Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Nick Brown

Multiple cold cases solved with assist from Attorney General’s DNA forensic genetic genealogy program

Paul J. Bieker sentenced to 30 years for 2003 rape, abduction of Grays Harbor county teenager; Kenneth Downing pleaded guilty to four counts of rape in the first degree for two Pullman home invasions in 2003 and 2004

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that his office’s DNA forensic genetic genealogy program has now helped solve three cold cases, including one with multiple victims:

New law offering free or discounted hospital care to 4 million Washingtonians effective tomorrow

Approximately half of all Washingtonians will save money as a result of Attorney General request legislation

OLYMPIA — Starting tomorrow, 4 million Washingtonians will qualify for free or discounted care at hospitals across Washington as a result of legislation requested by Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

Attorney General Ferguson convenes Washington Organized Retail Crime Theft Task Force

Task force brings law enforcement, prosecutors, retailers together to combat growing problem

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today the creation of a statewide Organized Retail Crime Theft Task Force. The Task Force will improve coordination and collaboration among law enforcement agencies to address these multi-jurisdictional crimes that endanger employees and cause significant economic harm to our state.

Attorney General Ferguson statement on US Supreme Court ruling on Hanford

Updated worker protection law remains in place, ensuring workers still receive compensation benefits

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against a 2018 Washington law protecting Hanford workers. An updated law, which was passed in 2022, remains in place, ensuring that workers at radioactive waste sites like Hanford still receive compensation benefits for health issues they have faced because of their work.

AG Ferguson locates 387 sex, kidnapping and homicide offenders in Washington who owe DNA, collects DNA from 102 so far

AG’s Office is working with law enforcement to collect the remaining samples in this second phase of its DNA project

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced that his lawfully owed DNA project identified 387 sex, kidnapping and homicide offenders still living in Washington who illegally failed to provide DNA samples after their criminal conviction. Of these 387 individuals, the Attorney General’s Office already collected 102 new DNA profiles, including:

Ellensburg defendant sentenced to nearly six years in prison in first child rape conspiracy prosecution by Attorney General’s Office

Attorney General’s Office charged six individuals nabbed in “Net Nanny” operation in Yakima targeting individuals seeking to rape children

YAKIMA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today a Yakima County Superior Court judge sentenced an individual from Ellensburg to nearly six years in prison following his guilty plea for charges related to felony attempted child rape.