Richter Glad To Be Back As Federal Prosecutor In Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ After two years of hectic work in the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, John Richter says he's back where he's most comfortable _ in Oklahoma. <br/><br/>Richter was sworn

Sunday, April 30th 2006, 11:34 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ After two years of hectic work in the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, John Richter says he's back where he's most comfortable _ in Oklahoma.

Richter was sworn in earlier this week as the federal prosecutor for the western district of Oklahoma, and the 42-year-old says of the position that ``it may be the best job I'll ever have.''

Richter decided he wanted to be a federal prosecutor in 1992, when he worked as a clerk for a U.S. district judge in his home state of Georgia and watched the work of an assistant U.S. attorney.

The Emory University graduate eventually became an assistant U.S. attorney in Oklahoma City, but in 2003, he took a job as the chief of staff for the Justice Department's criminal division. He later became an acting assistant attorney general and was responsible for that division's more than 450 lawyers.

His schedule was busy, starting most days at 6:35 a.m. with a security briefing and not ending them until well after dark. He sat in on meetings after last year's terrorist attacks in London and also headed the Justice Department's counter-espionage section, among other responsibilities.

All the time, Richter planned to return to Oklahoma, ``whether I was the United States attorney or not,'' he said.

After two years in Washington, he came back to Oklahoma City in September to temporarily fill the U.S. Attorney's post vacated by Robert McCampbell. President Bush nominated Richter for the permanent position in February.

Richter said his priorities will include cases that involve national security, violent crime involving guns and white-collar offenses. He also will emphasize protecting children from sexual predators.

``Those kind of cases are a chance to look out for our future, basically,'' he said.