A former Fresno County Superior Court docket decide faces extra costs over allegations he sexually assaulted two court docket workers and tried to hinder the investigations into the assaults.
Former Choose Adolfo Corona, 66, was indicted final 12 months by a Fresno grand jury on costs of sexual battery and compelled sexual penetration for an alleged assault in March 2024.
He was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury over the March assault and now faces extra assault costs over an alleged December 2023 assault and efforts to hinder the crime. The case shall be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Atty. Karen Escobar and Particular Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer.
Corona retired in April 2024, ending his 11-year profession earlier than the primary indictments had been filed.
In accordance with the U.S. Division of Justice, on March 14, 2024, Corona allegedly led a court docket worker right into a stairwell the place he sexually assaulted her. After the assault, federal prosecutors say Corona lied to the FBI and court docket directors concerning the circumstances of the incident.
2005 picture of Choose Adolfo Corona. Fresno Bee file picture.
(Fresno Bee file {photograph})
About three months prior, in December 2023, prosecutors say Corona was alone in his chambers with one other court docket worker for 2 hours. She was later discovered handed out and alone within the chambers, in line with the indictment.
The indictment alleges that Corona lied to the FBI, claiming that he had left the girl alone in his chambers to drive to a dealership and decide up a motorbike.
On the bike dealership, prosecutors say that Corona tried to persuade a dealership worker to falsify firm information to say that he had picked up his bike to assist the alibi.
He was first indicted by a Fresno grand jury in September 2024 for 2 costs of sexual battery and sexual penetration by concern or power and pleaded not responsible.
The most recent DOJ allegations have resulted in costs of sexual assault, making false statements to cowl up the crimes, and obstructing the investigation into his alleged assault in court docket chambers.
If convicted, Corona may withstand 80 years in jail.
Corona has been the middle of controversy earlier than. In 2017, he sentenced a sexual abuser to a no-jail sentence and probation after the accused was convicted of soliciting a 14-year-old for express photographs.
Corona shall be tried in federal court docket, though the date will not be but introduced.
Any details about the investigation will be reported to the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or to ideas.fbi.gov.
