Attorney with local ties resigns from state bar

MOSES LAKE — Defense attorney John Crowley, who has represented several high profile clients in criminal matters in Grant County, recently resigned from the Washington State Bar Association and agreed to no longer practice law after the bar found several instances of alleged misconduct in his past.

Crowley, who was admitted to the bar association in 1990, voluntarily submitted his resignation from the bar in lieu of discipline after the bar submitted findings of 20 counts of misconduct. Crowley’s decision to resign, which became effective Sept. 18, is permanent, meaning he can no longer practice law at any capacity and any future application he submits for reinstatement to the state bar is currently prohibited.

The bar’s findings of Crowley’s alleged misconduct boil down to five separate cases, one of which occurred in Grant County, and 20 total instances of misconduct. The other cases occurred in a federal court in Idaho and in Kittitas, Island, Pierce and King counties in Washington.

Miguel Barragan was convicted in Grant County Superior Court of two counts of child rape and first-degree assault. Barragan phoned Crowley in July 2011 and spoke with him about his case. Barragan ended up hiring Crowley to file motions, paying the attorney $10,000 for his services.

State bar documents indicate Crowley did not enter into a written fee agreement with Barragan and “some or all” of the $10,000 was paid before Crowley performed any of the services he was hired to do and Crowley reportedly did not deposit the funds into a trust account.

“Some or all of the $10,000 was for fees and/or expenses that Respondent (Crowley) never earned or incurred. During the time he represented Barragan, Respondent met in person with him twice to discuss his case. During the time he represented Barragan, Respondent spoke with Barragan twice by telephone about his case,” reads the bar’s findings. "Barragan and members of his family repeatedly telephoned Respondent and left messages for him to return their calls."

Crowley reportedly did not return any of the phone calls and did not communicate with Barragan or his family about the case. In addition, the bar says he never prepared the motions he was hired to file, did “little or no work” for Barragan and never refunded the money he was given after his representation was terminated.

Crowley gained a reputation for himself during his career for representing clients in several high profile criminal cases locally and abroad. Crowley recently represented convicted killer Jason Williams in Grant County Superior Court. Williams was convicted of second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree assault by a jury in September 2016 following a two-week trial regarding the murder of 22-year-old Christian Guerra outside of a Moses Lake fast food restaurant in January 2015.

Crowley also represented Benjamin Lopez Jr. in 2012-2013, who was sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison for his involvement in the death of a rival gang member in Quincy in April 2011. Crowley also represented Israel Morfin, who was convicted of murdering a Warden man in April 2009.

Crowley’s website for his legal practice is still live. All of the phone numbers listed on the website have been disconnected and Crowley could not be reached for comment.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.