Richard R. Barker has been appointed as the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, following the resignation of Vanessa R. Waldref. This appointment is in accordance with the Vacancies Reform Act.

Barker brings over a decade of experience as a prosecutor to his new role. He has served as an Assistant United States Attorney since 2014, holding various positions including First Assistant United States Attorney and Tribal Liaison. His career began in Washington D.C., where he worked as a homicide prosecutor before moving to Spokane in 2019.

Throughout his career, Barker has focused on violent crime cases and drug trafficking prosecutions. Notably, he was involved in prosecuting Zachery Holt and Dezmonique Tenzsley for double murder on the Colville Indian Reservation and Ronald Craig Ilg for attempting to hire hitmen via the dark web.

In 2023, Barker played a key role in dismantling the "Fetty Bros" Drug Trafficking Organization, which was responsible for distributing large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs in Eastern Washington. His efforts led to significant seizures of illegal substances and collaboration with local authorities to combat narcotics issues.

As First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Barker supervised multiple divisions within the office and contributed to opening a branch office in Richland, Washington. He also helped establish resources dedicated to prosecuting cases involving Native American communities, earning him a Department of Justice Director’s Award in 2024.

Reflecting on his new position, Barker stated: “I have loved serving as a federal prosecutor and working so closely with federal, state, local, and Tribal leaders to seek justice and protect our communities.” Outgoing U.S. Attorney Waldref praised Barker's leadership skills and dedication to justice.

Barker graduated from Brigham Young University Law School with highest honors and clerked for judges on both the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. District Court for Arizona before entering private practice at Davis Polk LLP.

Outside his official duties, Barker teaches at Gonzaga University School of Law and serves as a Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.