Terry Houck to Be Sworn in as NorCo DA Today

For the first time since 1991, Northampton County will have a new District Attorney. John Morganelli, who held office for an unprecedented 28 years, will be succeeded by his First Deputy, Terrence Houck. When Morganelli was first elected, nine of his 11 assistants were part-time prosecutors with private practices. The office of District Attorney was itself a part-time job. Morganelli argued that he and his assistants should devote 100% of their professional time to prosecuting criminal cases. The voters agreed, changing the Home Rule Charter to make his office full-ime. Since then, Morganelli has replaced retiring part-time prosecutors with full-time professionals. All of Houck's 22 assistants now have just one client - the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Houck himself is a career prosecutor who has spent 32 years in the Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton County DA's office. His last 13 years has been as Northampton County's First Deputy DA. Before he became a lawyer, Houck worked as a cop in Philadelphia. He attended Temple Law School at night.

"Being elected as District Attorney has been a life goal since the time I became a career prosecutor over 32 years ago," said Houck on election night. "This is who I am. I will seek no other office."

Like Morganelli, Houck will try cases.

He has snagged Richard Huntington Pepper as his First Deputy District Attorney. Pepper was poised to leave the District Attorney's office after 36 years, but will assume the role once held by Houck.

In addition, Houck has formed a Leadership Group consisting of Pepper and three prosecutors who have been promoted to the position of Chief Deputy District Attorney. They are William Blake (Chief Deputy, Investigations), Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen (Chief Deputy, Prosecutions) and Tatum Wilson (Chief Deputy, Training). "These changes will create a clear chain of command and will provide the office with a structure that will create consistency and uniformity among our units," said Houck.

At a news conference before taking office, Houck outlined some of his goals. He vowed to continue the community outreach established by Morganelli, who even visited every municipality in the county. He vows to strengthen victims' services, start participating in problem solving courts, establish a child advocacy center, update the website, increase training and create a social media presence.

He has named Tina Queen "to the most important but underappreciated position in our office: Office Manager." Mehvish Ahmed, who started in the DA's office by answering the phone, will be his Executive Secretary.

The prosecution divisions are as follows:

Homicide and Violent Crimes - Chief Deputy DA Patricia Mulqueen
Ass't DA Dave Ceraul
Ass't DA  Alec Colquhoun
Ass't DA Aaron Gallogly

Drugs - Deputy DA Mike Thompson
Ass't DA Adrianne Doll
Ass't DA Julianne Danchak
Deputy DA Sandra McClure

DUI - Deputy DA Joe Lupackino
Ass't DA Katie Kurnas
Ass't DA Alec Colquhoun
Ass't DA Nicole Cheskey

White Collar and Fraud - Deputy DA Jim Augustine
Ass't DA Abigail Bellafatto
Ass't DA Patricia Turzyn

Sex Crimes and Child Abuse - Chief Deputy DA Tatum Wilson
Ass't DA Laura Majewski
Ass't DA Julianne Danchak

Domestic Violence - Deputy DA Ed Penetar
Ass't DA Judy Chaverri

Juvenile Crimes - Deputy DA Sandra McClure
Ass't DA Laura Majewski

Appellate Division - Deputy DA Becky Kulik
Ass't DA Katie Kurnas

Grand Jury and Major Crimes - Chief Deputy DA Bill Blake.