United States Attorney’s Office bids farewell to long time Federal Prosecutor David Herzog

On June 12, 2026, Assistant United States Attorney David Herzog announced his departure from the Department of Justice to return to the private practice of law. During his 18 years of service, AUSA Herzog focused on child exploitation and human trafficking cases, including leading a nine-year investigation into the sexual exploitation of Cambodian girls by an American, which resulted in conviction at trial and a 70-year sentence. AUSA Herzog leaves DOJ as a nationally and internationally recognized expert in online child exploitation and sex trafficking. He has served in a number of supervisory roles in Los Angeles and Spokane, ultimately rising to Chief of Appeals in Spokane over the last several years.

A native of Spokane and graduate of the Garfield Apple program and Shaw Middle School, AUSA Herzog was co-valedictorian at Gonzaga Prep in 1993. He attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he graduated summa cum laude in English while playing Division I soccer and violin in the university orchestra. After earning a Master of Philosophy degree in English Literature at the University of Glasgow, he graduated cum laude from law school at Georgetown. He clerked for several federal judges and was an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles before joining DOJ in 2008. AUSA Herzog will be joining Clyde & Co., an international law firm based in London, where his practice will focus on commercial litigation and appeals. AUSA Herzog and his wife, Spokane County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Emily Sullivan, will continue to raise their two children in Spokane.

"It has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime to stand up in court on behalf of the people of the United States-particularly for children and other victims of violent crimes who cannot often stand up for themselves," Herzog said. "My job as a federal prosecutor has never been to win cases; it has always been to seek justice." He noted that this responsibility remains the same, regardless of politics. "I have served proudly under Presidents, Attorneys General, and United States Attorneys of both parties, and the job has never changed: do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons, every time. It is a unique responsibility held by all prosecutors, and I have done my level best to meet it."

AUSA Herzog specifically complimented his colleagues: "The career prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Washington are among the most professional, excellent, and ethical lawyers anywhere. They set incredibly high standards for themselves and the office, at large, and they meet it every day, in the face of significant challenges inside and outside the courtroom. What a gift it has been to stand shoulder to shoulder with them over the years. I will miss my friends and colleagues very much, and I will look on their work with pride as they continue to serve justice every day."

At the same time, AUSA Herzog lamented the trend of former and current government officials publicly weighing in on cases without hearing the actual evidence presented to juries: "For 250 years, our society has relied on juries to resolve conflicts. When a jury receives evidence, evaluates whether the elements of a crime are met beyond a reasonable doubt, follows a court's instructions, and speaks with a unanimous voice, justice is served - regardless of how a particular verdict comports with anyone's personal views or political beliefs. That is what it means to follow the rule of law."

Pete Serrano, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, lamented losing AUSA Herzog as a prosecutor, but wished him well: "For nearly two decades, Dave Herzog has aggressively sought to protect the most vulnerable among us. He is a first class litigator and person, and the Spokane community can be proud that one of its own has dedicated so many years to keeping it safe. It would be easy to judge his success merely by the sheer number of years he has fought to protect our community. Our office will measure his service by the prosecutors he has helped train, the wisdom he has departed to his colleagues, the many, many documents he has authored or improved, and the convictions he has obtained at trial and sustained on appeal."

Stephanie Van Marter, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, echoed those sentiments. "Our office, and I, will miss Dave very much as a colleague, but I know we will remain friends for life. Our dads went to college together at Gonzaga, we went to high school together, and we have worked closely as colleagues for years. His respect for the work of this office, for the rule of law, and for due process, are beyond reproach. If the test of leadership is leaving something better than you found it, Dave passes with flying colors-this office has been permanently enriched by his time here."

The Spokane United States Attorney's Offices wishes Dave Herzog the best and extends its gratitude on behalf of the Eastern District of Washington for his years of service and commitment to justice. Thank you, Dave!