A temporary elections worker in Maricopa County, Arizona, who was caught on surveillance camera last week allegedly stealing a “digital magnetic key” from a counting center, was arrested a few months earlier for allegedly taking $1,800 in cash from a cash register while working as a cashier at a nearby grocery store, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
The development has raised concerns about the vetting of election staff ahead of the 2024 elections.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates acknowledged to reporters that the suspect, 27-year-old Walter Lingfield, had participated in a felony diversion program — information that did not surface in a criminal background check conducted before Lingfield was hired as a temporary election worker.
“I won’t go into the details of this case at this time, but we do criminal background checks on all of our temps, and he was a temp election worker, and in those criminal background checks this crime did not come up. He had been diverted,” Gates said. “It takes 2,000 to 3,000 temps to run an election in Maricopa County, so security is extremely important.”
Arizona election worker arrested for allegedly stealing security equipment from vote counting center
Walter Lingfield was arrested Friday on suspicion of theft. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
According to a search warrant obtained by Fox News Digital, Lingfield, a Phoenix resident, was arrested on suspicion of theft at Fry’s Food & Drug, a grocery store chain, on North 18th Street in Phoenix on Sept. 30, 2023. The night before his arrest, Lingfield was working register number 9, after which management discovered more than $1,800 had gone missing during Lingfield’s shift, the document states.
“Walter robbed customers of their cash at the register. [pocketing] “In total, Lingfield stole over $1,800 over several transactions,” the documents state. Lingfield was questioned by management and anti-theft officers and “later admitted to the thefts and stated that all of the cash he stole yesterday was placed in his front pants pocket.”
“When officers asked him who the money belonged to, he responded that it was Fry’s money and that he intended to give it back,” the document states. “During his Miranda rights, Walter stated he had been working for Fry’s for two weeks. He was struggling to make rent and was unable to pay his bills. Walter admitted to stealing the money from the cash register. Walter was subsequently booked into jail on the charges listed. Fry’s sought prosecution.”
A box asking if the defendant served in the U.S. military is checked “yes,” and under the branch in which he served it lists U.S. Navy.
The document states that Lingfield has previous arrests for disorderly conduct and fighting. He is not currently serving time, is not homeless and does not require an interpreter to serve the court.
Under his place of birth it shows the United States and his current U.S. nationality is listed.
Fox News Digital reached out to Navy Personnel for more information about Lingfield’s military service but did not immediately receive a response.
Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates held up a black security key as an example of one that was stolen from the counting center. (Kuwait)
The case was opened by the Maricopa County Prosecutor’s Office 10 months ago.
Lingfield was rearrested Friday in connection with the theft of security fobs at the Maricopa County Board of Elections building in Phoenix, authorities said.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner was asked if authorities had reason to believe the theft 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 the search warrant.”
“We don’t have any indications at this point, but we can’t rule out the possibility. And we’re going to exhaust all avenues. We’re going to evaluate all the evidence that’s out there and if there’s anything that might lead us to other locations or other parties that may be involved in this case, we’ll certainly follow up on that. But right now, we don’t have anything to indicate that.”
Walter Lingfield was allegedly photographed removing security equipment from the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center in Arizona on June 20, 2024. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
Maricopa County, which had concerns about repeat counting equipment; Allegations of election fraud This has been the case in recent years, particularly during the 2020 presidential election.
Gaetz said the incident “will not have any impact whatsoever” on the primary election, scheduled for July 30.
“During election days, security fobs are used in conjunction with special security tablets,” the lawsuit states. “Because the security fobs have been removed from the secure facility, all security fobs and security tablets will need to be reprogrammed in preparation for the upcoming election. The facility’s director has stated that the estimated cost of reprogramming will be in excess of $19,000, and the secure operation of the facility will be significantly hindered until the reprogramming is complete.”
Gates said all of the tabulating machines have been reprogrammed, the county has conducted logic and accuracy tests and notified political parties.
Election officials in all 50 states have been asked by the Biden administration for information on preventing foreigners from voting.
Walter Lingfield was captured on video taking a magnetic security key from the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center in Arizona on June 20, 2024. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
According to the documents, Lingfield was seen on surveillance video walking past a desk and multiple tabulating machines on Thursday. He stopped at the desk and grabbed “a red scrunchie wrist strap with a security fob and key attached” and continued walking, according to the documents. He then placed the security fob and strap in the right pocket of his shorts and “immediately afterwards, he raised his arms and stretched.”
When Lingfield was confronted by his employer about the theft, “Walter advised that he did not have the key ring or lanyard,” according to the documents.
Lingfield told his employer that “if he took it by mistake, it may be in the car because it wasn’t in his pocket when he got home,” the documents state. Lingfield allowed his employer and security to see the car, and they saw “a red plastic strap on the center console shifter and a plastic tag identifying a station key that matched the lost key,” but the key fob was not found at the time.
The following day, detectives went to Lingfield’s residence in Phoenix and arrested him while he was out.
Walter Lingfield was seen on security camera walking past a desk at the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center in Arizona on June 20, 2024. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
“Through the window of Walter’s Acura, which was backed into the driveway, detectives observed a red plastic part on the shift lever that matched the description seen by his employer and the security guard,” the document states. “Walter was questioned post-Miranda and stated he worked for MCTEC but was fired because they believed he had stolen something.”
Walter admitted to detectives that he took the keychain but claimed he only took it for about 20 minutes and then gave it back.
Mr Lingfield claimed he took the fob as his job was temporary and he was seeking to formalise it and wanted to cleanse himself.
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Investigators executed a search warrant at Lingfield’s residence and located the security fob on a dresser in the master bedroom, documents state.
Unlike the indictment from several months ago, last week’s indictment lists “unknown” in a section asking whether the defendant had served in the U.S. military.
