Warren Kole has joined the cast of White Collar for season 5 in an important new role.

Kole will have a recurring role as agent David Siegel, the new handler for Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer). The character is said to be noticeably young, handsome and ambitious.

Kole is no stranger to the USA network; in summer 2012, the actor had a starring role in the short-lived cop drama Common Law.  He also had a recurring role this spring in Fox's serial killer drama The Following, acting alongside Kevin Bacon.

When season 5 of White Collar picks up in the fall, Neal's former handler, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay), will be behind bars after taking the fall for shooting a senator, a crime actually committed by Neal's father, James (Treat Williams).  With Peter imprisoned, Neal is assigned Kole's David Siegel in his place.

Season 5 of White Collar will also have other noteworthy guest stars, including Richard Thomas, best known as John-Boy in the '70s family drama The Waltons.  Thomas will play Grant Wolcott, the wealthy patriarch of a New York City family. 

Zachary Booth, who played Patty Hewes' (Glenn Close) son in the FX drama Damages has also signed on to play Patrick Wolcott, the family's "prodigal son." Kara Hayward, who had her debut performance in 2012's Moonrise Kingdom, will be playing the family's adolescent heir, Beatrix Wolcott. 

Thomas, Booth and Hayward will be featured in the second episode of the fifth season.

Bomer and co-stars Sharif Atkins and Tiffani Thieseen told Access Hollywood on May 17 that production had just begun on the fifth season. Atkins teased, "It's got me in a different situation than I normally am." Atkins plays special agent Clinton Jones.

Watch the exclusive interview video here.

White Collar will be debuting its fifth season in fall 2013, though a release date has not officially been set by USA.

Tags: White Collar Spoilers