photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Senior Assistant District Attorney Ricardo Leal addresses the jury in the Miquel Brown trial on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Douglas County District Court.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Ricardo Leal is leaving the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for a state job in Topeka.

Leal, who has been with the DA’s Office since July of 2022, has accepted a position with the office of Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. That job will start in February.

“I’ve enjoyed serving the community and working with the members of the office, the bar, and the Court,” Leal said in an email. “I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to continue seeking justice and growing as an attorney.”

Leal was hired by former DA Suzanne Valdez and was one of the last holdovers from that administration in the office of current DA Dakota Loomis.

Leal has tried a number of high-level sex crimes. Most recently he secured a conviction in a rape trial in which the victim said she was overcome by fear, as the Journal-World reported. Defense attorneys are seeking a new trial in that case.

Loomis said he and Leal were working to ensure a smooth transition of Leal’s cases and “to protect the victims served by our office.”

“I am excited for Ricardo and the opportunity he has to help the state of Kansas in his new role at the Attorney General’s Office,” Loomis told the Journal-World Tuesday. He said he was thankful for Leal’s “dedicated service to this community and constant professionalism.”