Welcome to episode 79 of FBI Retired Case File Review with Jerry Williams.

I'm a retired agent writing crime fiction inspired by true crime FBI cases.

We get to speak to Joel Wolfinger, who served nearly 30 years with the FBI. During his bureau career he rose through a variety of

positions serving as a squad supervisor, inspector, special agent in charge, and lastly, as Assistant Director in Charge of the

FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. In this episode, Joel Wolfinger is interviewed about his supervision of the Counterintelligence

Squad in Norfolk, Virginia, and the investigation of John Walker, a retired U.S. Navy Chief Warren Officer and Communication Specialists who sold secrets

about American military codes to the Soviets for nearly 20 years.

He also recruited his friend, brother, and son,

and together they caused extensive damage to the US national security.

The John Walker spy ring has been described as the most damaging Soviet spy ring in history.

Walker was arrested on May 20th, 1985.

He pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

For those who want to learn more about the investigation, Joe Wolfinger

and I recommend Retired Agent Bob Hunter's book, Spy Hunter, Inside the FBI's Investigation of the Walker Espionage

case.

After retiring from the FBI, Joe Wolfinger served pro bono for 14 years as the Executive Director

of the Major County Sheriff's Association. This is such a fascinating case and I guess one of the reasons I'm so

fascinated with it is that if I had only stayed in the Norfolk Division for one more year I might have played a role

in the surveillance of John Walker but I was transferred out of the Norfolk Division

in July of 1984. After just a short six months

term there, so I missed it. I'm not going to say a lot today because this is a

long interview. I try to keep them under an hour and

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