DA Muehl Retires, Di Donna Now Acting DA and Running for Job

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
COOPERSTOWN

Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl, a Republican, retired on December 31, 2025 before the end of his term. Next in line was Chief Assistant DA Christopher Di Donna, who has since been serving as acting DA and will continue to be until December 31, 2026. Di Donna told AllOtsego he plans to run for the county’s top prosecutor job as a Republican in this year’s elections.

“John was DA for 22 years here,” Di Donna said. “He had a fair but firm approach to criminal justice in this county. I’m going to continue to do that.”

Di Donna, 38, said he was born on Long Island but raised in Otsego County. A graduate of Schenevus Central School and Hartwick College, he earned his law degree from Pace University. After working for local law firms and the Court of Appeals for several years, he returned to Otsego County to work in Muehl’s office in 2019.

“I’ve known John since I was a little kid. He’s been like a role model to me,” Di Donna said.

Di Donna, a former member of the Town of Maryland Town Board, said he is currently working to institute pretrial services to ensure individuals do not miss their court date and are informed of the process. He also said he wants to expand technology implementation in the office.

“I like to streamline things, make sure things are running efficiently,” Di Donna said.

Office attorneys include a chief ADA, now Bradley J. Moses, two full-time ADAs, and two part-time ADAs. Di Donna said last year the team tried 11 cases, “which, for a small office like ours, is unusual.”

“It just shows that the staff here is dedicated: if we have to take a case to trial, we will take a case to trial, and we’re going to continue to do that,” Di Donna said.

Muehl could not be reached for comment for this story. He had previously informed the Otsego County Board of Representatives of his intention to retire at the end of the 2025 year and continues to advise the office in a volunteer capacity.