent places his hand in his pocket seconds later.

Meanwhile, the second TSA agent begins moving his hands around the tray before also appearing to pick something up and placing a hand in his pocket.

Separate footage shows one of the officers appearing to reorganize items on a tray making its way down the converter belt.

Seconds later, the officer goes back to the tray right before it is screened by an X-ray scanner and places his hands inside the tray again, moving various items around. The officer walks away shortly after before placing his hand in his right pocket.

Agents Arrested, Charged

The two agents have been identified as Labarrius Williams, 33, and Josue Gonzalez, 20. They were arrested in July and the two now facing grand theft charges. Both have pleaded not guilty, NBC 6 South Florida reported.

A third TSA agent, identified by ABC affiliate Local 10 News as Elizabeth Fuster, 22, was also arrested in July and charged with an organized scheme to defraud but the charges against her were later dropped, according to court records. Her case is now considered closed.

Their arrests reportedly came after airport authorities contacted a police detective to investigate the thefts that had occurred at the airport’s checkpoint E.

All three officers have been removed from screening duties as an investigation into their actions remains ongoing.

According to the arrest affidavits obtained by NBC News, Mr. Gonzalez admitted to distracting passengers in order to steal cash from bags as they were being screened, including $600 from a passenger’s wallet in one specific instance.

This was in addition to a number of other passenger thefts he and the other agents allegedly carried out as bags were being screened through security.

TSA ‘Actively, Aggressively’ Investigated Thefts

Mr. Gonzalez’s attorney told CBS News that his client was accepted into a deferred prosecution program and will have the charges against him dismissed if he completes it.

He has also been ordered to pay $700 to victims over the next six months, undergo 25 hours of community service, and give up his airport security credentials, NBC Miami reported.

Meanwhile, Mr. Williams was denied entry into the program. He is expected to stand trial on Oct. 23, Business Insider reported.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, a TSA spokesperson said: “TSA has removed the officers from screening duties pending completion of the investigation and administrative actions. The Transportation Security Administration holds its Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) to the highest professional and ethical standards and has no tolerance for misconduct in the workplace.

“We actively and aggressively investigated these allegations of misconduct and presented our findings to the Miami Dade Police Department, and are working closely with them. Any employee who fails to meet our fundamental ethical standards is held accountable,” the TSA spokesperson added.