A temporary elections worker in Maricopa County, Arizona, charged with stealing digital magnetic keys from a counting center was also found to be involved in a separate theft at the state Senate building.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety announced Thursday that Walter Lingfield, 27, of Phoenix, was connected to a theft reported to Capitol Hill District police at the Phoenix, Arizona, Senate Building on June 19. Authorities had identified Lingfield earlier this week as a suspect in a theft that occurred on June 20 at the Maricopa County Election Counting Center.
The National Guard reviewed Senate security camera footage, which showed the suspect entering a restricted area of the building and “stealing numerous items from a security officer’s desk,” DPS said. The stolen items included “challenge coins and other desk accessories,” DPS said.
Investigators later identified the suspect as Lingfield. A search warrant was eventually executed at his Phoenix home, where detectives recovered the stolen items.
An Arizona election worker accused of stealing security equipment remained employed despite being arrested on theft charges months earlier
Walter Lingfield’s mugshot (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
According to DPS, Lingfield faces new charges including trespass, theft and burglary.
The incident occurred just one day before Lingfield was seen on security camera removing items from the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center just after 5 p.m.
According to a statement from investigators obtained by Fox News Digital, the video shows the man approaching a desk and multiple time-stamping machines and removing a red wrist strap containing a security fob and key.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Lingfield on June 21 outside his Phoenix home on suspicion of theft and criminal damage to property.
At the time, investigators said they found a red plastic object in Lingfield’s vehicle that matched the description of the missing lanyard.
Walter Lingfield was seen on security camera taking a digital magnetic key from the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center on June 20. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
Arizona election worker arrested for allegedly stealing security equipment from vote counting center
Officials said the theft from the counting center required election equipment to be reprogrammed, costing taxpayers about $20,000.
Lingfield was also arrested in September 2023 for allegedly stealing $1,800 from a cash register while working as a cashier at a Phoenix grocery store, according to a separate charging statement obtained by Fox News Digital. The document also lists previous arrests for disorderly conduct and fighting.
Following his September 2023 arrest, Lingfield will be entering a felony diversion program.
Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates acknowledged at a press conference Tuesday that Lingfield had participated in a felony diversion program but said the information did not come up in a criminal background check conducted before he was hired as a temporary election worker. Gates asserted that the incident “will not have any impact” on the primary election, scheduled for July 30.
Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates held up a black security key as an example of one that was stolen from the counting center. (Kuwait)
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During a press conference on Tuesday, Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner was asked if authorities had reason to believe the theft from the vote-counting center was “politically motivated.” He said he couldn’t speculate at this time, explaining that investigators were “reviewing the extensive digital evidence that was captured at the scene and reviewing items seized pursuant to search warrants.”
“There are no indications at the moment but we are not ruling it out and we are leaving no stone unturned,” he said.
