Phoenix Man Defends Against Election Key Theft Allegations, Confronts Additional Charges

A man accused of stealing security keys from a Maricopa County elections center had his first court appearance Tuesday morning.

Walter Ringfield, 27, was indicted on July 1 on one charge of computer tampering. Ringfield, who was employed temporarily at the county’s main election tabulation center, was caught on camera on June 20 taking a lanyard off a desk. The lanyard held a security key and a magnetic key fob intended for ballot tabulator access.

The next day, election officials identified the missing items. Although Ringfield initially denied the theft, police discovered the lanyard and key in his car and the magnetic fob on his bedroom dresser. Ringfield claimed he took the items mistakenly, stating he wanted to clean up to impress his supervisors and secure a permanent position.

Because the fob was removed from a secure facility, all associated security fobs and tablets must be reprogrammed, an effort elections officials estimate will cost nearly $20,000.

The secure operation of the facility is notably hindered until reprogramming is complete, according to an affidavit. Police found probable cause to charge Ringfield with theft and criminal damage. However, a grand jury indicted him for computer tampering, a class 2 felony that can lead to a prison sentence of 3 to 35 years.

Ringfield pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Maricopa County Superior Court. He is no longer employed by the elections department. Before his termination, Ringfield’s responsibilities included assisting with logic and accuracy testing on the ballot tabulators. Officials emphasized that the incident is not indicative of potential fraud in future elections, despite theories circulating on social media.

Ringfield faces additional theft charges. A month before the elections center incident, he was filmed stealing $9,500 worth of jewelry from the Phoenix Art Museum during a private event. Police noted he was seen wearing a stolen pocket watch from another exhibit. He was indicted on one count of theft for this offense.

In mid-June, prior to taking the security fob, Arizona Senate staff reported missing challenge coins and other desk items. Security footage showed Ringfield wandering in restricted areas of the Senate building. Senate Republicans claimed Ringfield told security he was an intern for a Democratic senator, which Senate Democrats denied. He is indicted on one count of burglary and trespassing for this incident.

Ringfield was also arrested at Fry’s grocery store in 2023 for stealing over $1,000 in cash while employed there. Surveillance footage captured him pocketing cash from customers over multiple transactions. He entered a diversion program, and county elections officials stated that his criminal background wasn’t flagged during the hiring process.

Ringfield’s next court appearance is a complex case management conference set for Sept. 30, with a trial assignment date on Nov. 6. He has not yet been assigned a public defender. The Maricopa County Elections Department has not responded to additional questions.