Evening Update: Newly released files reveal his outreach to CBP officers at the gateway to his private island
Epstein and the Gatekeepers
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Hey Small Biters,
Newly released Justice Department files show that Jeffrey Epstein cultivated relationships with multiple U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the very airport that served as the gateway to his private island.
For years, Epstein’s jets landed at Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas. From there, he would travel by boat or helicopter to Little St. James — the island later alleged to be a hub of sexual abuse and trafficking.
CBP is tasked with securing America’s borders and disrupting human trafficking. Yet the files show Epstein interacted with at least six CBP officers in the Virgin Islands and Florida.
No CBP officer has been charged in connection with Epstein’s crimes. There is no evidence in the released records that any officer knowingly assisted trafficking. But the correspondence raises uncomfortable questions about proximity and access.
The FBI opened a preliminary investigation in October 2019 into Timothy “Bill” Routch, a longtime CBP agricultural inspector who had worked pre-clearance in St. Thomas for more than seven years. The investigation followed a report alleging he had an “ongoing friendship” with Epstein.
That inquiry did not result in charges.
Routch acknowledged interacting with Epstein in the course of his employment. He admitted visiting the island but said it was for agricultural inspection of imported trees. He called the investigation a “wild goose chase” and denied witnessing anything related to trafficking.
“I have done nothing wrong,” he said.
Yet emails show Epstein frequently sought to know which officers would be on duty when he traveled. He invited officers to his island. He texted them holiday greetings. He delivered Christmas cannolis to one officer’s home.
He also complained — often — when he felt mistreated.
When pre-clearance procedures in New Jersey or Florida disrupted his arrival, he contacted friendly CBP supervisors directly. He pushed for clarity. He pressed for names. He escalated.
In March 2016, after his pilot was told not to let passengers deplane at Teterboro despite pre-clearing in St. Thomas, Epstein pursued the issue aggressively. His lawyer filed formal complaints. Epstein, meanwhile, emailed CBP supervisors personally.
Parallel tracks: official grievance and personal influence.
Another CBP officer, James Heil, appears in years of text messages and emails. Epstein invited him to the island. Offered to make him an egg cream. Sent holiday treats. Discussed pre-clearance overtime.
“We Brooklyn Boys stick together,” Heil once texted.
Epstein replied: “Atta boy.”
There is no evidence Heil engaged in wrongdoing. But the familiarity is striking.
Glen Samuel, another agent, was invited to perform steel pan drums on the island. Emails show performances were scheduled; it is unclear how often they occurred. Samuel reportedly declined payment.
Gerardo Martinez, a supervisor in Palm Beach, communicated frequently with Epstein in 2018. Epstein sought advice on cash declaration rules after CBP agents challenged him for carrying more money than he declared. He later asked Martinez about obtaining a new passport.
Why a CBP officer? That remains unclear.
Alford Richards, another St. Thomas officer, corresponded extensively with Epstein about finance and “financial freedom.” Epstein encouraged him to take accounting courses and even explored internship opportunities for him through businesses on the island.
Richards acknowledged meeting Epstein at his office and on the island “a couple of times.” He described himself as a small-time officer seeking financial advice from a wealthy man.
“It felt good that little me… was getting tips from a billionaire,” he said.
At one point, Richards asked about a “hard-money loan.” He later said the request was not serious and that no loan materialized.
Federal investigators interviewed Epstein’s longtime pilot, Larry Visoski, who described Epstein making “small talk” with CBP officers during inspections and occasionally asking officers to stay open after hours. Visoski said requests were denied most of the time.
The FBI subpoenaed credit reports for Routch and three other CBP officers. There is no public indication those probes led to further action.
In one interview memo, investigators noted that Routch “thought it was a good idea to maintain contact” with Epstein because of his wealth and influence. He allegedly exaggerated the closeness of the relationship for “ego boost” purposes.
Power attracts orbiters. Orbiters sometimes inflate proximity.
Epstein’s private island was not invisible. Flights arrived. Helicopters departed. Officers processed passports and inspected cargo.
The files show routine interactions and occasional hospitality — but no direct evidence of complicity.
Still, the optics are unsettling.
The agency charged with combating trafficking intersected repeatedly with a man later indicted for trafficking minors.
No charges. No proven knowledge. No smoking gun.
But proximity has its own gravity.
Epstein is dead. His island is shuttered. The files are still being unsealed, unevenly redacted, released in fragments.
What remains is a portrait of influence: how a billionaire inserted himself into bureaucratic channels, how access can be cultivated not only through elite boardrooms, but through everyday gatekeepers.
Whether those gatekeepers saw more than they admit is a question the files, so far, do not answer.
But the relationships existed.
And history has a way of asking why.
