A former California judge faces decades in prison after federal prosecutors charged him with sexually assaulting courthouse employees and attempting to cover up his alleged crimes.
Former California Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona, 66, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Fresno on five counts, including sexual assault of a 33-year-old court employee, making false statements about the incident, and obstructing an investigation into allegations he sexually assaulted another court employee, age 43, the Justice Department announced yesterday.
Pattern of Alleged Misconduct
According to the indictment, Corona led a 33-year-old court employee into a courthouse stairwell on March 14, 2024, where he sexually assaulted her. When questioned by FBI agents and court administrators, he allegedly lied about the circumstances of the assault.
But the charges don’t stop there. Federal authorities allege Corona also obstructed an investigation into a separate incident involving a 43-year-old court employee. The indictment states Corona was alone with this second victim in his chambers for approximately two hours on December 5, 2023. She was later found passed out in the judge’s chambers.
When questioned about this incident, Corona reportedly told FBI investigators he had left the woman alone while he drove to pick up a motorcycle — an alibi prosecutors say was fabricated. The indictment charges that Corona even attempted to persuade a motorcycle dealership employee to alter company records to corroborate his story.
Serious Consequences
If convicted, Corona faces up to 40 years in prison on the sexual assault charge alone, with an additional potential 20 years for each obstruction charge. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer.
This federal indictment comes on the heels of separate state charges. Corona was indicted in state court on September 23, 2024, with one count of sexual penetration by force, fear or duress, and one count of sexual battery.
How did Corona respond? He entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment before Judge Joseph Kalashian of Tulare County, with bail set at $70,000. A tentative trial date for the state charges had been set for early January 2025, though court records indicate the proceedings have been delayed due to legal challenges.
“We expect to have another motion filed with the court requesting recusal or disqualification of the District Attorney’s office,” defense attorney Michael Aed said regarding the state case.
Judicial Career Cut Short
Corona’s legal career spanned more than two decades on the bench. Originally appointed in 2003 by then-Governor Gray Davis, Corona won re-election in 2022 for another term on the Fresno County Superior Court. Despite having five years remaining in that term, he abruptly retired effective April 30, 2024 — shortly after the alleged March assault.
Retired Judge LaDoris Cordell, a former independent police auditor, emphasized the gravity of the accusations, particularly given Corona’s position of authority.
“There is an allegation that an incident involving him and a sexual assault on a court employee in the courthouse, in his workplace. The incident is alleged to have occurred March 14th,” Cordell noted. Regarding Corona’s retirement, she added, “It was the right thing to do. It would be, I think, virtually impossible for him to hear probably any cases coming into his courtroom with this indictment hanging over his head.”
The case has sent shockwaves through California’s legal community, where judges are entrusted with upholding justice and protecting the vulnerable — not allegedly preying on those who work within the courthouse walls.
