EXCLUSIVE – The temporary election worker indicted in connection with two security-related thefts that occurred just days apart at the Arizona Senate Building and the Maricopa County Election Counting Center last month was seen sharing a smile with several Democratic politicians in social media posts viewed by Fox News Digital and had participated in at least the past two Arizona Democratic primary elections.
The suspect, Walter Alfonso Jamel Lingfield Jr., 27, of Phoenix, faces multiple charges including theft, criminal damage to property, trespass and burglary. Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner said last week that investigators were reviewing “a large amount of digital evidence,” including Lingfield’s past social media activity, and vowed to “exhaust all resources” in determining whether the crime was politically motivated.
Authorities have not released updates on the investigation since then, but screenshots viewed by Fox News Digital show Lingfield posing with Democratic politicians, including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Tempe, Arizona Mayor Corey Woods and then-Tempe Police Chief Jeffrey Glover, in several photos he shared on social media in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Glover was later appointed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to be the Arizona Department of Public Safety director in 2023. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is the agency that accused Lingfield last month of stealing from a security guard’s desk at the state Senate building.
Arizona election official spotted stealing from Senate security desk, day before election center theft: authorities
In one post, Lingfield described politicians as “my friends”.
Photos posted to Instagram also show Lingfield smiling as he recounted his experiences meeting with former Democratic state Assemblyman Jevin Hodge, who resigned earlier this year amid sexual assault allegations, former Democratic Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano and nonpartisan Tempe City Council Member Verdetta Hodge.
“Left-wing activists with a history of breaking the law allegedly stole keys to illegally access machines that count votes from Maricopa’s election system,” Claire Zank, election integrity communications director for the Republican National Committee, said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “Democrats are at best turning a blind eye while claiming the election is secure. At worst, was this a long-running, deliberate threat of extreme election interference by Democrats? What was their motive, one month before the primary? Arizonans deserve proof that their vote is secure, and Americans deserve a system that doesn’t tolerate this kind of intimidation.”
Lingfield was arrested June 21 outside his Phoenix home after security camera footage showed him walking past a desk with several input devices and placing the security fob and lanyard in his pocket the previous day, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Lingfield was questioned by his employer, and detectives executed a search warrant at his home and recovered the security fob from a dresser in the master bedroom.
Walter Lingfield was seen on security camera putting the security fob in his pocket at the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center on June 20, 2024. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
At a press conference the following week, Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates acknowledged that Lingfield had participated in a felony diversion program, but he said that information did not emerge from a background check conducted before Lingfield was hired as a temporary election worker by Maricopa County.
Lingfield participated in the program after he was arrested in September 2023 for allegedly embezzling $1,800 in cash while working as a cashier at a Phoenix grocery store, according to court records.
In total, Lingfield faces four criminal charges for unspecified crimes, including one felony and one traffic infraction, including a trespassing/detention charge filed against him in 2019. Court documents also list a previous arrest history for disorderly conduct and fighting.
Following Lingfield’s arrest late last month, the Republican National Committee and the Arizona Republican Party deployed lawyers and observers to Maricopa County. “As part of our Election Integrity program, we are working to gather information and increase transparency as the situation evolves,” Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement on June 25. “The Republican National Committee and the Arizona Republican Party have a long history of working on election issues in Maricopa County both on the ground and in the courts, and yesterday’s events are an example of our Election Integrity Program’s ability to take legal action in real time when issues arise at the counting center.”
Lingfield, under his Instagram handle @alphonsosundevil, shared a selfie with Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, on Sept. 9, 2022. (Fox News Digital)
“This incident raises serious questions about the security of Arizona’s elections that must be answered. We will work constructively with Maricopa County officials to ensure that any response to this security breach fully addresses our concerns,” Whatley added at the time.
An Arizona election worker accused of stealing security equipment remained employed despite being arrested on theft charges months earlier
Two days after the press conference, the Arizona Department of Public Safety revealed that Lingfield had been involved in a separate theft from the Arizona Senate building.
The National Guard reviewed security camera footage that showed a suspect, later identified as Lingfield, entering a restricted area of the building and stealing multiple items from a security guard’s desk on June 19, the day before the theft at the Maricopa County Counting and Election Center. State police said the stolen items included challenge coins and other desk accessories.
Lingfield shared a selfie with Kelly on Sept. 9, 2022, under the Instagram handle “@alphonsosundevil,” according to screenshots viewed by Fox News Digital.
In an Instagram post from Jan. 17, 2022, Walter Lingfield holds up a sign featuring a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. that reads, “The Dream Continues…Right to Vote Now.” (Fox News Digital)
“Today I met two amazing and inspiring sitting United States Senators,” the caption read, naming Sen. Kerry and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who is not pictured in the post.
Another photo shared on Jan. 17, 2022, shows Lingfield wearing masks with other volunteers and holding blue signs featuring a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. that read, “The Dream Continues…Right to Vote Now.”
The caption reads that she was fortunate to be able to participate in the Martin Luther King parade and thanks Verdetta Hodge, past president of the Tempe Union High School District Board of Trustees, adding, “It has been an honor and privilege to serve as an intern this semester.”
According to screenshots viewed by Fox News Digital, Lingfield shared a photo of himself smiling with a group of politicians on Dec. 18, 2021. The account, “@alphonsosundevil,” is now private.
“Time to smile and introduce ourselves to our friends,” Lingfield wrote at the time.
Walter Lingfield is pictured in a Dec. 18, 2021 Instagram post with Tempe, Arizona, Mayor Corey Woods, then-Tempe Police Chief Jeffrey Glover, former Democratic state assemblyman Jevin Hodge, former Democratic Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano and Tempe City Councilwoman Verdetta Hodge. (Fox News Digital)
Arizona election worker arrested for allegedly stealing security equipment from vote counting center
Finally, Mr Lingfield is pictured next to the cheery members: Mr Woods, Mr Glover, then-state assemblyman Jevin Hodge, Mr Giuliano and Ms Bordetta Hodge.
Lingfield wrote that this was her second time meeting Woods, the first time on the night he was elected mayor, and in the caption she described Woods as “Tempe’s first black mayor.” She also praised Glover as “Tempe’s first black police chief.” Lingfield said she was “honored” to be interning for Jevin Hodge next semester, adding, “Happy birthday, my friend.”
The caption said Giuliano was “6-0 in politics” and had “met with every president except one since he entered politics.”
“He was absolutely wonderful,” Lingfield wrote, “and blessed to be in the company of good friends.”
On March 10, 2020, Walter Lingfield shared a photo on Instagram of himself with Corey Woods, the mayor-elect of Tempe, Arizona. (Fox News Digital)
On March 10, 2020, Lingfield shared a photo of herself smiling and giving a thumbs up next to Wood at a different event, according to another screenshot.
“In just a short time, I have learned so much from Tempe’s first black mayor,” Lingfield wrote in congratulating Woods. “I am looking for a role model.”
Further screenshots of his social media activity showed Lingfield supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and asking his followers whether they were pro- or anti-abortion on the subject.
On former President Trump’s social media platform, TRUTH Social, Lingfield appears to have posted from a different handle, @imjustheresoiwontbefined.
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A screenshot of the cover photo shows Lingfield again smiling with a group of people, including Democrat Jevin Hodge.
Lingfield voted in Arizona’s Democratic primaries in 2022 and 2020, according to voting data.
He made two donations of just $5 each in 2022 to ActBlue, the main fundraising platform for Democratic campaigns and groups nationwide, according to Federal Election Commission data.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kelly, Klobuchar, Woods, Glover, Giuliano, Jevin and Verdetta Hodge, as well as the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
