Spokane, WA – Richard R. Barker has officially stepped down from his role as Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, effective July 7, 2025. Barker is returning to private legal practice in Spokane after more than a decade of service in the U.S. Department of Justice.
Barker’s career in federal prosecution began in 2014 and includes notable roles such as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Tribal Liaison, and Coordinator for Computer Crime and Digital Assets. He previously served in Washington, D.C., as a homicide prosecutor before joining the Spokane office in 2019.
During his tenure, Barker handled several high-profile cases. He served as lead counsel in the trial of Zachery Holt and Dezmonique Tenzsley, who were convicted of murdering two Tribal members and attempting to kill a federal officer on the Colville Indian Reservation. He also led the prosecution of Ronald Craig Ilg, who tried to hire hitmen on the dark web, and Luis Esquival Balonos, who was convicted of trafficking over 100 pounds of illegal drugs…