WASHINGTON
The Spokesman-Review
Kip Hill The Spokesman-Review
Minnesota investigators left Spokane empty-handed in 2012 after hoping to nab a self-proclaimed minister accused of sexually assaulting girls and young women at a secluded camp north of Minneapolis.
Their attention has returned to the Inland Northwest after 59 criminal charges were filed last week against Victor A. Barnard, the 52-year-old reputed leader of the River Road Fellowship. A nationwide warrant has been issued for Barnard’s arrest, and the latest information places him in the Spokane area, where members of his group resettled.
Steven Blackwell, chief deputy for the Pine County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota, said Wednesday there’s no evidence Barnard has established a similar camp in the Spokane area. But court documents indicate known associates who relocated to the area have not been forthcoming with information about Barnard’s whereabouts.
The Washington State Patrol is asking the public to share any leads.
“The more we dig, the more we find,” Blackwell said.
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